So the class is about 50 people, which is an awkward size. Too big for good rich discussion, too small for pure lecture. I am trying to come up with some activities, so the students can get involved. I am thinking one activity for each section of the class. Between these activities I hope to have everyone in the class do something.
Here are the couple things I have so far:
Privacy on the Internet – Debate – Have two teams of three students debate something like the St. Pete Times/TampaBay.com’s mugshot database (see here: http://mugshots.tampabay.com/)
Changes in Journalism – Have teams of students pitch new ideas on how to monetize news on the Internet
I am also working on coming up with guest lectures. If anyone has any ideas let me know.
In the winter, I am going to be teaching a seminar course on the social implications of new media in society at The Ohio State University. To begin preparing for this I am trying to create a list of topics, which I want to cover. I am approaching this from various angles. I am taking an inventory of the things I think are important, talking to professor I trust and respect, talking to various people in new media related industries, and asking for help through social media. I will be updating this list as I get new ideas and will be slowly developing a syllabus for the class. Please leave any comments, suggestions, readings or examples I could use. Thanks.
Introduction and Studying the Internet – (a) Hyperlinking as reputation, (b) Structure of network via hyperlinking (Barabasi, 2003), and (c) ‘Mix of attributes” approach to studying the Internet (Eveland, 2003)
Digital Divide/Inequality
Selective Exposure and Fragmentation
New Media and Institutions (e.g., politics, business, and journalism structures)
Privacy/Anonymity and the Internet
Online Communities and Perceived Network Connection
If you are looking at this you are probably one of my news writing students. Below you should find just about everything you need to write a two-page profile on Travonna Coffee House and its owner Travis Hardy. Below you should find 2 interviews (one with the owner of Travonna, Travis Hardy, and one with a regular at Travonna). Also there are a quick set of pictures. They aren’t great, but they should give you an idea of what the coffeeshop is like. I made sure to take pictures of things Travis referenced. The only thing I forgot is I didn’t take a picture of Travis or the other interview subject. I will try to stop by Travonna sometime this weekend and get a portrait of Travis.
Update: I forgot Travonna is located in the north end of the Short North arts district. Its address is 1195 N. High Street. Google Map.
I have updated the Connection page as a result of some of my current research on Perceived Network Connection. I have had some really encouraging findings recently and am excited to move forward on this project. I believe the measurement to be in very good shape for measuring individual-level connection to voluntary groups. In the up-coming months, I am going to be testing out the measure in other types of group, strengthening the theory behind PNC, and setting boundary conditions.
Please e-mail me if you have any questions about my PNC research.
So this summer I am teaching Creative Message Design, Comm 634, at The Ohio State University. 634 is a senior-level PR writing class. Most of the class is fairly straight-forward with topics such as press release writing, PR ad writing, direct mail, etc. In short, the class gives the students a last chance to be exposed to every type of PR writing before they go out into the field. The final project for the class is a large campaign involving various pieces of media writing.
Anyway, on Monday I covered the topic of social media and I really like how my lecture came out. I focused on how social media can be used to build connection between the consumer and the organization/product. This clearly falls into my overarching view that group connection is an incredibly important and understudy aspect of communication. I have uploaded the slides below in a quicktime format. You should be able to click through them, just like they were a regular slideshow. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to e-mail me.
Another game. Another win. I think this is the Crew 7th straight win. This one wasn’t actually part of their MLS schedule, but it is still nice to win. I don’t like these night games nearly as much as the day games. My photos are a lot better when the sun is out.
An invited piece that I co-authored with Prof. Lance Holbert was just published in the latest issue of Communication Studies. Here is the abstract:
This essay makes the argument that political communication researchers would be well served to look to communication theories developed in other communication subfields as a means by which to advance a number of different research agendas. A series of events or issues that came to light during the 2008 Presidential election are highlighted and specific theories from communication subfields, other than political communication, are isolated in order to show the utility these theories would bring to political communication scholarship. Five communication subfields are focused on in this essay: Interpersonal communication, persuasion, communication information technology, media effects, and strategic communication. The 2008 election topics covered in this essay include face-to-face political discussions of race and gender, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, YouTube, Saturday Night Live, and lifestyle political campaigning.
APA Citation: Holbert, R. L. & Geidner, N. (2009). The 2008 election: Highlighting the need to explore additional communication sub-fields to advance political communication. Communication Studies, 60, 344-358
What a wonderful match last night. The Crew took on one of their current rivals, Toronto FC. It came down to the last minutes with Columbus scoring the go-ahead goal in the 93rd minute.
I haven’t posted in a while, so I figured I would give an update of what I have been working on and where my research/coursework is going. I have successfully completed 2 years of my Ph.D. at Ohio State. I will be taking classes in fall and winter quarters and then in the spring I will be taking my comprehensive exams. So far my committee is composed of Prof. Lance Holbert (chair) and Prof. Chip Eveland.
My research is progressing well. I have sent out two articles for publication and one conference paper so far this summer. My primary research interest, perceived network connection, is coming along fine and I hope to sent out a paper by the October or November. I will post more information about that as soon as I can. If you have any questions about this research please e-mail me.
Beyond just my connection research, I am also working with Prof. Sohn on some research looking at the spiral of silence. We hope to have a simulation based paper out in the next few months. Prof. Nelbo (political science) and I have also began to work on a paper looking at the effects of online political discussion on individual’s perceptions about their government. Lastly, Prof. Nisbet and I are finishing up at paper examining the effects of online social network usage on political outcomes during the 2008 presidential election.
This is just a quick round up of what I am working on. I will try to keep updating this. Specifically, trying to keep my connection research page current.
Most of you know me and know I do not like to talk about either personal or serious things. But the gravity and importance of this issue requires me to send this note and solicit your help. Three years ago today, my father Robert Geidner died of pancreatic cancer. For the first 50 years of his life he was a very healthy, happy human being. Then eight months after his diagnosis, I was reading his eulogy and saying my goodbyes.
Unfortunately, my father is not the only person to lose his battle to this disease. Nearly 38,000 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year, but more staggeringly over 34,000 American will die this year of this disease. To put this in context, breast cancer will cause just over 40,000 deaths this year. The survival rates for pancreatic cancer are also shocking. The one-year survival rate is under 20%. The five-year survival rate is under 4%. But the most shocking statistic is that currently pancreatic cancer research makes up less than 2% of the National Cancer Institute’s research funding.
How can you help? In honor of my father take 5 minutes out of your day and call your congressperson and ask them to support H.R. 745: The Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act. Among other things, this bill would launch a government-funded Pancreatic Cancer Research Initiative to spearhead the much needed research in to this deadly disease.
H.R. 745 was introduced to the House in January. It has been assigned to the Commerce and Energy committee, where it has stalled. A number of congresspeople in the districts a lot of us live (e.g., Youngstown and Columbus) are not currently co-sponsors of this bill. Your lobbying could help.
Also please forward this message to everyone you know.
To find your congressperson’s contact information go here:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
For more information on how you can fight pancreatic cancer go here:
http://www.pancan.org
For more information on H.R. 745 go here:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-745
In the winter, I am going to be teaching a seminar course on the social implications of new media in society at The Ohio State University. To begin preparing for this I am trying to create a list of topics, which I want to cover. I am approaching this from various angles. I am taking an inventory of the things I think are important, talking to professor I trust and respect, talking to various people in new media related industries, and asking for help through social media. I will be updating this list as I get new ideas and will be slowly developing a syllabus for the class. Please leave any comments, suggestions, readings or examples I could use. Thanks.
