To-Do List #4

Check the Gradebook section of our course Sakai page to view my comments (posted by Sunday night) about your blog posts.

For Wednesday (2/12)

• Three story ideas: We’ll have a pitch session during class. Remember that at least two out of your four stories this semester must be beat related. All stories should be relevant to the Central New York community, not just Ithaca College.
• Mojo gear: Bring iPads and mojo kits to class.

By Sunday (2/16)

• Create three Twitter lists: one for your beat, one for local news sources, and another for sources that will keep you updated on the latest mobile and social media journalism trends. Each list must have at least 15 sources. This Resources page has a list of sources that you could use for the mobile and social media journalism list. Keep your lists public so I can view them. It’s a good idea to place those lists in your Hootsuite or TweetDeck dashboard.
• Readings: Read all of Chapter 5 and pages 123-134 of Chapter 6.
• Teaching Moment: Sign up for a Teaching Moment session. Choose a week to present. You can work in teams of two or solo.

To-Do List #3

For Wednesday, Feb. 5

• Read Chapter 2 and “Looking Forward to 2020, Here are 10 Themes for News“
• Tweet at least two items that stood out to you from the NYT article. Use #ICParkSM.

By midnight Saturday, Feb. 8

• Add your website/social media links to this Google document.
• Complete the set-up of your website. If your site is not looking the way you would like it to, please chat with me for help.
• Two blog posts: One must be related to your beat. In the second post, reflect upon the readings, and how mobile devices and social media are impacting journalism. Address the Discussion questions listed in the Checklist at the end of Chapter 1.
• Share both blog entries via your professional FB page, Twitter, and LinkedIn. I highly recommend giving your followers a heads up about the beat you’ll be covering this semester.

To-Do List #2

For Friday, Jan. 31

• Create a short bio for your social media profiles and a longer version for your website and LinkedIn page. Bring these to class Friday. Chapter 3 outlines tips for creating these profiles.
• Choose a beat/niche you would like to cover this semester. This should be an area that you plan on pursuing in your journalism career. The goal is to carry your expertise and brand you build in this class with you when entering the workforce.

For Sunday, Feb. 2 

(From this point forward, I will publish to-do lists every Sunday and most items must be completed by the following Saturday night.)

• Establish professionally-oriented accounts on Twitter, Facebook (create a professional page instead of using your personal page), LinkedIn, and YouTube.
• Set-up the iPad Mini with your own Apple ID. In addition to apps for the previously mentioned sites, download apps for iMovie, Adobe Premiere Rush, Adobe Spark Post, and Adobe Spark Video.
• Continue with the set-up of your website. For branding purposes, remember to keep your website domain and social media handles as close to your name as possible.
• Finalize your short bio for social media profiles and a longer one for your website and LinkedIn page. Consider making your profile photo, short bio for social media, and longer bio consistent across all platforms.
• For your Ithaca Week account: add a profile photo, short blurb about you, and links to your professional Twitter and Facebook accounts.
• Review the blogging tip sheet and rubric. You can find a similar guide on pages 64-65 of the book.

To-Do List #1

Welcome to Mobile and Social Media Journalism! Complete the following items by Wednesday, Jan. 29:

• Review the syllabus
• Pick-up iPad Mini and mojo gear bag from PPECS Pro.
• Request to be added to our course Facebook page.
• Follow Ithaca Week on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
• Read the Preface as well as Chapters 1 and 3.
• Tweet your responses to the questions below, using our course hashtag #ICParkSM. The book handle is @MobileJourn, in case you want to include that in your tweets.

1) As a news consumer, how do you use mobile devices and social media? Does that mirror the audience habits/data outlined in Chapter 1?
2) Chapter 1 highlighted how mobile devices and social media are impacting journalists’ work in three ways: newsgathering, distribution of news, and audience engagement. Tell us how you have used new media in any of these three ways for your own reporting and/or share examples you’ve come across from journalists/news outlets use related to these three categories. 

