DaveStanton.us

About the Course

This is a course in which you will have a chance to apply the journalism skills you have learned in other classes and pick up some new skills related to online news production.

We will produce for The Gainesville Sun a publication called Newszine. Your work will involve selecting and editing stories, photos and multimedia content via a content management system. Newszine is a dynamic news publication intended to represent typical systems used in newsrooms throughout the world.

You will learn how to use on-line resources to post existing stories and create packages with additional content, multimedia and context. We will cover some advanced CSS and dynamic site planning topics. Students are required to have previous XHTML and CSS experience. The basics will not be taught in this class. A heavy emphasis is placed on video capture, editing and delivery. We will also discuss the alphabet soup of Internet technologies: XML, RSS, PHP, ASP, MySQL and more.

Course and University Policies

Description

This course examines the technologies and methods for online news production in the United States and around the world through the use of an applied newsroom. Let's make one thing clear from the outset: This is not an "easy" course. I expect a lot from my students; that's how you learn. It is likely this class will consume more of your time than you anticipate.

Objectives

1. Demonstrate skills in a critical, decision-making role in a newsroom.
2. Understand the process of working within a content management system (CMS).
3. Better understand a variety of skills including audio, photo, and video capturing and editing.
4. Develop self-learning strategies to help with continuing education.

Attendance and Attitude

Students are expected to show respect for one another and for the instructor. Attendance and punctuality are essential. Any absence without prior clearance or medical proof will result in a 5-point reduction of a student’s final grade. We only meet once a week, so this policy in non-negotiable. Quizzes will be administered at the beginning of the class periods. You cannot make quizzes up if you are late or absent. All attendance and grading questions will be answered during the instructor’s office hours. Do not bring these topics up during class or via e-mail. The instructor will not respond.

Deadlines

Late assignments will not be accepted. Assignments will only be accepted at the beginning of the class periods unless otherwise requested by the instructor. As with attendance, advance notice and documentation of illness or personal emergency is the only exception to the deadline policy.

Academic Honesty

Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. Cheating hurts you, hurts our college and hurts the industry. Any dishonesty will be reported to Student Judicial Affairs, and the student will receive a failing grade for the course. The university’s Academic Honesty Guidelines provide additional details. You are expected to know and understand these guidelines completely. You are encouraged to ask the instructor for clarification if you are in doubt.

Students with Disabilities

Reasonable accommodations will be made for any students with disabilities. If you have a disability, the Dean of Students Office will give you official documentation. You must provide this to the instructor. More information is available at the Dean of Students Office’s Disability Resources page.

Book Requirements

Weekly reading assignments are indicated in the Schedule

Required Books

Weynand, D. (2007). Final Cut Pro 6: Professional Editing in Final Cut Studio 2. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press. ISBN: 0-321-50265-5

Associated Press Stylebook. 2006 or later.

Quizzes cover assigned AP Stylebook sections and required readings. The AP Style book is sold in most stores, though I assume you already own it. Amazon.com has one of the lowest prices for the required text.

Grading Criteria

For descriptions of the assignments, see Required Work

Total: 100 points

Assignments

10 points — Weekly Quizzes
30 points — Newszine
10 points — Video Project
25 points — Final Project
25 points — Individual Learning Project

Grading Scale

90 – 100 : A
88 – 89 : B+
80 – 87 : B
78 – 79 : C+
70 – 77 : C
68 – 69 : D+
60 – 67 : D
Less than 60 : F

Course Schedule

Key Dates

Jan. 7 — Classes start
Jan. 11 — Drop/Add ends
April 23 — Classes end

UF Holidays

Jan. 21 — MLK Day
March 12 — Spring Break

Weekly Schedule

• Week 1 | Jan. 9

• Week 2 | Jan. 16
• Weynand: Chapter 1
• Read: TDH's "Design Process" at Devlounge
• Read: Dave Shea's "Photographic Palettes"
• Quiz: Open book

• Week 3 | Jan. 23
• Weynand: Chapter 2
• Read: Khoi Vinh's and Mark Boulton's "Grids are Good"
• Quiz: Open book

• Week 4 | Jan. 30
• Weynand: Chapters 3 & 4
• Read: Jeff Croft's "Elegant Web Typography"
• Quiz: ABC

• Week 5 | Feb. 6
• Weynand: Chapters 5 & 6
• Read: "CSS Float Theory" from Smashing Magazine
• Quiz: DEF

• Week 6 | Feb. 13
• Weynand: Chapters 8 & 9
• Read: Eric Meyer's "Diagnostic Styling"
• Quiz: GHI

• Week 7 | Feb. 20
• Weynand: Chapters 10 & 11
• Quiz: JKL

• Week 8 | Feb. 27
• Due: Individual project proposal
• Weynand: Chapters 12 & 13
• Quiz: MNO

• Week 9 | March 5
• Due: Video project

• Week 10 | March 12
• Spring Break

• Week 11 | March 19
• Quiz: PQR

• Week 12 | March 26
• Presentations: Individual project updates
• Quiz: STU

• Week 13 | April 2
• Presentations: Individual project updates
• Quiz: WX

• Week 14 | April 9
• Presentations: Individual project updates
• Quiz: XYZ

• Week 15 | April 16
• Due: Final group projects
• Quiz: Business

• Week 16 | April 23
• Presentations: Individual project wrap-up
• Quiz: Sports

• Finals | April 30
• Due: Individual projects

Required Work

Weekly Quizzes

The weekly quizzes are intended to test your AP Stylebook knowledge and ability to edit copy. A question or two may also come from assigned readings. An extra credit question related to current news may be added at the discretion of the instructors. No late or make-up quizzes will be given. The lowest two scores will be dropped.

Newszine

During this portion of the class, you will be evaluated as employees of a professional, commercial, interactive newspaper. You will be evaluated on your productivity and quality of work as a member of a team, just as you would be as a worker at a media business.

Video Project

You will record, capture, edit and export a short video project demonstrating your understanding of the necessary hardware and software. Video cameras and microphones will be provided. Student will have access to workstations and Final Cut Studio 2.

Final Project

At the end of the semester, the teams will present a completed site to the instructors. The concept of teamwork is important. When you leave the university and get a job, you will become part of a team. And you will learn that a business succeeds based on the performance of the team, not just the individual members. Each of you will evaluate every member of your team, including yourself, at the end of the project. The instructors will adjust grades accordingly. Grading criteria will focus on clean code, logical structure, efficient usability and creativity.

Individual Learning Project

A key to your professional success will be adapting to different environments, technology and work routines. We will help you acquire a well-rounded skill set that can help land you a good job. When you are working full-time, you will need to be able to teach yourself new skills as they emerge or are necessitated. One of the most important things we can do for you is to install good habits of self-learning.

You will write a short proposal for an independent learning topic and a project to demonstrate your skill at the end of the semester. You will be required to blog about your learning process and give short presentations to your instructors and classmates. This project can cover a variety of topics but must meet instructor approval.