Social Media Taught in Schools November 10, 2008

     In the article Can New Media Be Taught In Schools? by Marshall Kirkpatrick, he talks about how it might be a good idea to teach new media in journalism and other schools. 

 

“According to Inside Higher Ed article, some colleges plan to fund new media sections in their journalism sections in their journalism schools” (Kirkpatrick, 2008). Many people think this isn’t such a good idea because jobs aren’t necessarilly abundant or secure in media.

 

“All the new things in the world of media like blogging, podcasting, wiki, tweeting are so fresh that there are hardly any established help tools. With that being said, there is a need for media to be taught in school” (Kirkpatrick, 2008).

 

Can these things be taught in school though? Some say students are better off watching the videos on YouTube by Common Craft.

 

Amy Sample Ward, a nonprofit technologist who has a degree in new media explained that the most profitable things she learned were through project-based assignments. They allow space to learn new media tools.

 

Kirkpatrick wraps up his article talking about how there will be new media courses  starting up in schools all over, and there will probably be a lot of bad ones at first, but hopefully there will be some that will actually be beneficial.

 

http://tinyurl.com/6xjsyl

Information from this post came from:

 

Kirkpatrick, M. (2008, July 31). Can New Media Be Taught In Schools? Message posted to http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/can_new_media_be_taught_in_schools.php

Tips on How to get Published November 7, 2008

In an article How to Get Your First Publication, author Sarah Turner gives tips to beginning writers trying to break into publishing.

-First editors want to know two things: 1.) whether you have good ideas

                                                                2.) whether you can write

http://tinyurl.com/5shfll

Tips

• Start small- “approach a community newspaper with a small article idea,” said Turner. Offer a 500 word piece and make sure it fits with the paper. Don’t worry about pay, just get your name out there.
• Build your writing portfolio- If you are starting from scratch, “try volunteering to do a newsletter or writing an article online. Also try entering a writing contest. Awards look great on a writer’s resume, and they boost your writing confidence” (Turner, 2008).
• Know your markets-” The most important rule and tip. Research and read the publications that interest you, and take note of tone, subject matter,sections, and advertisers. The closer you are to your targer, the more success you will have” (Turner, 2008).
• Hone your skills- Take any writing classes or workshops that you can afford to. Join a group or ask a friend to critique your writing, the more your work is read the better.
• Be honest- Don’t fake having experience, be up front when you approach an editor. It is ok to tell them you don’t have any experience. Be professional and motivated.

The information from this post came from:

Turner, S. (2008, Apr. 01). Retrieved Nov. 07, 2008, from http://resourcesforwriters.suite101.com/article.cfm/getting_your_first_publication

 

7 Things You Should Know About Blogs November 6, 2008

1.)  What is it?

- The word Blog means “Web log,” meaning an online chronological collection of personal commentary and links.

- Blogging has come a long way from online diaries to well respected reviews on specific topics.

2.) Who is doing it?

- Anyone can create a blog.

- There are group blogs, family blogs, community blogs, corporate blogs. A few examples given by educause.com  are: WarBlogs (blogs about the Iraq war), LibLogs (Library blogs), and EduBlogs (targeting education).

- “In educational settings instructors are using blogs as a teaching tool, and students are increasingly using them for personal use and class requirements.”

3.) How does it work?

- It is as simple as using any online program.

- The author writes posts,consisting of anything they wish, and it is uploaded to their blog. Once the post is up, subscribers to the blog will be notified.

- Post entries can include anything from text, photos, power point slide shows, hyperlinks, tags, music, video, and much more.

- Readers can submit feedback through comments on the post, or they can comment on their own blog linking back to the blog they are commenting on. This feature is known as trackback. Bloggers are notified if their work is referenced to in another blog.

4.) Why is it significant?

- Informative

- Expression

-  Connection

- Media outlet

- Blogs allow for immediate readership and reactions which lead to feedback.

- Blogs stimulate the growth of online communities.

5.) What are the downsides?

-  Bias

- Inaccurate

- Unmediated

- Highly volatile

6.) Where is it going?

- Blogs are growing exponentially

- An estimated 50 million people are blogging

- Blogs are public and long-lived

- Educators are learning how to maximize the benefits of blogs in and out of the classroom

7.) What are the implications for teaching and learning?

- As said by educause.com, “Blogs can be used as reflection about classes, careers, or current events;they can also capture and disseminate student and faculty-generated content.”

http://tinyurl.com/6bbg5q

For more information about blogs visit:

Thomas, (2005, Aug.). Retrieved Nov. 04, 2008, from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7006.pdf