Syllabus and Reflective Analysis

Allison Schipma
Curriculum Development in Higher Education
Loyola University Chicago

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LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO
SCHOOL OF CONTINUING AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
COMM (425): Utilizing Your Digital Footprint
Instructor Information:
Dr. Allison M. Schipma
Associate Professor, School of Continuing and Professional Studies
Lewis Towers
820 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Aschipma@luc.edu
Office Hours
Office hours are scheduled by appointment.
Please contact me for my availability.
Description:
This course is designed to provide graduating seniors the opportunity to further
understand the implications and effects that various social media platforms within
marketing at both personal and organizational levels. Specific attention will be paid to the
creation of several social media accounts, the development of a personal brand, and
developing an understanding of current social media use in marketing grounded in recent
research. Given that social media is a relatively new concept within marketing culture,
time will be dedicated to understanding contexts and data behind the success of effective
social media use in marketing. Application of course content to students roles as
professionals in marketing firms will serve as an on-going theme.
Outcome & Objectives:
Foundational Knowledge
Students will be able to identify and conceptualize current research about successful social media
marketing plans.
Application
Students will demonstrate understanding and use of various social media platforms such as
Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, YouTube as well as the creation of a personal website.
Integration
Students will create and maintain an online ongoing marketing campaign.
Human Dimension
Students will reflect on the safe use of social media.
Students will reflect on their own digital footprint.

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Caring
Students will integrate personal values and interests related use of social media throughout the
course.
Learning How To Learn
Students will self-direct a personal marketing campaign.
Institutional Policies & Philosophies:
Academic Honesty
Academic honesty is an expression of interpersonal justice, responsibility and care,
applicable to Loyola University faculty, students, and staff, which demands that the
pursuit of knowledge in the university community be carried out with sincerity and
integrity. The School of Educations Policy on Academic Integrity can be found at:
http://www.luc.edu/education/academics_policies_integrity.shtml. For additional
academic policies and procedures refer to:
http://www.luc.edu/education/academics_policies_main.shtml
Accessibility
Students who have disabilities which they believe entitle them to accommodations under
the Americans with Disabilities Act should register with the Services for Students with
Disabilities (SSWD) office. To request accommodations, students must schedule an
appointment with an SSWD coordinator. Students should contact SSWD at least four
weeks before their first semester or term at Loyola. Returning students should schedule
an appointment within the first two weeks of the semester or term. The University policy
on accommodations and participation in courses is available at: http://www.luc.edu/sswd/
Harassment (Bias Reporting)
It is unacceptable and a violation of university policy to harass, discriminate against or
abuse any person because of his or her race, color, national origin, gender, sexual
orientation, disability, religion, age or any other characteristic protected by applicable
law. Such behavior threatens to destroy the environment of tolerance and mutual respect
that must prevail for this university to fulfill its educational and health care mission. For
this reason, every incident of harassment, discrimination or abuse undermines the
aspirations and attacks the ideals of our community. The university qualifies these
incidents as incidents of bias.
In order to uphold our mission of being Chicago's Jesuit Catholic University-- a diverse
community seeking God in all things and working to expand knowledge in the service of
humanity through learning, justice and faith, any incident(s) of bias must be reported and
appropriately addressed. Therefore, the Bias Response (BR) Team was created to assist
members of the Loyola University Chicago community in bringing incidents of bias to
the attention of the university. If you believe you are subject to such bias, you should
notify the Bias Response Team at this link: http://webapps.luc.edu/biasreporting/

3
Electronic Communication Policies and Guidelines
The School of Education faculty, students and staff respect each others rights, privacy
and access to electronic resources, services, and communications while in the pursuit of
academic and professional growth, networking and research. All members of the
university community are expected to demonstrate the highest standards of integrity,
communication, and responsibility while accessing and utilizing technology, information
resources, and computing facilities. A link to the Loyola University Chicago and School
of Education official policies and guidelines can be found at:
http://www.luc.edu/media/lucedu/education/pdfs/SOE_Cyberbullying_Policy.pdf
Technology
This course will utilize Sakai as the course management system as well as Twitter, Facebook,
Linked In, YouTubem, as well as the creation of a personal . It is a web-enhanced course, as
multi-media, written reflection will be highly encouraged. The use of electronic communication
devices during class meetings is prohibited. Students found to be disruptive to class will be asked
to leave the class for the remainder of the meeting.

