William's Journal @williamjohnsonblog-blog - Tumblr Blog

Mastery Reflection: New Media Journalism Final Project

I have anticipated this day since I began the Masters of Arts in New Media Journalism degree program at Full Sail University back in September of 2015. The journey was long, educational, informative, and challenging. During the last month, I have had the pleasure of writing my final thesis paper for my New Media Journalism Final Project class.

Writing a paper using the APA style format was different in some ways compared to the AP style format we were using for our blogs. Because of the instruction and critique from our course director, Ronald Thomas, Ph.D. I was able to gain a better understanding of the two styles.

Heading into the course, I expected to gain knowledge about writing for academics compared to journalistic. The learning curve at times was difficult, especially when you are used to one particular style. I was able to adjust and write a credible research paper using the APA style.

As I reflect back to my overall goal at the start of the program, which was to teach in higher education, I now find myself wanting to expand my talents to do more in New Media Journalism. New media is so wide open and provides the opportunity for a journalist to distribute content to a national audience using social media.

When I received my Bachelors of Arts Degree in Broadcast Journalism in the spring of 1996, traditional news companies were the only sources for distributing news. I was never a fan of settling for a job in a newsroom, which is why I have worked my entire career in higher education in the fields of journalism, television, and film. My desire was to pass on the knowledge gained over the years to our future generation of journalists and filmmakers.

Because of the knowledge gained during my time at Full Sail University, I am confident I will continue producing quality blogs and digital content using my journalistic skills. I further understand that every story must be researched properly and contain credible sources once published.

I can honestly say, ending my journey at Full Sail is bittersweet. I am happy to be graduating on September 2, 2016, but a bit emotional that classes are ending. My plan is to remain in contact with my fellow classmates and course directors while continuing my journey.

#fullsailuniversity #new media journalism

Reflections: New Media Distribution and Publishing

My expectations for New Media Publishing & Distribution were to learn effective ways of publishing and promoting content for my website. Additionally, I was expecting to learn ways of improving the site analytics.

The course expectations of me were to learn successful ways to engage and cater to my target audience. I was also required to create a publishing plan as a primary guide for targeting content through traditional and new media outlets.

The primary goal of the course is to develop an efficient plan that promotes yourself and the content of your website. Overall, the class was a key component to other great resources in the New Media Journalism Masters of Arts degree program. Professor Jeff Sharon’s approach to teaching is properly planned, organized, timely, and beneficial to every student.

The content most helpful are the assigned course readings and reference videos. Although my classmates and I were not able to attend the live class sessions, Professor Sharon’s archive videos served as a great resource that helped us complete assignments.

The first assignment in the course was the soft launch of our capstone projects. The soft launch was a big help. The feedback received after the soft launch allowed us to plug up any holes that were left before the final launch. Without the soft launch, my final project would not have been a success.

The distribution plan we were required to complete helped me understand the importance of using social media as the primary platform for promoting our projects. I quickly learned that my old way of promoting my content was ineffective. I am happy to say that because of my distribution plan, the website numbers are up.

The course taught me that writing and publishing a story is the easy part. How well you promote your content to a target audience through traditional and new media platforms is the key to success or failure. Last, developing an honest and professional reputation is important. Once your credibility is ruined, it is difficult to regain trust from anyone.

#NMJMA #fullsailuniversity

Reflections, Public Relations and Reputation Management

I was often intimidated by public relations because I never understood the thinking or workload of a PR Practitioner. This class under the guidance of Tom Vizcarrondo helped me understand how PR really works.

My favorite assignment was week two’s lesson on “Renovating Your About Page.” Managing a website is fun but challenging. To maintain a successful site the content should be accurate, informative, professional, and grammatically correct. Another important thing is to connect with the target audience. The assignment required me to produce and edit an "about me" video. A video is the best form of introduction for a website.

People are more likely to view your content if they know the person behind the website. This assignment was the perfect opportunity to promote my brand.

The course topic that helped me the most was week three’s discussion on promoting your brand. As a class, we were required to connect with key influencers related to the beat of our websites. In doing so, I made professional connections with some influential people in education and after-school programs. I was grateful to receive responses from two of the four professionals I contacted.

