Course Topics

In order to give you a sense of what you will be learning in this course, here is a list of modules with general information about each:

Introduction

You will learn about your own learning style to help you succeed in an online teaching environment. You will learn how to troubleshoot computer problems, get to know the other members of the class, and find out about the importance of Web 2.0.

How the Web Works

This module takes you on a tour of the inner workings of the web. You'll learn some important technical vocabulary that will make you sound very smart with your friends!

Organizing Your Digital Life

Before we start the media creation portion of the course, we'll do some important housekeeping. You'll learn how to organize and maintain your computer, and try out some nifty online tools to keep your life running smoothly. We'll focus on social media sites like Google Calendar, Flickr and del.icio.us.

Blogging

Blogging is the backbone of online media today, and your blog will be the major project you create in this course. You'll be filling it with lots of exciting media throughout the course, but first you'll learn the power and purpose of good blogging.

Basic HTML

To do well in online media you don't need to be a coding genius, but you do need to understand this basic web language and how it's used to create the pages you see in your browser. You'll learn how to write some basic code and to identify the most important tags.

Writing for the Web

Text is still the most widespread medium on the web, so it's important that you use it wisely. This module teaches you about style, headlines, links, and more, all elements in crafting excellent blog posts, websites and more.

Web Search Skills

The web is great for putting your own material out there, but it's also a rich source of information from others. In fact, this ability to share widely is both the advantage and the challenge of the web. How do you find information, and then how do you evaluate its relevance and accuracy? This module answers these questions and many more.

Online Law and Ethics

Once you've found a great source of information on the web, you need to know what copyright laws and general ethical standards to apply to keep yourself and your organization out of hot water. This module teaches you about the current state of online law and ethics through a series of fun interactive case studies.

Photography for the Web

This module is the first of four hardcore media production modules. You will learn how to take better photos and then post them to the web and your blog.

Audio for the Web

In the second production module, you'll learn how to record narration and use other sound files to create effective audio tracks. You'll then compress them for use on the web (for example, as a podcast) and start thinking about how photos and audio together can tell powerful stories online.

Audio Slideshows

Bandwidth is still limited for many internet users, so audio slideshows have become an excellent medium for telling complex and moving stories online. You'll use your own photos and audio to create a slideshow, then post it on the web using FTP and in your blog.

Video for the Web

Video is where the web is going... rapidly! We'll look at inexpensive tools and techniques you can use to get started in video right away. You'll also learn best practices for using video online that you can take to your next job.

Online Advertising

Although you might not expect to see an advertising module in a media course, online advertising is quickly breaking down the traditional means of making money online. You'll learn why advertising should matter to you and how to capitalize on its online strengths to futher your organization's goals.

Social Networking

You all know about Facebook and Twitter already, so this module takes you beyond where we currently are and thinks about how social networking might continue to change the media landscape over the next 5-10 years. You'll also create your own social network that you can take with you beyond this class.

The Future

As much fun as you'll have this course, the real adventure lies ahead of all of us. How will emerging technologies change how we live, love and learn? Find out what's just around the corner (and a bit beyond!) in our final module of the course.