Reading Materials:
The required texts for this course are available for purchase at the Loyola Bookstore or
online. Please purchase your books as soon as possible as readings will be assigned for
the second week of class.
Required Texts
Berger, J. (2013). Contagious why things catch on. Kennett Square, Pa.: Soundview
Executive Book Summaries.
Hyatt, M. (2012). Platform: Get noticed in a noisy world. Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas
Nelson. (Free Online PDF)
Qualman, E. (2012). Digital leader: 5 simple keys to success and influence. New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Recommended Texts
American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication manual of the American
Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Additional Readings
Lenhart, A., Purcell, K., Smith, A., & Zickuhr, K. (2010, February 3). Social Media &
Mobile Internet Use Among Teens and Young Adults. Retrieved January 30, 2015, from
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED525056.pdf

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Requirements & Expectations:
Attendance
You must be present to engage fully in the course content. I understand that sometimes
life priorities can make this challenging. However, the expectation is that you will be
present for the full class session each week. Should you miss a class, arrive late, or leave
early, you are responsible for identifying and obtaining missed material from your peers.
Within two weeks of a missed class, you are expected to send the instructor a short essay
on the assigned readings for the class you missed. This essay should be between 1-3
pages, single spaced, and summarize the core content of the readings and your
reactions. Note that this document will not be graded or evaluated for feedback as it is a
substitute for missing a class session. Please notify the instructor via email prior to the start
of class should you need to be absent. Any absence will result in the loss of participation
points for that day. Routinely arriving or leaving late will result in the loss of
participation points as well.
Preparation
This course is designed using a traditional seminar format in which much of the learning
is emerged from group discussion and student engagement with each topic. As such,
preparation through completion of each weeks readings as well as thoughtful reflection
on the topics are critical not only for each individuals intellectual development, but the
groups collective development as well. Readings and multimedia sources have been
purposefully selected for their relevance to the given topic and contribution to the overall
literature. The philosophy employed in this course design is to carefully select significant
and important core readings and provide sources for additional reading should students
wish to explore the topic further. Given much thought has gone into the readings, students
are expected to complete them in advance of each class. Occasional quizzes and reading
for meaning activities may be incorporated into the grading structure should evidence
emerge that students are not completing the necessary reading. Additionally, as an upperlevel course, class time may not be directed towards dissecting each individual reading,
but instead examining themes across reading and conducting critical analysis of content
and its application in the context of marketing. Students are encouraged to consider this
as they read assigned material and use the provided guided reading questions to drill
down around important themes.
Participation
Given the seminar format of this course design, student participation in discussions and
learning activities is critical. However, it is important to note that how a student
participates is often a function of their particular learning style. Therefore, participation is
less about the frequency with which a student engages in class discussion and more about
the quality of the contributions. For the purposes of this course, participation is valued in
which students build upon one anothers comments, provide meaningful connections to
practice, share critical observations and insights on a topic, and generally increase the
complexity and richness of the discussion. Students are also encouraged to act as
gatekeepers to the conversation and encourage the participation of others as well as pose
questions to one another. To achieve this, a variety of pedagogical approaches are used to

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ensure that each individuals preferred learning style is addressed over the course of the
semester. A portion of the final grade is dedicated to participation and a rubric is provided
that outlines how this will be assessed. Students will receive a mid-semester participation
grade as well as feedback to ensure time to adjust their participation levels prior to the
end of the semester. The rubric for participation is listed below:
EVALUATIVE
DIMENSION
PROMPTNESS

QUALITY OF
CONTRIBUTIONS

SIGNIFICANCE
OF
CONTRIBUTIONS

GENERAL
ENGAGEMENT

A
GRADE
Arrives on time for
class and is
prepared to begin
at the designated
time as well as
following any
breaks; does not
leave early
Contributions are
relevant and
routinely integrate
course reading and
life experiences
into the discussion;
Arguments are
evidenced-based
and supported
through course
content and/ or life
experiences
Contributions add
complexity to the
conversation and
support or build off
of others
contributions
Regularly
contributes to the
class in both large
and small group
formats; Routinely
engaged with
course activities
and / or
discussions

B
GRADE
Occasionally late to
class, does not
return promptly from
designated breaks;
OR occasionally
leaves early/ is
absent

C
GRADE
Demonstrates a
pattern of lateness,
absence, or early
departure that
interferes with
course objectives.

