Okay, this is funny.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
"This internet thing..." by Dr. M. Wesch
You gotta watch this one, too...Michael Wesch (not to be confused with Michael Welsch who plays "Mike" in the Twilight movie) presents more than 40 minutes of video that his students at Kansas State University compiled from YouTube to illustrate the anthropological aspects of YouTube for a presentation the professor made at the Library of Congress in 2008.
Fantastic!
Fantastic!
By Dr. Michael Wesch, Digital Ethnography at Kansas State University
This video by a professor of cultural anthropology at KSU explores the changes in the way we find, store, create, critique, and share information. This video, Dr. Wesch says on his YouTube Channel, was created as a conversation starter, and works especially well when brainstorming with people about the near future and the skills needed in order to harness, evaluate, and create information effectively.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Does Jon Stewart protesteth too much?
Story by The New York Times News Service
Courtesy of Riverside Press-Enterprise
Thursday, March 12, 2009
PR Works - Episode 1
PR Works - Episode 1
Posted using ShareThis
Lee Weinstein of Portland, OR, chats with Dave Mingey, Director of Olympic Marketing for Johnson & Johnson. Topics include: the upcoming Winter Games in Vancouver, the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing and other Public Relations topics.
Posted using ShareThis
Lee Weinstein of Portland, OR, chats with Dave Mingey, Director of Olympic Marketing for Johnson & Johnson. Topics include: the upcoming Winter Games in Vancouver, the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing and other Public Relations topics.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Not teacher, but learner "guide"
Social constructivist scholars view learning as an active process where learners essentially take responsibility for their own learning. The role of the facilitator in the social constructivist viewpoint is that the instructor and the learners are equally involved in learning from each other as well (Holt and Willard-Holt 2000).
The "introduction to podcasting" course that I've been responsible for guiding as an adjunct professor at California Baptist University this semester is a prime example of an active learning process. Students have learned largely by "doing." The assignments have been built so that my primary role has been as facilitator, or guide, helping students get to their own levels of understanding. The classes have been geared to create an environment for hands-on learning, with an emphasis on individual responsibility for setting assignment goals, production schedules and quality.
I have encouraged students to collaborate, both in and out of class. For the most part, students seem to be enjoying taking part in activities which are directly relevant to the application of their learning--when it's fun to do, and it's something of a social exchange or opportunity, it can help the learning process.
On the other hand, since this is an introductory course and not all of the students have a foundation in journalistic writing or practices, the course might benefit from more guided instruction. With little or no prior knowledge of the subject matter, the students have necessarily had to practice new skills with feedback several times up to this point in the course, now about mid-way. For those who have the J background, the tasks may seem repetitive and pedantic. For those without the orientation, the practice may only just now be creating the requisite comfort level to move to the next level.
In any event, I have been trying to actively assess their individual progress up to this point in the semester, taking each student's learning approach and motivation into account and allowing for generous flexibility in scoring.
One particularly gratifying outcome of the class so far for me: several students are leaving their own imprint in the learning process. I encourage and support their boldness, and willingness to fully participate in this didactic trial.
The "introduction to podcasting" course that I've been responsible for guiding as an adjunct professor at California Baptist University this semester is a prime example of an active learning process. Students have learned largely by "doing." The assignments have been built so that my primary role has been as facilitator, or guide, helping students get to their own levels of understanding. The classes have been geared to create an environment for hands-on learning, with an emphasis on individual responsibility for setting assignment goals, production schedules and quality.
I have encouraged students to collaborate, both in and out of class. For the most part, students seem to be enjoying taking part in activities which are directly relevant to the application of their learning--when it's fun to do, and it's something of a social exchange or opportunity, it can help the learning process.
On the other hand, since this is an introductory course and not all of the students have a foundation in journalistic writing or practices, the course might benefit from more guided instruction. With little or no prior knowledge of the subject matter, the students have necessarily had to practice new skills with feedback several times up to this point in the course, now about mid-way. For those who have the J background, the tasks may seem repetitive and pedantic. For those without the orientation, the practice may only just now be creating the requisite comfort level to move to the next level.