UPDATE: Complete these items by Friday, Jan. 31:

• Based on your classmate’s audit (and your own) of your online presence, think about how you might want to update/polish your social media accounts and website.
• Create a short bio for your social media profiles and a longer version for your website and LinkedIn page. Bring these to class Friday. Chapter 3 outlines tips for creating these profiles.
• Choose a beat/niche you would like to cover this semester. This should be an area that you plan on pursuing in your journalism career. The goal is to carry your expertise and brand you build in this class with you when entering the workforce.
• I recommend subscribing to e-newsletters from the following (these are also listed on the Resources page and in the book): 
  

To-Do List #14

For Wednesday, Dec. 4

• Read chapter 8: Mobile and Social Media In Your Career. With the semester winding down, I want to shift our focus back to how we began this semester: building your brand online. This chapter also gives advice related to the job hunt.
• Three story ideas. Please come to class with story ideas that you have not already pitched.

To-Do List #13

Due midnight, Saturday

• Tweet your beat: Tweet 8-10 times about your beat. This can include your most recent story, if it’s beat-related, and retweets (provide context when you retweet; set it up as you would a quote). You do not have to use #ICParkSM for these items. Don’t forget to check your beat-related Twitter list.

Due Monday, Dec. 2

• Read chapter 8: Mobile and Social Media In Your Career. With the semester winding down, I want to shift our focus back to how we began this semester: building your brand online. This chapter also gives advice related to the job hunt.
• Three story ideas. Please come to class with story ideas that you have not already pitched.

To-Do List #12

Reminder

• Analytics: Visit your analytics, using the analytics worksheet as a guide. (Note: If you use Wix for your website, you have to install the app called Visitor Analytics.) You should jot down a few notes about your analytics once a week from now until the end of the semester. Your analytics will be part of your end-of-the semester portfolio assignment due the final week of classes.

To-Do List #11

Due Midnight Saturday, Nov. 9

• One blog related to your beat.
• The second post should focus on the topic of fake news and the spread of misinformation online. Address these questions:
  — How would you define fake news?
  — What role/responsibility do social media companies have in fighting the spread of    misinformation?
  — Are these companies to blame for the proliferation of fake news?
  — How do we combat the issue? What role should journalists play in fighting fake news?
• Share both blog entries to Twitter, professional Facebook page, and LinkedIn.

To-Do List #10

Due Wednesday, Oct.30

By the end of class, post to Sakai your completed story submission document.

Multimedia Story #3

All of these items will be published together on your website. In my feedback to you, I will let you know if you should publish on Ithaca Week as well. Whenever you post to Ithaca Week, follow the instructions for posting to Ithaca Week.

• 550-600 word story with mobile-friendly layout (subheadings, bullet points, key points, pull-quotes, etc.)
• 2-3 images taken with a mobile device. Remember to caption all photos.
• Video (1-1:30) produced using your mobile device (you choose the video app) embedded in the story.

Reporting Across Social Media

These items must be spread out during the reporting process: share as you go. You should have a social media game plan for every story before heading out the door. Below are the items you’re required to share while producing your first story. You do not have to use #ICParkSM.

To-Do List #9

Reminder

• Analytics: Visit your analytics, using the analytics worksheet as a guide. (Note: If you use Wix for your website, you have to install the app called Visitor Analytics.) You should jot down a few notes about your analytics once a week from now until the end of the semester. Your analytics will be part of your end-of-the semester portfolio assignment due the final week of classes.

By Midnight Saturday, Oct. 26

• Blogging your beat: Two posts related to your beat. Share both blog entries via Twitter, your professional FB page, and LinkedIn. Think of how you can optimize these posts.
• Tweeting your beat: Tweet at least 8-10 times about your beat. This can include retweets, but I recommend providing context when you re-tweet something. You should be re-tweeting, replying , and using hashtags on a regular basis—important for engagement. You do not have to use #ICParkSM for these items. Don’t forget to check your beat-related Twitter list! Also, I recommend building your “following” by routinely following others who will provide you with valuable content and by sharing as well as liking their content. (Tips from NPR: Get a Twitter habit: 5 things to do every day until it sticks)