D/F
GRADE
Consistently late to
class, does not
return from breaks
in a timely
manner, leaves
class early, and/ or
is absent
frequently
No or minimal
contributions or
arguments are
offered

Contributions lean
more toward either
course readings or
life experiences, but
are relevant to the
conversation;
Arguments are
generally evidencebased

Contributions are not

relevant to the
conversation and
rarely incorporate
course readings;
Contributions betray
a lack of preparation
for class; Arguments
are rarely evidencebased

Contributions are
generally
substantive, but
occasionally indicate
a lack of attention to
what others have
shared
Contributions
generally favor
either the small or
large group; Does
not consistently
appear engaged in
activities and/ or
discussions

Contributions repeat
what others have
shared and thus do
not advance the
conversation

No or minimal
contributions are
offered

Minimal contributions
are offered in the
small or large group;
Appears disengaged
from activities and/
or discussions;
Addresses core
issues in activities
and/ or discussions
quickly and shifts to
personal
conversations or offtopic material

No contributions
are offered

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GATE-KEEPING

LISTENING/
ATTENDING
SKILLS

Does not dominate

the conversation;
Regularly
encourages the
participation of
others by posing
questions or
asking for other
students thoughts
Is considerate
(verbally and
nonverbally) of
appropriately
expressed feelings
and opinions of
others; Actively
listens to both
peers and
instructor; Actively
supports peers
learning processes

Student occasionally
encourages the
participation of
others; recognizes
the contributions of
others

Dominates the
conversation; Does
not engage other
students in
conversation; directs
majority of
comments to the
instructor

No or minimal
contributions

Generally
considerate (verbally
and nonverbally) of
appropriately
expressed feelings
and opinions of
others; typically
displays active
listening; generally
supports peers
learning processes

Is dismissive
(verbally or
nonverbally) of
others feelings and
opinions; Displays a
lack of interest; Does
not actively support
peers learning
processes

Inconsiderate of
others feelings
and opinions; Does
not actively listen
or support others
learning

Civil Discourse
Although deep and meaningful learning often comes as a result of cognitive and
emotional dissonance, I firmly believe that transformative learning is the result of
compassionate learning communities in which individuals feel both challenged and
supported. The underlying expectation of this course is that participants will approach
one another with the same ethic of care and developmental concern with which they deal
with students. This approach requires a willingness to engage in critical and
controversial, but ultimately civil discourse aimed at advancing our individual and
collective knowledge. Students are expected to engage in social perspective-taking, a
skill that requires both empathy and the ability to acknowledge multiple points of view.
Email/ Sakai
Email will be used as the primary mode of correspondence for this course. As such, it is
imperative that you activate your Loyola University Chicago account and check it daily.
Please also check your Loyola spam mail and mail foundry to ensure course related
messages are not misdirected. Additionally, Sakai will be used as a source of continual
updates about course material. Note that if you send me an email through the Sakai
system it may not be sent to my email, but into a separate Sakai folder depending on how
you have set up your account. Therefore, it is important that all emails be sent via my
Loyola University Chicago email account and not through Sakai.
APA Style/ Writing
All papers should be submitted in APA 6th Edition format. Guidelines for this will be
covered at the start of the semester and a handout posted on the Blackboard site. Should
papers have significant errors in APA formatting, they will not be accepted as complete.

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The quality of writing is also of high importance. Students are encouraged to submit
drafts of papers to peers for initial feedback. If a student has significant concerns
regarding their writing ability, they should consult the University Writing Center
(http://www.luc.edu/tutoring/Writing_Center.shtml) for assistance.

Assignments, Evaluation, & Grading:

