Course Outline of Record

Item	Value
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	03/09/2022
Top Code	060200 - Journalism
Units	3 Total Units
Hours	54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours	0
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S)

Course Description

This course is for any student interested in Digital Journalism, and the Social Media Strategies Certificate of Achievement and will help them understand the issue of social media as a vital part of news gathering and branding. The course will allow students to create and maintain both a professional and personal presence on social media working in the various social media platforms. Transfer Credit: CSU.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

1. Learn the implications of a digital and social footprint by understanding the importance of the legal environment when working in social media and the various platforms.
2. Create and manage a professional brand on social media platforms.
3. Utilize the various social media platforms responsibly by learning best practices on how to use social media for news gathering, brand awareness and audience engagement.

Course Objectives

• 1. Develop and demonstrate professionalism in journalism
• 2. Understand the importance of a free press in modern society.
• 3. Understand social media fundamentals.
• 4. Create and manage a professional social presence through the campus newspaper.
• 5. Create and manage a professional personal social media presence.
• 6. Illustrate knowledge on how to drive traffic to the website using social media.

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Lecture Content

1. Discussion of social media and how it has created a shift in journalism. 2. Understand the use of high-level applications of the top social networks including Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, YouTube, and Instagram. 3. Discussion of the revenue challenges news organizations face because of digital content and considering paywalls. 4. Create and maintain a professional journalist presence on the top social media platforms. 5. Assist in maintenance of the Coast Report social media presence. 6. Understand details of social media sites including hashtags on Twitter and Facebook Insights. 7. Discuss the basic dos and donts of social media for journalists. 8. Discuss social media etiquette and when its appropriate to engage with readers. 9. Understand the importance of maintaining journalistic fundamentals including AP Style and grammar, while using social media. 10. Follow trends and hashtags to be part of live discussions.

Method(s) of Instruction

• Lecture (02)
• DE Live Online Lecture (02S)

Instructional Techniques

Instructors may make use of lectures, discussion and oral and written feedback. Course instruction will include exposure to and discussion of current social media posts and current events.

Reading Assignments

Students will have regular reading assignments in a selected textbook as well as in newspapers, magazines, and social media. Students should expect to spend at least five hours of reading outside of class.

Writing Assignments

1. Students will write posts to an assortment of social media sites. Students will spend at least five hours a week posting to social media. 2. Essays and articles will be written in class in conjunction with the Coast Report. Time commitments vary but articles can take two to three hours of work outside the classroom.

Out-of-class Assignments

Students will be required to consume media outside of class and stay up to date on social media posts by news outlets. At least five hours of review of social media posts by news outlets will be required.

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

By making decisions about what is appropriate to post on social media, and doing the posts, students will exhibit critical thinking skills, in addition to showing they understand when and when not to engage with readers.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Students will use social media to drive traffic to their personal profiles as well as the newspapers. Each post students make will require journalistic writing techniques and decision making in not only what to post and what not to post, but how to promote it. Analytics will determine the success of moving traffic through the use of social media.

Eligible Disciplines

Journalism: Masters degree in journalism or communication with a specialization in journalism OR bachelors degree in either of the above AND masters degree in English, history, communication, literature, composition, comparative literature, any social science, business, business administration, marketing, graphics, or photography OR the equivalent. Masters degree required.

Textbooks Resources

1. Required Adornato, Anthony. Mobile and Social Media Journalism, A Practical Guide, First ed. Washington D.C.: Sage Publishing/CQ Press, 2017

Other Resources

1. Hootsuite University free application, "Social Media for Journalism" download.