Many student journalists choose the field of journalism and public relations because they want their life to have an impact. And teaching about engagement can help them in their desire to create change. Research examining engagement tends to fall in three areas: 1) civic engagement, 2) student engagement and 3) employee engagement. Research definitions of [...]

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I experimented with Google+ Hangout office hours this semester. However, the success of the experiment was lukewarm. I video chatted with a total of two students over the semester. I don’t believe new students feel comfortable video chatting with teachers. I think that there may be a greater likelihood that I will chat with former [...]

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I have accepted an academic position at Michigan State University in the School of Journalism, and I am excited to engage with the professors and students intellectually. I am saying goodbye to the past five years at Arizona State University, but I most sad to say goodbye to my students. My students handed in their [...]

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Journalism is struggling to find its place. Brian Storm of MediaStorm challenged the rituals of journalism. Brian does not care whether you call his craft journalism. He says his organization is a media company, “I don’t even know what journalism means, but I know I am a storyteller. There is nothing revolutionary about stories.” Brian [...]

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Students are required to create a WordPress blog for their first assignment in my Online Media class. A blog is beneficial because it can help students establish themselves as an expert on a topic. As a learning tool, it teaches my students how to publish and connect information online. My hope is that they will [...]

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Facebook fan pages are usually used by businesses for promotional purposes. However, I decided to experiment with fan pages for my Online Media classes this past semester. I was unsure of how to best use it for pedagogical purposes. After students “liked” my class fan page, I tested it by posting class announcements. However, I [...]

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My students started their own blogs. This is a typical assignment I have them do every semester in my Online Media class, however this is the first semester I required them to comment on other blogger’s blogs related to their topic. So far, I have found it a valuable addition to their blogging assignment because [...]

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There are several controversies related to teaching newer media and journalism, one of which is that schools focus too heavily on teaching skills. I can teach a student online and broadcast skills that give them an edge when applying for a position. However, have I prepared them to become a leader in that changing field? [...]

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There is a debate in academia as to whether newspapers should continue to provide a diversity of content or whether they should focus their efforts on a few topic areas to survive. Democratic theory assumes that people should actively seek a diversity of information in order to make knowledgeable decisions governing their lives. The question [...]

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People remember more public affairs and other types information from newspapers more than any other medium. However, research is unclear to what affect the presentation of information online will have on news users. The fear with the move online is that people will only read news that directly interests them, rather than news that affects [...]

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