Assignment Expectations:
Assignments are due at the time specified in the course syllabus and should be submitted
according to the directions provided. Assignments are expected to be turned in on time so
please plan appropriately to avoid unnecessary penalties. Any assignment submitted after
the due date will be reduced by a half letter grade. An additional full letter grade
reduction will be applied for each 24 hour period after the original time due. Extensions
will not be granted. Note that the instructor will not hunt down missing assignments and
it is your responsibility to ensure that they are turned in by the stated deadlines.
Note that if an assignment fails to follow the instructions provided, a grade of zero will
be assigned. This includes adherence to page lengths and formatting as well as addressing
the core content specified for each assignment. Detailed explanations of assignments are
provided in the assignments section of the Sakai site. Students are encouraged to consult
with the instructor regarding any questions associated with assignments. Additionally,
most assignments will be submitted electronically through the Sakai system with clear
instructions on how to do so.
For all assignments focused on writing, students will be provided substantial feedback
regarding content, structure, and grammar/ APA style. It is the students responsibility to
ensure that the feedback provided for an assignment is integrated into the next
assignment. If problems repeatedly appear across assignments, the percentage of point
deduction will be increased. Students will be provided with a tracking sheet to monitor
feedback. They are encouraged to submit this tracking sheet with each assignment as a
means to demonstrate that prior feedback has been addressed in subsequent work.
NOTE: Students should not exceed the suggested length of assignments as dictated by the
full assignment descriptions. Additionally, the suggested length does not include the title
page or reference pages.
All coursework and assignments must be completed by the end of the term as grades of
incomplete are generally not assigned. The following point distribution will be used to
determine the final course grade:
Total Points Earned

Final Grade

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100 94
93 90
89 87
86 84
83 80
79 77
76 74
73 70
69 60
59 0

A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD
F

Assignment Details:
Assignments and potential point distributions are detailed below:
Participation
Twitter Engagement
Organizational Marketing Analysis
Meaningful Content Analysis
Personal Website
Final Reflection Paper
Total

7 points
15 points
18 points
18 points
24 points
18 points
100 points

Assignment Descriptions
Twitter Engagement:
The purpose of this assignment is threefold as it is designed to 1) increase a sense of
community and personal connections over the course of the semester, 2) offer a platform
to prepare for and engage with course readings outside the classroom, and 3) work on an
aspect of personal development over the course of the semester. Learning outcomes for
this assignment include:

The ability to reflect in critical and meaningful ways on content related to social
media effectiveness in marketing;
An increased capacity for self-awareness as it relates to course content;
Demonstrated capacity to link course content to professional practice.

Specifically, students will be asked to tweet two times per week using parameters aligned
with course learning objectives. One tweet submitted must be related to opinions on the
assigned course readings for that week. The other tweet submitted must be a personal
statement of reflection on the use of social media in relation to marketing tactics.
Students must also create a personal hashtag that will serve as a main connection point
between each platform used. This hashtag will also serve as a personal marketing tool
that students can use throughout their job search. Twitter will also be used during class
time for a number of course-related activities. Note that students do not need to have a
smartphone to use Twitter as it is also accessible via any computer with an internet

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connection. By the start of class on January 20th students are expected to have a
registered Twitter account as well as have followed the instructor and all students.

Organizational Marketing Analysis:

The purpose of the Organizational Marketing Analysis paper is for students to
demonstrate a depth of understanding of how a major corporation utilizes social media.
Students will analyze a current Twitter account for a major organization in relation to
successes of the organization, areas for improvement as well as the perceived current
effect that the organization has on other social media platforms. Learning outcomes for
the assignment include:

The ability to analyze current social media use by a major corporation;

Capacity to critically reflect on successful and non-successful social media
marketing techniques; and
An understanding of how to apply successful social media marketing tactics to
professional practice.

Students will need to submit a final, written paper of approximately 5 pages in length,
double-spaced, typed, using correct APA format. Final papers should be submitted
through the assignment portal in Sakai by the start of class on February 17th. Please save
your paper in the form of a word document with your last name as the file name.

Meaningful Content Research:

The purpose of this research paper is to encourage integration of course content into
students understanding of professional practice. Learning outcomes include:

Capacity to link course content to professional practice;

Competence in the design of evidence-based social media content creation
grounded in current research.

The intent of this research paper is for students to analyze and integrate at least four
research articles or studies highlighting successful social media content as well as
reflecting on the creation of meaningful and engaging social media content. Students will
need to submit a final, written paper of approximately 10 pages in length, double-spaced,
typed, using correct APA format. Final papers should be submitted through the

10
assignment portal in Sakai by the start of class on March 17th. Please save your paper in
the form of a word document with your last name as the file name.

Personal Website Creation

The purpose of this assignment is to get students thinking creatively on the concept of
how social media relates to marketing and to create a website that they can use
throughout their job search. Learning outcomes for the assignment include:

The ability to create a website that highlights the personal values and strengths
that one has to offer in a professional setting;
Identification and application of knowledge gained using course content, previous
experience and through the readings.
The capacity to connect various social media platforms onto a website that can be
used when applying to professional positions.

