I am currently teaching a social media class this semester at the University of Louisville. This class is the first one we have offered in the UofL Communications Department, so I am very excited about this opportunity. I have spoken to several of my colleagues about my class and they came to me with several questions – like “How do you keep up with the technology?” and “What assignments are you using in class?” and then there is “What are you doing to keep the content relevant for both practice and research in StratComm?”
This got me thinking because these questions really are what we all should be asking ourselves when it comes to creating a strategic and effective social media class. However, there have been many syllabi I have seen where they are either just focusing on the tools in social media (which is still important, but not the complete picture).
- Create a vision motto for the class: In PR, one of the responsibilities we have for our clients is to possibly help them create their own mission or vision statement. Why don’t professors do this for their class? Yes, we have learning objectives and goals for the class – but we need to provide a vision for what we want to emphasize in class regarding the course topic. My vision motto and view for my social media class this semester is “Work hard, win easy.” This was a saying I used all the time when I was training as an athlete. If you work hard and invest in your future – you will reap the benefits and rewards for your dedication and commitment in social media.
- Understand our role in the classroom: Are we a curator of information for our students? What about a creator? Or can we be both? I think the answer is both – we have to be able to share information and resources we deem to be key for our students to know as well as be able to provide our insights and perspectives on some of these trends and cases. This was a topic I covered a few months ago at the AEJMC 2012 Conference in Chicago.
- Get reviews and feedback for your syllabus: I went out to the practitioners in Louisville and around the nation and asked them to look over my syllabus to see if there was anything they thought was missing or needed to be included. Not only did they say that it was very good, but they said if they had a student who said they took a class like this, they would hire them. I would recommend reaching out to those who are working in social media to get their insight on this – not only does it build a networking connection, but also you get insight to what they are looking for in young professionals.
- Always be adaptive to changing environment: Social media classes are always preps – you have to make sure to update your information on a regular basis. Build in a few weeks and classes where you open it up for emerging technologies that are coming out. Keep your hand on the pulse of what is going on across industries as well, not just in PR. Social media is the ultimate hub platform for dialogue, relationship management, and information creation and dissemination – which in many ways is breaking down the discipline barriers even more.
- Display your commitment to the class by actively doing the assignments as well: I have a blogging assignment and online reputation management assignment for my class this semester – and I am showing my students how I am doing these assignments along with them. I also emphasize that the classroom is where we can learn from each other and it is great to bring new principles, tools, and perspectives to the table. That is what college is all about. If you go to my main website and download my social media in the classroom PowerPoint presentation, it gives an overview of these assignments.
- Provide additional resources: I think this is the hardest thing and challenge I hear from my fellow colleagues – where do I need to go to keep up with the latest technologies and updates? Well, it is also good to share this insight with students. I provide them with website links, white papers, Twitter usernames to make sure to follow, guides and tools for specific platforms (ex. Ptch, Pinterest, Instagram, etc), and other information. Here is a link to a few of the resources I share with my students.
- Don’t think just engaging in social media, but more like sustaining social media: Focusing on the strategy for the longterm along with education and training best practices for how to keep up with the technology is what we have to emphasize in our classes in social media. Many times professors miss this when it comes to social media. We have to talk about what is current now, but give our students the skills and resources to continue on searching and exploring these new emerging trends after class.
- Reach out to leaders in the classroom with social media: I know several professors including Tiffany Gallicano (@Gallicano and University of Oregon), Karen Russell (University of Georgia), Amber Hutchins (@amberhutchins and Kennesaw State University),and Marcus Messner (VCU). These professors are doing some amazing things in the classroom – reach out to them via Twitter and follow their blogs. Great resources and commentary – definitely worthwhile to follow some great PR and social media pros!
In summary, there is a huge community of social media professionals out there at universities who are creating and teaching social media in their classes. We are all in the same boat with the technology and making sure we give our students the most updated information and tools out there. We are doing this while emphasizing core principles discussed in PR and Strategic Communications like strategy, ethics and legal implications, relationship management, dialogue, and research/measurement.
Hope you all are having a wonderful day!
Best Wishes,
Karen
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