Because of the knowledge acquired this month, I appreciate the work and stress that PR professionals endure. As a journalist, I will do a better job of communicating and responding to the request and press releases from PR professionals.

In the past, I would show up to cover an event, only to lash out at the PR contact when things did not go accordingly. This class has taught me to change my approach and understand that PR professionals have the weight of an entire event on their shoulders.

Last, the class provided a great learning experience for me and I will value all the information learned throughout the course.

#publicrelations newmediajournalism fullsailuniversity

Reflections, Social Media and Online Community Engagement

Social Media and Online Community Engagement is a valuable course. When most people think of social media sites, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are the three that come to mind. Heading into the course, I had no idea of other social media sites such as Stumbleupon and Digg.

The course taught me to think further than the more popular social media sites when promoting content from my website. LinkedIn and Google Plus are social media sites that I never used for socializing or promoting content until this course. In the past, I viewed these sites for networking rather than promoting my work.

Professor Christy Foley does an awesome job of organizing and explaining weekly content. The live courses are detailed and easy to follow. Christy Foley also responds to emails in a timely manner and stresses her availability throughout the course. Another trait I admire about her is honesty. The constructive criticism for each assignment was beneficial. She pointed out things to help improve my writing, research, and sourcing.

My favorite assignment was week three’s publication. This assignment required each student to interview an expert related to his/her capstone proposal. Although a lot of research was required to find the right expert, it was fun and compelling to add this multi-media component to the written text of our blogs.

The use of social media management tools like Hootsuite and Klout allows users to schedule updates to social media accounts without having to physically log on. These tools are helpful for working individuals.

Overall, I rate this course at the top of my favorites in the New Media Journalism Masters Degree program at Full Sail University. I understand how important it is to use the many social media platforms for promoting my work as a journalist. As this course ends, I am one step closer to completing this wonderful journey.

#SME Fullsailuniversity

Mastery Reflection: Multimedia Reporting

Multimedia Reporting is the most intense class in the New Media Journalism program thus far. Information learned in the course far exceeded my expectations. The New Media Journalism Master of Arts degree program has a unique setup. The skills learned in previous courses are designed to help you excel in future courses.

Multimedia Reporting requires us to combine different forms of digital media to produce effective publications. Each assignment was a challenge. Our course director Dr. Ronald Thomas has one of the most brilliant minds in journalism both professionally and in higher education.

His critique after assignments was beneficial and helped me understands areas that needed improvement. For the first time in a long time, I was challenged because of the brilliant leadership of Dr. Thomas. I now understand that publications are more attractive when combining multiple forms of digital media. Furthermore, the information in the story has to grasp the readers' attention.

My favorite assignment was week three’s “Little Person-Big Issue” story. The assignment required extensive research and careful planning. I changed story ideas four times during the week of the assignment. It was not until early that Saturday morning when I decided to go with the story idea I published. During the week, all I could think about was if my idea would meet the approval of Dr. Thomas. This was a sign of the great respect I have for him.

Overall, I am happy with the skills acquired in the course. I have a better understanding of what makes a story credible and interesting to the target audience.

I thoroughly enjoyed the discussion board topics for each week. The topics allowed professional interaction and critique from classmates. Critical thinking and research are key elements for a successful discussion board post and response.

As the class concludes, I am better prepared as a journalist and multimedia editor. Multimedia Reporting ends month number eight of the degree program. I can honestly say this program is one of the best in the world at preparing future journalist.

#mutlmediareporting fullsailuniversity newmediajournalism

Reflections: Digital News Production

My expectation for Digital News production was the opportunity to report and edit news stories. I was equally thrilled for the continued opportunity of learning under the leadership of Jeff Sharon. Without a doubt, I can say this class is the most exciting one yet.

Jeff Sharon’s expectations were for the class to report, narrate, and edit newsworthy stories related to the beat of our websites. Mr. Sharon did so by providing great resources, virtual class meetings, outstanding feedback and critique. The assignments were detailed and easy to understand.