The content of this website should include the following:

1. A 3 minute Youtube video:
a. Introducing yourself
b. Introducing your strengths in marketing and social media
c. Explaining your hashtag and its creation
2. Links to all social media platforms (course created and personal if you choose to
include them)
3. Both papers already completed for this class
4. Updated resume
5. Contact Information
Students will submit the link to their website through the assignment portal in Sakai by
the start of class on April 21st.
Final Reflection Paper:
The purpose of this reflection paper is to encourage reflection on personal growth
throughout the students participation in the course. Learning outcomes include:

Capacity to link course content to professional practice;

Ability to reflect upon personal growth throughout the semester;
Demonstration of understanding of further areas of development.

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The intent of this reflection paper is for students to reflect on the various challenges that
they encountered throughout the semester. It is essential when moving forward to see
how far you have come and in what areas you have grown. Students should reflect on the
various ways in which they have grown both personally and professionally, as well as
reflect on further areas for development. Students will need to submit a final, written
paper of approximately 5-8 pages in length, double-spaced, typed, using correct APA
format. Final papers should be submitted through the assignment portal in Sakai by the
start of class on April 28th. Please save your paper in the form of a word document with
your last name as the file name.
Course Outline: (You are responsible for all material listed below.)
Date
Topics/Themes Readings (Due on This Date)
Assignments (Due on
& KEY
This Date) and In-class
Teaching &
activities
Learning
Activities
Tuesday,
Introduction,
In-Class Activity:
course
January 13,
.
overview,
Introduction to Twitter
2015
and a walk through of
Twitter
how to create an account
Overview of
Sakai site,
course
readings.
Tuesday,
Jan. 20, 2015

January 27,
2015

February 3,
2015

Complete reading Platform:

Part 1 (Hyatt)

Twitter use and

organizational
Complete reading Digital
marketing use
Leader chp 1-4 (Qualman)
of Twitter

Hashtag reach
and
effectiveness
Introduction to
Facebook,
Marketing on
Facebook

Complete reading Platform:

Part 2 (Hyatt)
Complete reading Contagious:
Introduction (Berger)
Complete reading Digital
Leader chp 5-8 (Qualman)
Complete reading Contagious
Chp 1 (Berger)

Due: Twitter account

must be created and
first two tweets
submitted.
Introduction to hashtags

Due: Personal hashtag

In Class Discussion:
How did you create your
hashtag?
In Class Activity:
Identifying successful
businesses on Facebook
Discussion centered on
these; Create personal

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Facebook page
Complete reading Platform:
Part 3 chp 17-24 (Hyatt)

In Class Activity:
Discover and identify
websites that use
analytics for social media
sites

February 10,
2015

Influence and
measurement of
marketing
Complete reading Contagious
initiatives using chp 2 (Berger)
social media

February 17,
2015

Successful
online
marketing

Complete reading Platform:

Part 3 chp 25-32

Due: Organization
Marketing Analysis
paper

February 24,
2015

Safety when
using Social
Media

Complete reading Contagious

chp 3-4 (Berger)
Complete reading Social
Media & Mobile Internet Use
Among Teens and Young
Adults (On Sakai)

In Class Discussion:
Current examples of
unsafe behavior on social
media, irresponsibility

March 3,
2015
March 10,
2015

March 17,
2015

March 31,
2015
(Easter Week)

April 7, 2015

SPRING
Impactful
content for
social media
marketing
Impactful
content for
social media
marketing, tips
and tricks
LinkedIn

YouTube;
Website
creation

April 14, 2015 Website

workshop time;

BREAK
Complete reading Platform:
Part 4 chp 33-40 (Hyatt)
Complete reading Contagious
chp 5 (Berger)
Complete reading Platform:
Part 4 chp 41-51 (Hyatt)
Complete reading Contagious
chp 6 (Berger)
Complete reading Platform:
Part 5 (Hyatt)

Complete reading Digital

Leader chp 9-11 (Qualman)

Complete reading Digital

Leader chp 12-14 (Qualman)

In-Class Activity:
Dialogue around
successful content;
Research identification
time
Due: Meaningful
Content Analysis Paper
In Class Discussion:
Debrief of paper
In Class Activity:
Creation of a LinkedIn
Profile,
Guest visitor for
Professional Headshots
In-Class Activity:
Introduction to Youtube;
Introduction to Website
Creation
In- Class Activity:
Discussion on readings,

