Journalism 331
Department of Journalism
College of Communication
University of Texas – Austin
WEB PUBLISHING
Fall Semester 2009
T.TH 3.30 – 6.30 pm
CMA A4.308
Undergraduate Course
Dr. Homero Gil de Zuniga
Office: CMA 5.112
Office Ph #: 512-471-6323
E-mail: hgz@mail.utexas.edu
Off. Hours: Any time by appoint.
TA: Nakwon Jung
Doctoral Candidate
Office Hours: To be defined by TA.
E-mail: gallag@mail.utexas.edu
Course description
In this course students will get involved in the creation of web multimedia products. The class is composed of two main facets: Theory and practice. The former will expand on basic concepts not only for web publishing (usability, design, etc.), but also regarding other broader issues of technology use and its impact on society. The latter will help you to gain experience with a variety of tools relevant for the journalists of today such as webpages, podcasts or blogs & vlogs.
This class strives to stress the importance of 1) learning how to think critically on issues that revolve around technology and 2) the importance of learning how to incorporate the use of new technologies in the rapid and ever-changing journalism field.
It is expected that students will work individually and also in collaboration with peers, depending on the project.
Attendance and participation is required. A portion of your class grade will be based on attendance and contributing to class discussion. Students are expected to go beyond opinion-giving and to be able to critically engage in class material. At the same time, each student must contribute to a classroom environment in which ideas are debated in a respectful way.
We will use the class website on Blackboard, so please check as often as possible to keep up with the pace of the class.
After this semester you should be able to:
1. Think critically about technology issues and how they affect a) journalists and b) society.
2. Be able to create webpages, podcast feeds and blogs/vlogs.
Course requirements
Projects:
(1) Individual Website 25%
(2) Podcasting Project 20%
(3) Blog Project 15%
(4) Attendance & Participation 10%
(5) Final Exam 30%
Individual Website
This is an individual project. Students need to apply the theoretical knowledge learned in class coupled with the skills practiced in lab sections to develop this task. A personal website is the goal of this first assignment and the project accounts for 20% of your total grade. Please note there is two rounds of evaluations for your initial project, the first one accounts 10 points of the grade for this assignment and the reviewed and improved project accounts for 15.
Podcasting Project
This is also an individual assignment. It entails audio or video formatting, creation and publication of a podcast feed. Arrangements have been made as to use space within UT College of Communication servers so that projects can be heard/viewed all over the world. The Podcasting project comprises another 20% of your total grade. Deadline is Thursday, October 29th.
Blog or Vlog Project
Similar to the Podcasting project, this individual task is also worth 15% of your grade. You will have to develop a Blog or Video Blog with a journalistic perspective. All of the different options for publication will be discussed in class. Deadline is Tuesday, December 1st.
Final Exam
There will be just one exam for this class: a final worth 30% of the final grade. The exam will include both “objective” and “subjective” questions that will be based on the readings and/or material presented in class. The exam will take place Friday, December 4th.
Attendance and Participation:
The final 10% of your class grade will be based on contributions to class discussion and attendance. You may have up to three absences throughout the semester. There is no need to justify those absences. However, a fourth absence implies a grade of F in class participation and attendance.
A cooperative environment among students is very helpful for your learning process. Ask questions to each other, as well as to the TA and me. The more you help one another the more you will learn how to produce better projects.
Grades in the class will be based on the following components and percentage distribution:
Projects:
(1) Individual Website 25%
(2) Podcasting Project 20%
(3) Blog Project 15%
(4) Attendance & Participation 10%
(5) Final Exam 30%
A = 4.0; A- = 3.67; B+ = 3.33; B = 3.0; C+ = 2.33; C = 2.0; C- =1.67; D+ = 1.33; D = 1.0; D- = 0.67; F = 0.0
To achieve a particular grade the total number of points MUST be within the aforementioned range, and grades will not be rounded up. That is, a 2.67, for instance, is a C+ and it will not be considered to be a B.
This class will follow University guidelines concerning scholastic misconduct and grievance procedures.
Semester Schedule
Week 1 (September 1) Introduction / Why is Technology Important
Week 2 (September 8) What is Podcasting and What Can Do for Journalism?
Week 3 (September 15) Audio and Animation for Web Publishing
Week 4 (September 22) Learning how to Blog
Week 5 (September 29) Web Design Principles
Week 6 (October 6) Building Websites
Week 7 (October 20) Being Proficient with other Technologies
Week 8 (October 27) Technology Journalism, Community and Mobile Communications Week 9 (November 3) The Web, New Technologies and Politics
Week 10 (November 10) Citizen Journalism
Week 11 (November 17) The Digital Divide
Week 12 (November 24) What Have We Learned About Technology?
Week 13 (December 1) In-class Multimedia Presentations
Week 14 (December 3) Review Section
Week 15 (December 4) Final Exam
Readings
There are not required books to buy for this class. However, there is a list of recommended readings available on Blackboard. Bearing in mind that this is a rapidly changing field, we will rely mostly on a series of articles, book chapters and presentations for the weekly topic to be addressed. As more current material appears on individual topics readings may be subject to change during the course of the semester.
University of Texas Honor Code
Please be aware of the University’s policy on plagiarism, copyright and intellectual property. Always bear in mind the University of Texas Honor Code:
The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the University is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community.
To learn more about the creation of the Honor Code, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/president/speeches/hc_042904.html.
Documented Disability Statement
The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact Services for Students with Disabilities at 471-6259 (voice) or 232-2937 (video phone)