It is difficult to pinpoint a single assignment most beneficial. Each assignment provided the opportunity to incorporate different forms of multi-media each week. Week four’s documentary style story was fun and challenging. The fun part was creating an idea related to the beat of my website. The challenge was finding an interesting person to interview, and then narrowing it down to under two minutes.

Equally, challenging was having a backup plan if the original plan fell through. All four assignments tested my writing, editing, research, and speaking abilities. Again, I am reminded that being a journalist is no easy task. As a journalist, we learn that some people are not willing participants. Having two or three backup stories saved me in this class.

This course is excellent for preparing students as a journalist. When I reflect on my days as an undergraduate, it amazes me how technology has evolved. The new technology and the evolution of social media allows a journalist to create and publish content that is accessible to the entire world.

Full Sail University provides the best platform. What is more impressive are the professional course directors who guide us. I am looking forward to the remaining courses in this degree program. With each passing month, I become one step closer at earning my Masters Degree.

#NMJ Fullsailuniversity

Reflections: Multi-Media Development And Editing

My expectations for Multi-Media Development and Editing far exceeded what I originally thought. I wanted to learn effective ways of developing news through social and Multi-Media platforms. The course offered so much more. Assignments were challenging, informative, and fun.

As a class, we put our technical skills to use. Equipment from our Launch Box and software packages became vital. Learning to produce stories using natural sound, photos, and narrations are the key components of the course. Jeff Sharon, course director exhibited professionalism, time value, constructive criticism, meeting deadlines, and knowledge for each assignment.

The discussion board post and classmate-to-classmate interaction allowed each of us to become familiar with peers. Through this course, I was able to learn each classmate’s website beat and receive feedback related to my beat.

The content most helpful was the week three assignment “Improving Your Website Presence.” Understanding Google Analytics was hard before this course. The reference materials and virtual class meetings helped at acquiring knowledge on Analytics. The week two audio story demonstrates the proper way of telling a story using only sound. This assignment can be tricky if proper journalism techniques are not followed.

I have a better understanding on how to report news through social media. My start in Journalism began 23 years ago as an undergraduate. When I compare the old school versus new school way of reporting, I am often reminded that the field of Journalism has grown to greater heights since my undergraduate years.

The New Media Journalism degree program has been everything plus more than I expected. The course directors are knowledgeable and the resources of the program are the best. I have mixed emotions on completing this course because I am having fun. My other side is excited to be one step closer at receiving my Masters of Arts degree.

#multimediaediting fullsail

Reflections: Research and Investigation Skills Development

Research and Investigation Skills Development was the one course that intimidated me at the start. I have never had much success in research classes. I expected to learn research techniques that offer more credibility to my online publications. I can say I received much more than I was expecting.

To start Christy Foley, course director has an impressive resume and she is helpful to all of us enrolled in this degree program. She is professional, detailed, efficient and knowledgeable. The reference materials provided were easy to navigate and understand. Foley’s feedback and critique of assignments were fair and she always gave helpful tips or links that helped us improve on the next assignment.

I have worked in journalism, film, and video since 1996. During that time, I never understood how important providing research enhances stories. The methods and knowledge I gained in the course helped me develop better writing and research habits. I am far from perfect, but confident as I continue this journey to my overall goal.

I will never write another story for any publication without doing extensive research. Articles and publications are more effective when the author provides credible research, hyper-links, and references. Because of this course, I have a new respect for journalist and a better understanding of what makes a good journalist.

One last thing to add is the proper way to prepare interviews. Although I have conducted several interviews, tips learned in this course provided me with more effective ways to reach the interviewee. Overall, the class was fun and I hate to see it end, but the ending means I am progressing closer to graduation.

The interaction with my classmates was exciting, and Christy Foley is a course director I hope will teach me in other classes throughout my journey in this degree program.

#fullsailuniversity #RISD Christyfoley Newmediajournalism

Reflections: Legal Aspects of Media

Before taking Legal Aspects of Media, I thought I understood the basic concepts of media law. Midway into week one, reality reminded me otherwise. There was a sense of defeat on my end, because of pass failures in legal courses. In the back of mind this one would be no different. It wasn’t because I never applied myself; a lack of understanding for legal terms was the bigger issue.