13
Questions
April 21, 2015 Website
reflections;
Website walk
through
April 28, 2015 Final wrap up

Website Workshop Time

Complete reading Digital
Leader chp 15-17 (Qualman)

Due: Link to Website

We will walk through
each students website;
discuss
Due: Final Reflection
Paper

Articulation/Description
Whenfirstbeginningthisproject,Ihadabsolutelynoideawheretobegin.Ihadnever
writtenasyllabusandtobehonest,Ihadbarelyreadonethroughentirely.SinceIreallyenjoy
writingfromaresearchperspective,Idecidedtoapproachthissyllabusfromthatangle.That
meantthatIwouldneedtodoadequatebackgroundresearch(suchasreadingNilsenfordetails
andFinkforcontext)andthenintegratemyfindingsfromthatintomysyllabus.Overall,Ithink
thatthishelpedmysyllabustobeoneofthestrongestprojectsIhaveevercreatedforacourse.
Outcome & Objectives
When creating the outcomes and objectives for this course, I structured them around
Nilsens description of a successful learning outcome. Nilsen describes a successful learning
outcome as astatementofexactlywhatyourstudentsshouldbeabletodoaftercompleting
yourcourseoratspecifiedpointsduringthecourse.(Nilsen,2010,p.18)Withthisframework
inmind,Ibegantoconstructmylearningoutcomes.Thisprocesswasalittlemoredifficultfor
mebecauseIwantedtobedetailedwhenconstructingmyoutcomessomystudentswouldhavea
clearsetofexpectations,butnottoodetailedthattheoutcomesdidntcapturethegeneralessence
ofthecourse.Ifounditdifficulttofindthebalancebetweenkeepingthemdetailedwhile
remainingopentotherestofthecourse.BecauseIwasfindingitdifficult,Idecidedtomake
whatIfeltweregenerallearningoutcomesaswellasassignmentspecificoutcomesthatIwill

14
speakaboutmoreintheAssignmentDescriptionportionofmysyllabusnarrative.Oncethis
pieceofthesyllabuswascreated,however,Ifounditsomucheasiertocreatetherestofthe
syllabusbecauseIhadmyowntypeofconceptualframeworkfromwhichtowrite.

InstitutionalPolicies&Philosophies
Icreatedthissectionofmysyllabusaroundaconversationthatwehadinclass.Both
FinkandNilsensreadingsdescribedacoursesyllabusasatypeofcontractbetweenthestudents
andtheprofessor.Theinstitutionalpoliciesandphilosophiesofmysyllabusare,inmymind,the
morelegalcutanddryaspectsofthatcontract.Fromanacademichonestypolicytoaharassment
andbiaspolicyitisimportantforstudentstoknowwhattheycanexpectandwhatresources
theyhavethroughoutthecoursebesidestheprofessor.Thesepoliciesweretakenfromother
coursesyllabithatIhadaccesstothroughvariousclassesIhavetakenatLoyola.Iwas
intentionalaboutincludingboththeElectronicCommunicationPoliciesandGuidelinesand
theTechnologypoliciesinmysyllabus.Becausemycoursewasbasedoffoftechnologyand
socialmediause,Iwantedthestudentstohaveaguidelineastohowtoactresponsiblyinthose
areas.
ReadingMaterials
Ibelievethatthiswasthehardestpartofthesyllabusforme.SinceIchosetocreatea
classbasedoffofsocialmediaandmarketing,Ifoundthatliteraturethatwouldconnecttothe
classlearningoutcomesandprojectswasextremelydifficulttofind.Therearealotofbooks
basedonhowtobuildyourownpersonalsocialmediapresence,butIwantedmystudentsto