In any event, I have been trying to actively assess their individual progress up to this point in the semester, taking each student's learning approach and motivation into account and allowing for generous flexibility in scoring.
One particularly gratifying outcome of the class so far for me: several students are leaving their own imprint in the learning process. I encourage and support their boldness, and willingness to fully participate in this didactic trial.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Let the dinosaur stay
I blogged earlier in the year about my reluctance to let John King fill my weekly date with CNN's early Sunday morning talk shows, when he replaced Wolf Blitzer as host. This morning, there was an exchange between King and Howard Kurtz, host of "Reliable Sources," a segment of King's "State of the Union" show that analyzes media coverage each week, that won me over.
Kurtz commented on Fox's Sean Hannity's rant about a segment that Kurtz had done the prior week on his show. Hannity's remarks were taking Kurtz to task, basically, about doing his job.
The exchange between King and Kurtz that followed allowed King to remark about the difference between a reporter and a commentator, he being the former, and Hannity being the latter.
King's comments were pointed, and self-effacing, and well, the guy was just elegant. He said something like "Call me a dinosaur, but I'm still a reporter," drawing reference to the dying breed of journalists carrying prime TV slots who are still practicing unbiased, balanced reporting "the old fashioned way."
It was great! He put Hannity in his place, without being rude--he gave Hannity more grace than he deserves, IMHO, calling him a commentator.
Kurtz's part in the exchange was also good-tempered. The two were professional and commanding. I loved it...I say, "let the dinosaur stay"!
I'll try to find a clip of the exchange, and share it here.
Kurtz commented on Fox's Sean Hannity's rant about a segment that Kurtz had done the prior week on his show. Hannity's remarks were taking Kurtz to task, basically, about doing his job.
The exchange between King and Kurtz that followed allowed King to remark about the difference between a reporter and a commentator, he being the former, and Hannity being the latter.
King's comments were pointed, and self-effacing, and well, the guy was just elegant. He said something like "Call me a dinosaur, but I'm still a reporter," drawing reference to the dying breed of journalists carrying prime TV slots who are still practicing unbiased, balanced reporting "the old fashioned way."
It was great! He put Hannity in his place, without being rude--he gave Hannity more grace than he deserves, IMHO, calling him a commentator.
Kurtz's part in the exchange was also good-tempered. The two were professional and commanding. I loved it...I say, "let the dinosaur stay"!
I'll try to find a clip of the exchange, and share it here.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Journalism Jobs are plentiful...
...just not in traditional journalism (i.e. daily newspapers) so much anymore.
Take a look at journalismjobs.com and note the variety of open positions:
Take a look at journalismjobs.com and note the variety of open positions:
Friday, January 30, 2009
Obama Signs Fair Pay Act
Today President Obama continued to create the change he promised by signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which assures women receive equal pay to men. The bill cancels out last year’s disgraceful Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Supreme Court decision which gave plaintiffs only 180 days to sue employers for not paying them the same amount as other employees doing the same work.
Lilly Ledbetter worked for Goodyear for 19 years before learning she had been denied promotions and paid lower wages due to her gender. I don’t know about your job, but I’ve never worked in a place where employees went around comparing paychecks. It takes time to discover when pay discrimination is being practiced. You can’t just ask your boss about it.
For more on this historic act, I’ll let the President tell you himself:
“Lilly Ledbetter did not set out to be a trailblazer or a household name. She was just a good hard worker who did her job — and she did it well — for nearly two decades before discovering that for years, she was paid less than her male colleagues for doing the very same work. Over the course of her career, she lost more than $200,000 in salary, and even more in pension and Social Security benefits — losses that she still feels today.
