Your Second Post - Fall 2018

By now, all of you should be linked to the course blog roll AND you've posted at least once.

Now what?

Well... each week, you'll post at least once, trying to capture the essence of the theme you started out with last week. Most weeks you should try to relate your post back to something we're talking about in class. So far we've talked about Social Media Optimization, online disinhibition, and by the end of this week, we'll talk about impression management.

One of the things you should consider is giving your blog its own identity. This will take some time to develop; but much like your own identity, your blogs can take on a specific theme and your posts can fit into that theme. Maybe you want to be inspirational. Maybe you want to think about faith. Maybe you want to think about travel. Or food!

Even this dog keeps a blog... so if Stan can do it, so can you!

Whatever it is, think about what kind of theme you may want to stick to, and try to tailor your posts as much as possible to that and our topics as the semester goes on. This way, you'll have the beginnings of your own space in the blogosphere. Who knows where it can take you!

Your First Post - Fall 2018

This week, your post will be a basic introduction to who you are and what your blog will be about - it's your first post, so you can really carve out your niche in this space. You have to start somewhere, and what better way than to start off with an introductory post!

Photo Courtesy of Michael Lee Stallard: Helping Leaders Create Cultures that Connect

While you will have some freedom to write about what you want from week to week this semester, remember that you should make an effort to connect what you're writing about to what we talk about in class too. If you need help or inspiration some weeks, feel free to chat with me!

So - introduce yourself. Who are you? That's a loaded question. Unpack it (using as much self-disclosure as you deem fit). Example things to potentially include: Name and where you are in life right now, what you want to do in life, etc. As you went through the process of creating your blog, you made specific decisions in terms of the theme, background, the images, font, and other things that you selected over something else. Was there a reason for that?

Next - what makes you tick? What interests you? This can potentially be the direction of the blog. It doesn't have to be just one thing either. This is your space. Personalize it.

Your blog post should be a few (short) paragraphs, roughly about a half page single spaced if you were to type it into a Word document. Posts should be up by 5:00 p.m. Friday, August 31.

Happy Blogging!

Welcome to COMM 373 - Fall 2018!

Happy Fall Semester, COMM 373! Hope you all had a fantastic summer! Welcome back to the Mount!

Emmit is excited you're back!

Are you ready for a great semester in COMM 373? I hope you are, because this class is going to be awesome. Check our trusty blog here for all of your updates and needs. If you have any questions, I'm available via email and Twitter (@MCK_PhD).

Let's get to it!

Midterm Week

It's that time of semester... the time that everyone sort of, kind of dreads....

MIDTERMS. (actually we're only 1/3 of the way through the semester...)
THE WEEK BEFORE SPRING BREAK. (but how did it get here so quickly?)
CAN'T WE JUST HAVE A BREAK? 

Courtesy of Oracle Charter Schools

So in that spirit, this week's blog post has no real focus from class (per se) but should potentially be a reflection of the semester so far. Easy peasy, right?

Things to consider as you think about your post this week...

• What's been the most interesting concept?
• What's been the most boring concept? Is there anything you could care less about? Be honest.
• How do you think you'll be able to apply what you've been learning so far to the real world? 

Remember, regardless of what you write, break up your writing into paragraphs. Include at least one image to spice things up. Explain why you've chosen this image and how it relates to your entry.

NOTE: Make sure to proofread your posts for grammar and spelling. Points are being deducted for poor grammar, spelling, and typos!

Managing Impressions Online

This week's classes are focusing on Impression Management.

Impression management is literally about putting our best face out there for audiences to see as they encounter us in social media spaces. We will talk about truth, performance of self, and how it relates to impression management.

Some questions to ponder as you think about your blogs and your themes as they relate to this week's topic:

• How many selves do you feel like you project on your social media profiles? 
• What is/where is truth and why do we choose certain features to promote in online settings?  
• What do you think some of the ethical considerations should be as we decide which face to present to people online? 
• What do you think are some of the pitfalls/dark sides to impression management? 

Even if your blog is geared to something very specific, impression management still matters. Why is understanding impression management in this digital age so important?

Courtesy of Mastering the Dynamics of Communication Technology Blog

Include at least one photo in your post! Posts are due by Friday at 5PM.

Carving Out Your Niche + Optimization and more!

By now, all of you should be linked to the course blog roll (which you'll find to the right of your screen if you're on a computer) AND you've posted at least once.

Now what?

Well... each week, you'll post at least once, trying to capture the essence of the theme you started out with last week. Most weeks you should try to relate your post back to something we're talking about in class. So far we've talked about Social Media Optimization and by the end of this week, we'll talk about Disinhibition.

One of the things you should consider is giving your blog its own identity. This will take some time to develop; but much like your own identity, your blogs can take on a specific theme and your posts can fit into that theme. Maybe you want to be inspirational. Maybe you want to think about faith. Maybe you want to think about travel. Or food!

Even this dog keeps a blog... so if Stan can do it, so can you!

Whatever it is, think about what kind of theme you may want to stick to, and try to tailor your posts as much as possible to that and our topics as the semester goes on. This way, you'll have the beginnings of your own space in the blogosphere. Who knows where it can take you!

Your First Post - Spring 2018

This week, your post will be a basic introduction to who you are and what your blog will be about - it's your first post, so you can really carve out your niche in this space. While you will have the freedom to write about what you want from week to week this semester, you have to start somewhere... and what better way than to start off with an introductory post!

Photo Courtesy of Michael Lee Stallard: Helping Leaders Create Cultures that Connect

So - introduce yourself. Who are you? That's a loaded question. Unpack it (using as much self-disclosure as you deem fit). Example things to potentially include: Name and where you are in life right now, what you want to do in life, etc. As you went through the process of creating your blog, you made specific decisions in terms of the theme, background, the images, and other things that you selected over something else. Was there a reason for that?

Next - what makes you tick? What interests you? This can potentially be the direction of the blog. It doesn't have to be just one thing either. This is your space. Personalize it.

Your blog post should be a few (short) paragraphs, roughly about a half page single spaced if you were to type it into a Word document. Posts should be up by 5:00 p.m. Friday, January 26.

Welcome to COMM 373 - Spring 2018!

Happy spring semester, COMM 373!

Hope you all had a fantastic winter break! Welcome back to the Mount!

Emmit is excited you're back!

Are you ready for a great semester in COMM 373? I hope you are, because this class is going to be awesome. Check our trusty blog here for all of your updates and needs. If you have any questions, I'm available via email and Twitter (@MCK_PhD).

Let's get to it!