Hello and welcome to PR Pubs at the University of Oklahoma!

Below is the formal syllabus explaining what the course exactly is but these tend to get a little jargony at times which won’t be incredibly helpful if there is your first introduction into the course. The short of it is this: This course is outcomes centric and thus you will learn by doing. While the first part of the course is focused on understanding design techniques and terminology and is a little more content driven, we will be simply applying this foundational knowledge through different use cases throughout the rest of the semester. The real work are the assignments in which you’ll be creating tangible publication pieces. You’ll then be putting these works onto your blog where you’ll be expected to reflect on your work and give a narrative for your creative process. In the end, you’ll have a robust portfolio (so to speak) which won’t only be a collection of your final work which potential employers can see, but a collection of your thoughts, struggles, and victories throughout this 16-week experience. In essence, you’ll be donning a potentially new hat of “Visual Designer” throughout this exploration. You’ll also be a “Digital Storyteller.” Terms like “digital,” “visual,” or “creative” can seem a little scary to some, but that’s ok right now. Like a good ride at a theme park, a little bit of nervousness makes the ride much more memorable on the back end. Note that most of you are coming in at the same level: novice. This means you all are your biggest allies. I want you to be successful in this course and to do this you will see that I’ve set up ways in which you can lean on and learn from each other’s experiences throughout the course.

Instructor

Adam Croom

Gaylord Hall, Room 3025

Phone: (405) 325-2960

E-mail: a.croom@ou.edu

Twitter: @acroom

Office Hours: Sign up for weekly office hours here.

Course Description

Institutional and industrial publications as an important means of internal and external communications with special emphasis on design, layout and content. Laboratory.

Prerequisites: JMC 1013, 2033, 3413, and 3423

Course Objectives

Think critically, creatively and independently.

Understand concepts and apply theories in the use and presentation of images and information

Critically evaluate your own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness

Apply tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which they work

Recognize how public relations publications differ from other publications in purpose, publics, funding and design.

Conduct research, evaluate information and use that knowledge to select appropriate communication channel.

Design for a target audience.

Distinguish and demonstrate the use a variety of publication production techniques and options.

Course Outcomes

Students will launch and maintain a blog as well as comment on the blogs of their peers.

Students will build a foundational knowledge of the landscape of visual communication technologies.

Students will design a business card and letterhead for a brand.

Students will design a direct mail piece for multiple, specific publics.

Students will design a newsletter for an entity.

Students will develop a personal portfolio website.

Course Rationale

This course strives to train students to recognize and apply good publication design techniques in a public relations setting. In addition, students will learn the importance of structuring visual communications for the web. The major goal of the course is to give students the ability to translate a concept of visual communication into an actual publication. Other goals include practice with computer graphics, knowledge of publication techniques and options in print and online, publication production skills and a knowledge of how to work with designers, graphic artists, publication specialists, photographers and commercial printers and web developers to convey their messages to target audiences.

Texts

Only one book is required for this course. Other reading and video content will be made available to you as reference material through the semester. For this book, you’ll be doing a blog post per chapter. I would recommend getting the Ebook as it’s only $9, but they also do a print-on-demand version of the text that is available as a paperback.

Walter, A (2011). Designing for Emotion. A Book Part. ISBN: 9781937557003. Buy here. (Paperback: $18+shipping, Ebook: $9, Paperback & Ebook: $22.50+shipping)

Grade Mix

Weekly Assignments
14 x 10 points each = 140 points

Design Projects (50% of final grade)

Business Card and Letterhead Project – 35 points

Direct Mailer – 35 points

Social Media – 35 points

Newsletter –35 points

Summary of Learning – 35 points

Total - 140

TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE: 500

Grading Scale

A: 450 – 500 points

B: 400 – 449 points

C: 350 – 399 points

D: 300 – 349 points

F: 0 – 200 points

Toolbox

• Blog – As mentioned earlier, one of your assignments will be building and maintaining a personal blog with a platform called WordPress. This will require you to get a web domain and server space. There’s more information about how to technically set this up in Week 1.
• Course Website – If you are reading this, you’re on the course website! Hooray. Here is where you’ll find the majority of course content. Each week has a corresponding module which will tell you what you are expected to do that week. That may include watching videos, reading material, working on a project, a Google Hangout, etc.
• Course Hub – These are where you’ll be able to see all the different blog posts from all your peers. This will be helpful in seeing what everyone else is up to. You’ll be asked periodically throughout the semester to comment on various posts from other students.
• Software – This course heavily relies on two specific programs for most of the design work you will be doing: Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign. These apps (plus tons of other nice products from Adobe) are currently available for $19.99 as a product called Creative Cloud All Apps. That said, I understand that may be out of reach for some. For those close to campus, one option is to utilize the computers in the Gaylord computer labs as they have fully up-to-date versions of both these programs (Note: If you are going to use the computer lab, remember that the computer wipes your files every time you log out. Make sure you always carry a flash drive or external hard drive with you!). The Gaylord College computer labs are available to all students enrolled in JMC courses. The labs are open between 70 and 85 hours each week with more than 300 individual workstations available.