“Now, Lilly could have accepted her lot and moved on. She could have decided that it wasn’t worth the hassle and the harassment that would inevitably come with speaking up for what she deserved. But instead, she decided that there was a principle at stake, something worth fighting for. So she set out on a journey that would take more than 10 years, take her all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States, and lead to this day and this bill which will help others get the justice she was denied. …
“I intend to send a clear message: That making our economy work means making sure it works for everyone. That there are no second class citizens in our workplaces, and that it’s not just unfair and illegal — it’s bad for business — to pay someone less because of their gender, or their age, race, ethnicity, religion or disability.”
Lilly Ledbetter worked for Goodyear for 19 years before learning she had been denied promotions and paid lower wages due to her gender. I don’t know about your job, but I’ve never worked in a place where employees went around comparing paychecks. It takes time to discover when pay discrimination is being practiced. You can’t just ask your boss about it.
For more on this historic act, I’ll let the President tell you himself:
“Lilly Ledbetter did not set out to be a trailblazer or a household name. She was just a good hard worker who did her job — and she did it well — for nearly two decades before discovering that for years, she was paid less than her male colleagues for doing the very same work. Over the course of her career, she lost more than $200,000 in salary, and even more in pension and Social Security benefits — losses that she still feels today.
“Now, Lilly could have accepted her lot and moved on. She could have decided that it wasn’t worth the hassle and the harassment that would inevitably come with speaking up for what she deserved. But instead, she decided that there was a principle at stake, something worth fighting for. So she set out on a journey that would take more than 10 years, take her all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States, and lead to this day and this bill which will help others get the justice she was denied. …
“I intend to send a clear message: That making our economy work means making sure it works for everyone. That there are no second class citizens in our workplaces, and that it’s not just unfair and illegal — it’s bad for business — to pay someone less because of their gender, or their age, race, ethnicity, religion or disability.”
Thursday, January 29, 2009
CBU student hosts Financial Aid Q&A segment
Financial Aid Q&A from Jeremy Zimmerman on Vimeo.
Rochelle Guillen, a senior at California Baptist University, recently took the leap to try out her on-camera talk show skills by serving as host for a videotaped Q&A segment on the topic of financing a college education. Rebecca (Becki) Sanchez, CBU's director of Financial Aid, was the guest host. The video is posted on CBU's institutional website as a way to assist parents and students with the complexities of navigating Financial Aid - we produced the video in conjunction with Riverside County Office of Education in support of a "February is Financial Aid month" promotion, because the federal aid filings for "FAFSA" and the state aid applications for "CalGrant" funds are due by March 2 this year. Students and parents all over the nation are cramming to file their paperwork--it can be an overwhelming or arduous process, and every student who receives aid of any kind has to re-file each spring (new students AND continuing students). The bottomline, according to Becki, is "do it early," and get it over with--if you miss the deadline, you will still be eligible to receive aid, but not all funding products are available after the deadline so you reduce your options.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Sunday talk show transition
My week usually allows me scant time to heed daily news, allowing only a cursory scan of print and electronic headlines, mostly. However, I relish the Sunday morning talk shows, apart from church attendance, to catch up on the headliner news and enjoy Wolf Blitzer putting the week's news through its paces for latecomers like me.
Today, Blitzer, who has led the Sunday lineup on CNN for eleven (11) years, moves from his slot to make room for John King, who is launching a new format that includes the high-tech wizadry and "We The People" democratic type input from citizen viewers that dominated the network news coverage during the recent U.S. Presidential campaign.
As cool, professional and detached as Blitzer usually comes across, I will rather miss him. He says he will still be putting in time in The Situation Room, which is CNN's weekday political news program, but I doubt I will catch up with him there. I believe one personality trait I've detected about Blitzer that probably drew me to him is his lack of an apparent "celebrity ego" that tended to dominate the network news anchor scene the past thirty years. He was somewhat self-effacing, and at times, actually generous.
So that leaves me with John King, whom I am going to have to learn to enjoy. King will host a show called "State of the Union," which begins airing next Sunday before the Obama inaugural events, January 18, 2009. King has not developed detectable personality traits that make him appealing to me--wonder how my over-45 demographic will respond. It's not that the technology isn't appealing (I'm still in awe over the holograms used during the elections), but the anchor's appeal is still central to such a show's success. Maybe CNN is going for the younger set.
