This semester I'm teaching (for the first time) a graduate seminar on social media. It's similar to my undergraduate special topics class in that it's not focused solely on social media in the marketing mix, but it's much less hands-on and much more concerned with social and cultural impact. I organized the class by waiting until the first day to find out who the students were and what their interests are, so some of the topics and readins are tailored to their needs. In addition, the class chose from a menu of options to decide how they would be assessed.

Here's the syllabus, minus the boring parts:

Introduction

This course aims to help students understand social media from both scholarly and professional perspectives. This seminar will explore scholarship on social media about important issues such as collaboration, privacy, and security; from academic fields such as psychology, business, and communications; and in subject areas such as politics, education, and social reform. Because the field is new and rapidly changing, students will also read popular literature on these topics. In addition, students will participate in several collaborative learning projects and will have the opportunity to work hands-on with social media.

Required reading

Students will be required to read and be prepared to discuss both scholarly and popular literature on social media for class each week. Links to these articles are provided on the schedule. In addition, students will be asked to read a book for the team book review project.

Assessment

You will be graded on your written work, your oral presentation, your ability to synthesize and conceptualize the material, and your contributions to the class. Prompt attendance and conformity with deadlines are expected at the graduate level. In case of dire emergency, contact the instructor prior to missing class.

Blogging (20 percent): Each student will choose between two options.

1. You may create an individual blog on Wordpress.com with the goal of posting at least 12 times during the semester and making efforts to build an engaged community of readers.
2. You may participate in the class blog by initiating posts at least five times during the semester as well as commenting on at least 30 other students’ posts with substantive, insightful comments that further the discussion of weekly readings.

Team book presentation (20 percent): Students will work in small groups to read and present a book to the class, creatively using social media as part of the presentation.

Participation (10 percent): You are expected to participate in weekly discussions of the readings.

Original research case study paper (50 percent): Students will work in pairs to research and write a case study, using original, triangulated research to develop theory relating to social media.

The weekly topics are as follows:

• Collaboration
• Amateurs vs. Professionals
• Social Media, U.S. Law, and Ethics
• Online Identity Production
• Privacy and Social Media
• Social Media and News
• The Social Side of Search
• Personal Branding
• Social Media and Business
• Social Media and Education
• Social Media and Politics/Government
• Attention and Distraction
• Social Media and Entertainment
• Social Media and Social Change

My grad assistant typed up the reading list, so if you'd like the course bibliography, email russell dot uga at gmail and I'd be happy to share it (Word document).

 

 

Just in case you don't have enough to do, allow me to suggest the addictive new blog, PRDepiction, a group blog with citations from research on pop culture representations of public relations, as well as cites and/or links to the primary sources. (Disclosure: I'm one of the bloggers. Further disclosure: I haven't posted on the site yet. But I will.)

It's addictive because, c'mon, you can call it research!

Karla Gower of the University of Alabama's Plank Center shares the following information about 2012 Faculty Fellowships for Educators, a program that came up in Teaching PR conversation not long ago (and that I thoroughly hope to participate in when my child gets a little older!).

The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations at the University of Alabama invites faculty to apply for its 2012 Fellowship for Educators, a two-week summer program for professors teaching public relations.  This year, we will be able to place up to fifteen (15) selected educators for two full weeks in the offices of the sponsoring organizations, which have been drawn from public relations agencies, corporations, not-for-profits and the government sector.

The sponsoring organization will pay housing and per diem expenses for the chosen educator; the educator will pay for travel to/from the sponsoring organization, and any out-of-pocket expenses.

Applications with all supporting materials (a personalstatement, CV/resume, and letter of recommendation) must be e-mailed to Dr.Karla Gower, gower at apr dot ua dot edu, by February 10, 2012.

Background

• This two-week fellowship program for public relations educators is designed with the dual purpose of exposing professors to current day-to-day operations of the public relations function and in creating an exchange of information and ideas that will enhance the professional development of both the educators and the practitioner-sponsors.
• Key beneficiaries are public relations students, who can be ensured their professors are knowledgeable in the current practices and issues facing practitioners and that practitioners have a greater appreciation for the value of theory and research of their classrooms in today’s public relations work.
• The Plank Center is the convener of this opportunity, using its own visibility to draw attention to the program; marketing the program to both educators and organization leaders; and coordinating the application process and “match.”
• Sponsoring organizations will be drawn from public relations agencies, corporations, not-for-profits and the government sector. Placement with a particular organization depends on the educator’s area(s) of expertise.
• The number of placements depends on the number of organizations willing to host an educator. Since the program’s inception in 2010, Home Depot, Insidedge—GolinHarris, Ketchum Public Relations Agencies in Chicago and New York, the American Red Cross, and Southern Company have hosted educators.

Expectations

• Educators selected as Fellows will spend two full weeks in the offices of the sponsoring organization with which they have been matched. The period of the Fellowship is expected to occur in June or July, as agreed by both parties.
• Educators will be given a full orientation to the sponsoring organization, the particular department, staff duties and responsibilities, clients and/or projects.
• Sponsoring organizations will designate a key professional as the official host and mentor for the visiting professors during their time in residency.
• In return, educators will use their own expertise to conduct at least one workshop or seminar for the staff of the sponsoring organization.  In addition, the educators may conduct a research project of value to the sponsoring organization; produce a report or white paper highlighting their impressions, key takeaways and recommendations for how the sponsors can develop new proficiencies in a key discipline; develop proprietary knowledge in existing or new areas of strategic focus; or interact with greater effectiveness on the college campus.
• To participate in the Fellowship for Educators, the sponsoring organizations will pay housing and per diem expenses up to a maximum of $3,000 for the chosen educator; the educators will pay for travel to/from the sponsoring organization, and any out-of-pocket expenses. 

Application Process

• To apply, candidates must send an email to Dr. Karla Gower (gower@apr.ua.edu), director of the Plank Center and Behringer Distinguished Professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Alabama, that includes the following:
  • Personal statement addressing:
    • Areas of special interest or need that you, as a candidate, will hope to develop;
    • Expectations on what you will accomplish with respect to your teaching and research as a Plank Center Fellow;
    • Thoughts on how you would bring key learnings gained during the Fellowship back to your academic institution for the growth of your department, your students and the larger university; and
    • Possible topics for your workshop or seminar to the host organization.
    • CV/Resume
    • Letter of recommendation from a department chair, director or dean indicating how the Fellowship will enhance your teaching and/or research and how the key learnings gained during the Fellowship will be shared with others at your academic institution.
• A committee of public relations professionals and educators will review the applications and make recommendations to the sponsoring organizations, which will make the final acceptance decision.  Acceptance will be based on the candidate’s personal statement, research and teaching interests, need for exposure to the industry and potential contribution to the growth of the sponsoring organization. 

Please direct specific questions regarding the application process or interest that your organization may have in serving as a sponsor for a Plank Center Fellow to Dr. Karla Gower at gower@apr.ua.edu.