Basic Needs Security

Any student who faces challenges securing their food or housing and believes this may affect their performance in the course is urged to contact the Dean of Students for support. Furthermore, please notify the professor if you are comfortable in doing so. This will enable her to provide any resources that he may possess.

Teaching Philosophy

As an instructor, I am highly student–centered. My aim in education is to support individual growth and self-actualization rather than to focus on content through an educational environment that is built on autonomy, trust, cooperation, participation, and self-directed learning. Social learning is my favored form of education while experimentation and discovery methods are also encouraged. I believe that instructors are a facilitator, assistant, and partner in the learning process. I also believe that learning is a personal activity that involves intrinsic motivation and that self-evaluation is the only meaningful test of whether learning has taken place.

Course Policies

Make-up Policy / Late Assignments

No work will be accepted passed the due date. It is expected that you complete the week's worth of work consistently every week. You'll find that all assignments have a due date the respective Sunday at 11:59pm. My suggestion is not wait until Sunday to begin to work as this is not nearly enough time. While no late work is accepted, you'll find a TON of opportunities to earn extra credit. These are purposely here as safety nets for you, so take advantage of them!

Civility

As an online student you are going to interact with students who have diverse opinions, beliefs, and backgrounds. If you want to work effectively with your classmates you need to be civil and avoid inappropriate behavior. Incivility not only violates university conduct policies, but can permanently damage your future interactions with students and your instructor. Work to develop your virtual emotional intelligence and you’ll discover that you become less reactive to class conditions and discussions, and more proactively involved in the learning process because you are successfully collaborating with others.

University Policies

Academic Integrity

Cheating is strictly prohibited, because it devalues the degree you are working hard to get. It is your responsibility to protect your educational investment by knowing and following the rules. For specific definitions on what constitutes cheating, review the Student’s Guide to Academic Integrity.  

To be successful in this class, all work on exams and quizzes must be yours and yours alone.  You may not receive outside help. On examinations and quizzes you will never be permitted to use your notes, textbooks, calculators, or any other study aids. Should you see someone else engaging in this behavior, I encourage you to report it to myself or directly to the Office of Academic Integrity Programs. That student is devaluing not only their degree, but yours, too. Be aware that it is my professional obligation to report academic misconduct, which I will not hesitate to do. Sanctions for academic misconduct can include expulsion from the University and an F in this course, so don’t cheat. It’s simply not worth it.

Diversity Statement

The Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication is a nationally accredited program and therefore strives to adhere to a set of standards designed to prepare JMC majors to excel within their chosen professions.  These standards include a mandate to provide curriculum that “fosters understanding of issues and perspectives that are inclusive in terms of gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation.”

Religious Observance

It is the policy of the University to excuse the absences of students that result from religious observances and to reschedule examinations and additional required classwork that may fall on religious holidays, without penalty.

Disability Accommodations

Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent the full demonstration of his or her abilities should contact me personally as soon as possible so we can discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and facilitate your educational opportunities.

Student Code of Conduct

The University of Oklahoma Student Code includes rules that address the responsibilities and conduct required of Norman Campus students, student groups, organizations, and University-approved or operated living units. The Academic Misconduct Code, sexual harassment policy, and other student-related policies and procedures are also included in the publication. Copies of the Code may be obtained from the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs, Oklahoma Memorial Union, or the University of Oklahoma Student Association, 181 Oklahoma Memorial Union. The Student Code is also accessible on the Internet at http://www.ou.edu/studentcode/OUStudentCode.pdf.

Title IX Resources and Reporting Requirement

For any concerns regarding gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, or intimate partner violence, the University offers a variety of resources, including advocates on-call 24.7, counseling services, mutual no contact orders, scheduling adjustments and disciplinary sanctions against the perpetrator. Please contact the Sexual Misconduct Office 405-325-2215 (8-5, M-F) or OU Advocates 405-615-0013 (24.7) to learn more or to report an incident.

Adjustments for Pregnancy/Childbirth Related Issues

Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact your professor or the Disability Resource Center.

Disability Resource Center

The Disability Resource Center provides support services to students with  disabilities.  The office is committed to the goal of achieving equal educational opportunity and full participation for students with disabilities. In many cases, these services have been developed in response to expressed student needs. The Disability Resource Center sends all accommodation requests to faculty via their OU e-mail accounts. The Center offers a set of instructional tools developed by Project Pace at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. These tools are available on a set of CDs but have been modified to make them available on our website, www.ou.edu/drc.  The list  of instructional tools includes faculty development; tips for teaching students who are blind or have low vision; tips for teaching students who are deaf or hard of hearing; and tips for teaching students who have learning disabilities. If you have a need that cannot be met by any of the above, please contact Director Chelle Guttery at drc@ou.edu, 325-3852 voice, or 325-4173  TDD