Time will tell.
The Daily Show's John Oliver had a good time with a parody of King and CNN's use of the "magic wall" during the elections in November with this skit.
Today, Blitzer, who has led the Sunday lineup on CNN for eleven (11) years, moves from his slot to make room for John King, who is launching a new format that includes the high-tech wizadry and "We The People" democratic type input from citizen viewers that dominated the network news coverage during the recent U.S. Presidential campaign.
As cool, professional and detached as Blitzer usually comes across, I will rather miss him. He says he will still be putting in time in The Situation Room, which is CNN's weekday political news program, but I doubt I will catch up with him there. I believe one personality trait I've detected about Blitzer that probably drew me to him is his lack of an apparent "celebrity ego" that tended to dominate the network news anchor scene the past thirty years. He was somewhat self-effacing, and at times, actually generous.
So that leaves me with John King, whom I am going to have to learn to enjoy. King will host a show called "State of the Union," which begins airing next Sunday before the Obama inaugural events, January 18, 2009. King has not developed detectable personality traits that make him appealing to me--wonder how my over-45 demographic will respond. It's not that the technology isn't appealing (I'm still in awe over the holograms used during the elections), but the anchor's appeal is still central to such a show's success. Maybe CNN is going for the younger set.
Time will tell.
The Daily Show's John Oliver had a good time with a parody of King and CNN's use of the "magic wall" during the elections in November with this skit.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Course Syllabus
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This class examines the dynamics of communications between people. Students will learn the development of self-concept, perception, listening skills, and feedback as they affect the communication process. Non-verbal communication, attitudes, beliefs, and values will also be explored.
PURPOSE OF THE COURSE:
This course is an introduction to the theoretical and practical aspects of interpersonal communication. Students will gain practical insights into how to become better communicators, with an emphasis on the spoken exchange (and non-verbal cues) rather than the written word. Coursework includes opportunity to test comprehension, apply learning in real-world situations, analyze communication challenges and suggest solutions, and interact with peers and others throughout the learning process.
OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES:
1) Students will understand the role of interpersonal communications in relationships and in personal growth and development.
2) Students will be able to explain communication influences within family dynamics, in social and work situations, in friendships, and within committed romantic relationships.
3) Students will demonstrate conflict management techniques.
4) Students will analyze real-world, personal communication styles and opportunities.
5) Students will apply sociological, psychological, political and ethical concepts to their study of interpersonal communication.
6) Students will collaborate with peers during class, actively practicing and observing skills; students will also participate in self-directed activity using online tools to collaborate with peers.
7) Students will practice active listening and other feedback techniques designed to improve communication and understanding.
8) Students will practice facilitation skills that are designed to enhance workplace communications, including improving team interaction and business meetings.
Outcomes/Assessments:
1) Cognitive: Students will assess and set goals for personal change.
2) Performance: Students will improve communication, listening, feedback, facilitation and conflict resolution skills .
3) Affective: Students should strive to improve relationships, social stature and self-confidence through improved interpersonal communication.
TEXT:
Julia T. Wood, “Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounters” 5th Edition
ASSIGNMENTS/Points Breakdown:
Late work must be discussed with the professor prior to the due date.
1 PERSONAL COMMUNICATION PLAN (200 points)
2 JOURNAL ENTRIES -- You will prepare five (5) sets of journal entries based on reading assignments between class meeting dates. (5 x 20 points ea. = 100) These will be shared and discussed with peers using Blackboard interaction (discussion board format).
Each student will need to submit his or her own entry to that week’s journal prompts (from instructor, per the reading assignments), as well as offer feedback to at least two peers’ postings each week. That’s a total of three postings, minimum. Rubric for scoring includes: quality of thought/reflection, value of contribution to peer’s self-exploration process, and evidence of the care taken to prepare the communications.
