Like what Katie Aikins said, this blogging portfolio was smaller in comparison to the others because the class instruction time focused on discussion and the book We the Media by Dan Gillmor. In the beginning of the semester there were plenty to comment about or blog about because we had multitudes of materials to read such as Elements of Journalism, AP Guide to News Writing, and various extra internet readings. To balance this paucity, I have many wildcard blog posts that aroused discussion, were in depth and had timely coverage. Overall this structure was a great balance between coverage of materials and going beyond books and other print materials with discussions.
In class we had presentations and discussions about We the Media (Chapters Intro-2, 3-5, 6-Epilogue [coverage]). They were all very interesting and refreshing. The presentations were also a great way for everyone to practice speaking publicly. Its' informal atmosphere took away pressure from students and it allowed them to be creative. We argued about the rise of internet, its credibility and most importantly the role of everyday citizens who wrote and reported the news in their own special way (rise of grassroots journalism). Chapter 12 in AP Guide to News Writing was helpful for the Feature article we wrote (for me, they were good reminders/review)- timeliness.
One of the most memorable labs I've had was the Choose-your-own-adventure. It was nerve-wracking and fun. Discussions also extended outside of classroom, primarily in the blogs. Jenna posted a question in the admissions blog (since almost everyone who's anyone are having their own blogs to have easy access and to put a 'face' to a group/company). She responded to a question I posted (Xenoblogging).
It was only appropriate for a citizen journalist such as myself to blog about random things, and these were my wild card posts. Often times they appeared to be "rants" but in their subtle context, these were issues that were considered newsworthy. My blog about the CRAFT club delineated team work that should be imitated. My Amtrak post dealt with business, consumers and society. My Kindertransport Review (In Depth) was a good article for Arts/Entertainment and Culture.
Of course learning and classroom times would not be effective if they were not applicable. One of the main lessons that was reinforced in me was communication. This concept was summed up in Gillmor's book. He emphasized the role of blogs as the main medium for grassroots journalism, conversations were beginning and this start helped to solve problems.
Overall, this news writing class had been a great supplement to my experience as a Setonian writer. They go hand-in-hand. News writing is the theory, and the Setonian is the practice.
Posted by Michael Diezmos at December 1, 2005 8:25 PM