15
reallyunderstandtheimpactthatsocialmediahasonmarketingcampaignsandtheimportance
thatcanhaveonvariousorganizations.Afteratoughsearchforbooksthatwouldfitmycourse
topic,IdecidedthatIwouldworkbackwards.Iwenttocreatemycourseschedulefirstandthen
camebacktofindbooksthatrelateddirectlytothecoursetopicsIwantedtocover.Thisstrategy
wasveryeffectiveformebecauseIhadagreatersenseofdirectionaftercreatingmycourse
contentweekbyweek.OnceIfoundbooksthatIthoughtreallycapturedtheessenceofmy
course,IwasabletogobackandsearchforanarticlethatfilledinthegapsthatthebooksIhad
chosenleft.
RequirementsandExpectations
Oneofthe23checklistitemsofagreatcoursesyllabusthatNilsenspokeaboutwas
yourteachingphilosophywhichhedescribedasbeingbeneficialtoincludebecauseitcan
expressyourcommitmenttoeducation,yourhopesandobjectivesforyourstudents,andyour
knowledgeofhowpeoplelearn(Nilsen,2010,pg.36)Whenlookingoverhisrequirements
afterIhadcompletedmysyllabus,IwasworriedbecauseIthoughtIhadleftthispieceout.
However,onceIreadthroughmysyllabusIfoundthatmyteachingphilosophyreallycame
throughinthePreparationandParticipationpiecesunderthisparticularheading.
Forme,learninghasneverbeenaboutthebooksthatIhavereadorthepapersthatIhave
written.Learningformehasbeenfiguringoutwhatstrategiesworkbestformetosucceedand
howIfeelmostcomfortableengaginginclass.IwantedtomakemyPreparationsectionclear
forstudentsandmyexpectationsofthem.YouwillnoticethatIdostatethatwhilewemaynot
touchoneachindividualreading,itisimportanttoexaminethecommonthemesacrossthemall.

16
IfoundthistobeaskillthatisparticularlyusefulthatIhavelearnedthroughoutgraduateschool,
soIwantedtoprovidemystudentswiththatsameskillset.
MyphilosophyalsoshowsintheParticipationsection.Iknowthatasanextrovert,itis
veryeasyformetospeakoutinlargegroupsandexpressmyopinion.Thatbeingsaid,Ihave
alsoseenclassmateswhoaremoreintrovertedstrugglewiththisaspectoftheirlearning
experience.Formyclass,Ididntwantparticipationtohingeontheircomfortwithspeakingup
inclasssoIincludedapiecethatsaysParticipationislessaboutthefrequencywithwhicha
studentengagesinclassdiscussionandmoreaboutthequalityofthecontributions.Ialso
includedarubricforparticipationsothatstudentswouldhaveaclearsetofexpectationstowork
offof.Iwantmyclassroomtobeaplacewherestudentscangrow,notjustbeevaluated.
Assignments,Evaluation,&Grading
Thiswasbyfarthemostfunandexcitingpartofthesyllabuscreationprocessforme.I
thinkIenjoyedthissectionthemostbecauseIgottobecreativeanditfeltlikeIwasactually
preparingtoteachtheclass!Atfirst,Ibegancreatingthepolicyforlateworkanddistributing
points.IbasedbothoftheseareasoffofothercoursesyllabifromourprogramsinceIbelieve
thatthosepoliciesandstandardswerefair.AfterIhadcreatedeachassignment,Ialsotooktime
inassigningpointvaluestomyvariousassignmentsthatIthoughtwerefair.Iwantedthepoints
toaccuratelyrepresenttheimportanceofeachassignmentinrelationtothestudentsfinalgrade.
Thefeedbackforallcourseassignmentswillbegiveninwritingattheendoftheirassignments
withtheexpectationthatstudentswillincorporatethatfeedbackintotheirnextassignment.AsI
havesaid,Iwantstudentstogrowthroughoutthecoursenotjustworkfromgradetograde.I
alsowasintentionalaboutcreatingseparatelearningoutcomesforeachassignmentsothe