My favorite assignment in the course was on defamation. Often times we say things through print, social media or broadcast journalism about individuals without a clue as to how much legal trouble can arise. I have learned through this course the fine line a journalist must walk to avoid defamation. Printing or publishing negative material can be detrimental without the proper references.

Through reference materials, case studies and video lectures, I feel confident that I acquired enough knowledge to handle and avoid legal issues. Copyright infringement is a law that affects journalist the most. Several journalists have developed a habit of using third party photos and videos to support their blog content. After reading horror stories from other bloggers about legal issues they faced, I am hesitant about using third party media in my blogs.

This course definitely exceeded my expectations. It also proved to be the most challenging so far. Professor Tami Maras is extremely professional, knowledgeable and fair. She does an excellent job of critiquing and providing helpful feedback. Because of this course, I have developed an entirely new light about media law. Legal courses are very essential and the knowledge gained should be embedded in the minds of all journalists.

The last four weeks are now a blur. I wish there was more time to study other aspects of media law. Professor Maras planted the seed, it is now up to me to grow and expand my knowledge of media law.

#fullsail #legalaspectsofmedia

Mastery Reflections: Writing For Interactive Media

There were great expectations about this course from the start. Working in journalism, film and video over the last 19 years, I credited myself as being a pretty decent writer. Not great but decent. Writing for Interactive Media reminded me that I was far from being a decent writer, let alone great.

In the past I would rush into my writing, barely proof reading and not paying close attention to grammatical mistakes. My course director, Meredith Cochie provided the perfect platform during this course, which helped me become more attentive and prepared as a writer. The writing assignments that intrigued me the most were the “how to” and “live event” articles.

I have covered live events for television, but never for print. I found a bigger challenge covering events for print than live television. With things moving at a fast pace during live events, people are less patient to sit down for a print or digital interview, and more cooperative to talk when a live camera is recording.

The “how to article” was fun. With an article of this format, being detailed and precise is critical. If steps are not clearly defined, the audience will lose interest. The reference materials provided in the course were beneficial and detailed. The most important element was having a course director who provided valuable feedback and critique. Emails were answered promptly and honestly. Meredith’s constructive criticism was fair and helpful.

Writing for Interactive Media is the first step in preparing me for greater things as a digital communicator. Digital communication is the platform where many people gather their news and entertainment. With digital media being so diverse, writing styles have to be on point, otherwise readers and credibility will be lost.

I had so much fun in this course, and hate to see it end. The last four weeks were a blur, but I am anticipating exciting things as I continue my journey towards mastering my overall goals for this degree program and beyond.

#fullsailuniversity #newmediajournalism

The Road So Far

My original goals for the New Media and Communications class was to learn and develop proper writing techniques, while building a visually appealing and informative website. I have gained a wealth of knowledge during these last four weeks. The class has been challenging, informative and valuable.

When I returned to school after a 19-year layoff, it was underestimated. I didn’t realize the difficulty of pursuing this while working two jobs, marriage and being a father. The work is hard, but balanced. Based off past experiences, hard work does pay off. There are several nights when I am extremely tired from all that’s on my plate. I rarely get to bed before midnight. My drive, determination, wife and children are my biggest motivation. Whenever I feel discourage, thinking of things that are important to me combats it.

Recently complacency sat in, but after encouragement from my wife, I decided to return to school and pursue my Masters of Arts degree. After researching several schools, Full Sail University suited me the most. So far the journey at Full Sail has been filled with excitement, professionalism and learning.

Professionally, this degree will allow me to become a greater asset. I have been employed in higher education as a professional staff member for 19 years. Graduating with this degree will allow me to pursue other opportunities. Based on the curriculum and the classes, Full Sail University seems fully committed to developing top professionals in the creative arts.

In closing, I have an adrenaline rush that hasn’t been felt since my undergraduate years. Each assignment thus far has been a challenge. The course directors at Full Sail are caring, professional, and honest. While I eagerly await other opportunities in my degree program, there is an understanding that the possibilities are endless. The road to achieving mastery is in my grasp.

#fullsailuniversity

Mastery Timeline Journal Goals

Month 1: Mastery: Personal Leadership and Development

Goal: I want to attain leadership qualities through creative thinking and positive energy