3 FILM analysis applying key concepts from text. (200 points)
4 MIDTERM (online) - 100 points
5 FINAL EXAM – Students will need to complete the Final Exam available on the Blackboard site, due on June 23 at 6 p.m. (200 points). Instructor may require printed version of final exam be brought to final class meeting as well (so don't wait to the last minute to complete the exam!). For the final class meeting, come prepared to report on the progress of the Personal Communication Plan you developed at the beginning of the course.
6 PARTICIPATION/ATTENDANCE - 200 points
Total Possible Points = 1,000
SCORING
The following scale will be used when calculating final grades:
A 93-100%
A- 90-92%
B+ 87-89%
B 83-86%
B- 80-82%
C+ 77-79%
C 73-76%
C- 70-72%
D 63-66%
D- 60-62%
F 0-59%
This class examines the dynamics of communications between people. Students will learn the development of self-concept, perception, listening skills, and feedback as they affect the communication process. Non-verbal communication, attitudes, beliefs, and values will also be explored.
PURPOSE OF THE COURSE:
This course is an introduction to the theoretical and practical aspects of interpersonal communication. Students will gain practical insights into how to become better communicators, with an emphasis on the spoken exchange (and non-verbal cues) rather than the written word. Coursework includes opportunity to test comprehension, apply learning in real-world situations, analyze communication challenges and suggest solutions, and interact with peers and others throughout the learning process.
OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES:
1) Students will understand the role of interpersonal communications in relationships and in personal growth and development.
2) Students will be able to explain communication influences within family dynamics, in social and work situations, in friendships, and within committed romantic relationships.
3) Students will demonstrate conflict management techniques.
4) Students will analyze real-world, personal communication styles and opportunities.
5) Students will apply sociological, psychological, political and ethical concepts to their study of interpersonal communication.
6) Students will collaborate with peers during class, actively practicing and observing skills; students will also participate in self-directed activity using online tools to collaborate with peers.
7) Students will practice active listening and other feedback techniques designed to improve communication and understanding.
8) Students will practice facilitation skills that are designed to enhance workplace communications, including improving team interaction and business meetings.
Outcomes/Assessments:
1) Cognitive: Students will assess and set goals for personal change.
2) Performance: Students will improve communication, listening, feedback, facilitation and conflict resolution skills .
3) Affective: Students should strive to improve relationships, social stature and self-confidence through improved interpersonal communication.
TEXT:
Julia T. Wood, “Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounters” 5th Edition
ASSIGNMENTS/Points Breakdown:
Late work must be discussed with the professor prior to the due date.
1 PERSONAL COMMUNICATION PLAN (200 points)
2 JOURNAL ENTRIES -- You will prepare five (5) sets of journal entries based on reading assignments between class meeting dates. (5 x 20 points ea. = 100) These will be shared and discussed with peers using Blackboard interaction (discussion board format).
Each student will need to submit his or her own entry to that week’s journal prompts (from instructor, per the reading assignments), as well as offer feedback to at least two peers’ postings each week. That’s a total of three postings, minimum. Rubric for scoring includes: quality of thought/reflection, value of contribution to peer’s self-exploration process, and evidence of the care taken to prepare the communications.
3 FILM analysis applying key concepts from text. (200 points)
4 MIDTERM (online) - 100 points
5 FINAL EXAM – Students will need to complete the Final Exam available on the Blackboard site, due on June 23 at 6 p.m. (200 points). Instructor may require printed version of final exam be brought to final class meeting as well (so don't wait to the last minute to complete the exam!). For the final class meeting, come prepared to report on the progress of the Personal Communication Plan you developed at the beginning of the course.
6 PARTICIPATION/ATTENDANCE - 200 points
Total Possible Points = 1,000
SCORING
The following scale will be used when calculating final grades:
A 93-100%
A- 90-92%
B+ 87-89%
B 83-86%
B- 80-82%
C+ 77-79%
C 73-76%
C- 70-72%
D 63-66%
D- 60-62%
F 0-59%
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