The School of Journalism & Media Studies will offer a new university-wide course in digital media literacy beginning fall semester 2012.

JMS 296, an experimental topics course whose formal title is Social Media in the Digital Age, is part of the School’s strategic initiative to further both the School’s and the University’s reputation as the region’s established leader in digital and social media education and training. The instructor for the new course is JMS faculty member Rebecca Coates Nee, Ed.D. (The latest news about JMS 296 may be found at http://socialmediainthedigitalage.wordpress.com/.)

“Social Media in the Digital Age is designed to help students understand how the rapid advances in digital and social media are dramatically changing business practices, power structures and human communication patterns,” Nee said.

“We anticipate that the course will prove valuable for any SDSU student interested in learning how to effectively and professionally use such social media as Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest for personal branding purposes, as well as how to evaluate these technologies for credibility, ethical values and legal concerns,” she said.

Any SDSU student, regardless of major, may enroll in the lower-division class, which will be taught in a blended format, meaning students will meet both in person and online during the semester. Several graduate teaching associates will assist Dr. Nee by leading weekly breakout sections to discuss the course material in smaller groups. Funding for the graduate assistants comes from a generous gift to the School of JMS from the Platinum Equity Group.

“Many students may come to college as experienced users of digital and social media, but most have not yet had the chance to consider their role as creators, consumers, disseminators and critics of new-media content,” said Diane L. Borden, Ph.D., director of the School of JMS.

“This course will enhance the critical thinking skills of students as they learn how to evaluate social media and other digital media technologies in the modern age – and also will give students the maximum opportunity to hone their research and writing skills in digital platforms,” she said.

Social Media in the Digital Age will be taught from 11 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Registration for fall 2012 classes will begin during on-campus orientation sessions in mid-July for first-time freshmen and in early August for transfer students.

Jul 11, 2012 in The Flash, Top Stories