Robin J. Phillips believes that the world wide web is a very big deal. Her presentation on Thursday morning gave Reynolds Journalism Institute fellows a look at how social media can be used as a tool in journalism. Her presentation was book-ended with the social media tracker site created by Gary Hayes, demonstrating the 10,000s of hits that had occurred while she was lecturing. http://www.personalizemedia.com/garys-social-media-count/
However, as important as social media has become, her advise to teachers, "Journalism first, technology second."
She believes that as a journalist one has a responsibility to know what is going on. Users of social media in your community are online. "If they are talking, you want to hear what is going on."
Teachers should teach social media technology as a tool, as a concept, as a way of reaching out and finding sources and stories.
Kerri Wosek
West Senior High
Traverse City, Michigan
As a technophile, I loved her presentation!
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to starting that counter at the beginning of a class I teach and show the students the numbers afterward. It was shocking for me to see the huge numbers!
ReplyDeleteI have been so hesitant to include social media in my plans for both the TV station and the newspaper. It is so vilified by other teachers and the administration. But, after hearing Robin's presentation, I feel armed to make the case for allowing it into the classroom. I'm sure I'll be contacting her for back-up!
ReplyDeleteDave West
North Allegheny Senior High School
Wexford, Penn.
I liked her explanation regarding the different ways that Twitter and Facebook are used. Twitter is primarily for sharing with people you don't know, but share common interests with, while Facebook is for sharing information with people you know in real life. Both are merely part of the set of tools that a journalists uses to gather, compile, and synthesize stories.
ReplyDeleteJeff Richards
Grand County High School
Moab, Utah