This is the weekend edition of TheMarioBlog and will be updated as needed. The next blog post is Monday, January 13
TAKEAWAY: Here is an idea of the topics to be covered in the class I am teaching this semester at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.
Building of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism
Thanks to all of you who are sending me good wishes as I embark into my return to academia: teaching a Spring semester course as the Hearst Digital Media Professional in Residence at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.
Your mails inspire me, and, as several of you would like to get an idea of what topics I will cover in the course, here are highlights from the class syllabus, which, by the way, is available in its entirety here in near-final form: https://garciamedia.com/syllabus/
Why this course
Readers get their news from multiple platforms, and today’s journalists must therefore learn to tell stories for and across these platforms. This course will focus on design (visual presentation) and storytelling (story structures and genres) for mobile, tablet, web and print. It will also cover issues of technology, advertising and other revenue strategies. Students will gain hands-on experience designing story prototypes for the major platforms, taking into account the unique characteristics of each. The course will also include lectures by the instructor and guest speakers, readings and critical analysis of contemporary news organizations’ offerings.
Topics by the week
Week 1: Storytelling in the age of the tablet
Week 2: WED and iWED
Week 3: Fundamentals of visual storytelling & design
Week 3: Visual storytelling
Week 4: Typography, color, grids and usability
Week 5: Mobile storytelling: Designing for the mobile context
Week 6: Mobile storytelling: Designing for touch
Week 7: Tablets
Week 8: Doing print happily
Week 9: Responsive web design
Week 10: Multimedia storytelling
Week 11: Economics / the future of the media quartet
Week 12: Work on final projects
Week 13: Work on final projects
Week 14: Presentations of final projects
Week 15: Presentations of final projects
Week 16: Conclusions
Updates and the class
I do plan to post blogs about each of these lectures (in summary style) the day after I give them for the students. This course will not be an online class, so my summaries should help those who wish to keep up with class content.
Please refer to the online syllabus for an idea of the readings and projects that the students will be able to complete.
I am excited to return to academia, and to learn much from a group of students who represent the brightest and the best.
Of related interest:
Mario Garcia named Hearst Digital Media Professional-in-Residence for 2013-14 School Year
http://www.journalism.columbia.edu/news/873
A return to academia: Teaching multi-platform storytelling at Columbia
https://garciamedia.com/blog/articles/a_return_to_academia_teaching_multi-platform_storytelling_at_columbia
SPD Competition 2014
So you have done all this good work, and the audience loved it, and you, too, were quite pleased with the results.
Time to enter that fantastic print and/or digital material in the Society of Publication Designers’ annual competition.
Take advantage of the special entry rates that remain in effect for 9 more days. The standard rate of $45 per entry for members, $90 per entry for non-members, holds through January 17, after which there’s a $10 surcharge on each late entry.
For more information:
http://www.spd.org/competitions/