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studentshadexpectationstobuildoffofastheyweregoingthroughthecourse.Theseoutcomes
arespecifictoeveryassignmentandgiveinsightintowhattheimportanttakeawaysfrom
eachassignmentare.Oncethesewerecreated,thefunpartreallybegan!
Formycourse,therearefivemajorassignments.EachassignmentthatIcreatedwas
basedoffofaclassorassignmentthathadbeensignificanttomeinthepastandtweakedtofit
mysubjectmaterialandpersonalfeedbackfromthoseothercourses.Inoneofourcourse
readingsCreatingInnovators,Wagner&Compton(2012)spokeaboutsevensurvivalskills
thatstudentsmusthave.Thetwoofthesesevensurvivalskillsthatresonatedwithmethemostas
Icreatedmyassignmentswereskills#4Initiativeandentrepreneurship,and#6Effectiveoral
andwrittencommunication.TheseskillsresonatedwithmethemostbecauseIfindthemtobe
thetransferrableandfoundationalskillsastudentcanbuilduponthroughouttheirlifetime.With
mycoursecenteringonsocialmediauseinmarketing,Iwantedtoconstructassignmentsthat
wouldallowstudentstostrengthentheirinitiativeandentrepreneurshipskillswhilemaintaining
andfurtherbuildingupontheiroralandwrittencommunicationskills.Becausesocialmediais
allonlineandthroughtechnologythatstudentsaresousedtousing,Ihadtogetcreativewhen
constructingmeaningfulassignments.
ThefirstofmyfivemajorassignmentsisaTwitterEngagementAssignment.This
assignmentisasemesterlongassignmentthatwillpromotestudentsengagingaroundcourse
materialusingthesamehashtagtoconnectwithothersintheclass.Mysecondassignmentthen
asksstudentstoanalyzeanorganizationsTwitteraccountandhowsuccessfulthataccountis
beingusedinordertomarketthatorganizationsproductsorserviceswhichIthoughtwouldbe
usefulforstudentswhentheyareintheworkforceorinterviewingforpositions.Mythird

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assignmentfocusesonamoreresearchrelatedstyleofwritingwhichwillencouragestudentsto
lookatwhatmeaningfulcontentisnecessarytoshareinordertohaveasuccessfulsocialmedia
marketingplan.
Oneofthefinalmajorassignmentsthatthestudentshaveistocreatepersonalwebsite
advertisingthemselvesasmarketingprofessionals.Thisassignmentbuildsupontheprevious
threebecausestudentswillbeintegratingtheirunderstandingofsuccessfulwaystomarketing
productsorservices(themselves)whilesharingmeaningfulcontentthatwillengagecustomers.
Thesemesterwillthenendwithafinalreflectionpaperabouttheirpersonalgrowththroughout
thecourseandwhattheyhavelearned.Finkexplainsreflectivewritingfocusesonthewriters
learningexperienceitselfandattemptstoidentifythesignificanceandmeaningofagiven
learningexperience,primarilyofthewriter(Fink,2013,p.129)Thiswasanimportantconcept
becausestudentswillfindvalueinwhattheylearniftheyareabletoidentifytheirgrowth.
CourseOutline
The course outline piece of the syllabus I saw as one of the most important pieces. Nilsen
describes the syllabus as a road map (Nilsen, 2010, pg. 33) and for me; this is where the course
really came together. I started early on in the syllabus creation process by constructing a rough
map, but at the end finishing this aspect was more about plugging in the various pieces of my
course. Once I had figured out what I was going to have my students read and which assignments
I would have them complete- I got to turn back to my student development theory knowledge
and line up what I thought would make sense developmentally for students. I tried to look at my
course outline like constructing a house. I had already figured out what the basic foundations to
understand their progress with the course material would be (my assignments) and I had figured
out the levels that I wanted them to strive for and reach (my learning outcomes) so I began to

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look at this map as a way to fill in between. What sequence would make sense for students to
progress through? Once I had this understanding, creating the course outline almost felt like a
puzzle. I had to place content and assigned readings in a progression that would support students
learning but also challenge them to grow.
Overall Reflection
Overall, I found this assignment and the process of working through it to be both
terrifying and exhilarating. I say terrifying because I am hoping to return to school within the
next couple of years and complete my PhD and work as a faculty member. Being a faculty
member requires you to create meaningful courses that will enhance your students experience
and teach them something valuable. This assignment for me, in a way, was telling of whether or
not I had the capability to ever do something like that. I found it exhilarating because not only
was I able to do this- but I enjoyed it! Working within student affairs we have the option to be
creative, but it can be so easy to just reuse and recycle programs with minor tweaks. This
assignment appealed to me because I come from a music background. Songwriting and
composing are two of my favorite hobbies, and this felt a lot like that. I was able to create
something out of nothing, but also ground it in research and literature. This assignment helped
me feel capable of achieving my academic goals and I have made a promise to myself to fully
read through any course syllabus I obtain in the future because I know how much hard work goes
into creating it!

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References
Fink, L.D. (2003). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to
developing college courses. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Nilson, L. (2010). Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors (2nd
ed., pp. 1-15). Bolton, MA: Anker Pub. (Ch. 1-3_
Wagner, T., & Compton, R. A. (2012). Creating innovators: The making of young people who
will change the world. New York: Scribner.