Course Syllabus

Course Purpose

You will learn to utilize, manage, and integrate a spectrum of social media applications to create and maintain a consistent organizational profile. Throughout the course, you will learn best practices in social media usage, trends in social media management applications, and strategies for maintaining a constant and compelling online social presence.  The study of social media is very distinct from professional media, and is best accomplished by examining the integration and management of social media applications. You will learn to apply social media profiling and management best practices in your own organization.

Readings

All reading will be online and will consist of journal articles, online books, whitepapers, blogs, videos, and other online writing. A bibliography is provided on the menu above.

Online Class Meetings

Each Monday, from 8-9:30 p.m., Eastern time, we will meet for a synchronous chat using Webex. You can access the site at:

https://mstco.webex.com/mstco/j.php?ED=230470037&UID=486756667&PW=NZTAzYTgxN2Jh&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D

Objectives

1. Review and compile research in social media into an annotated bibliography reflecting a particular research trend in social media across industries.
   
2. Analyze existing social media/social networking applications available for organizational communication, information sharing, international communication, documentation and project management, and personal networking and create a written summary.
3. Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of an organization’s social media profile, including the intended audiences, communication strategy (purpose), integration of  applications  used, organizational profiles, information deployment (content shared), deployment management (schedule and frequency of content sharing), and recommendations for expansion.
4. Utilize at least two social media tools and social media management tools to share information and administratively control, schedule, and manage information-sharing in an integrated, consistent method.
5. Identify and compile best practices in social media usage and social media management at the organizational level.

Grading

Your final grade will be based on the number of points you receive on the five assignments. Click the assignments tab above for more information on individual assignments. Information for assignments will be added throughout the semester, but assignment format, points, and expectations will not change.

Assignment	Title	Format	Total Points
1	Annotated Bibliography	Individual	100
2	Social Media Tools Analysis	Individual	100
3	Social Media Best Practices Report	Group	150
4	Comprehensive Social Media Evaluation Report	Group	200
5	Participation in class social media applications	Individual	150
Total points possible			700

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grades will be calculated as follows:

A   = 630+ points
B+ = 615-629 points
B   = 560-614 points
C   < 559 points

Please note that B is the minimal acceptable passing grade for a graduate course at Mercer University.

Course Standards

• Assignments must be posted in a Dropbox account shared with the professor. Title your Dropbox folder as follows: "tco691_lastname". Documents must be in .doc or .docx format. You must create the Dropbox folder and share it with me at codone_s@mercer.edu.

• You must submit each assignment no later than the date and time specified in the course schedule, including content designated for posting on social media sites. An assignment submitted after the specified deadline will be penalized one letter grade. Assignments more than 48 hours late will not be accepted and will receive a grade of 0 (zero).

• You may request an extension without penalty on an assignment deadline but you must request such an extension in writing no later than 24 hours before the original deadline. In no case will an extension of more than 48 hours be granted.

• Content shared on class social media sites must adhere to Mercer University online protocol and cannot be assumed to be private. See http://www.socialmedia.mercer.edu for more information.

• You must properly name all Dropbox files you submit for each assignment with the filename "assignmentname_lastname.extension".

• You must use standard written English (grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation). Errors count in the course, just as in the real world.

• If you work schedule requires that you miss a weekly session, please send me an email explaining the absence as far in advance as possible.

• If you must unexpectedly miss a session, please send me an email explaining the absence.

Online Learning Success

• Be self-motivated and self-disciplined.

• Be a good time manager.

• Approach the course with a desire to learn.

• Visit the course website frequently (at least every other day) to check for course updates.

• Assume a leadership role, and be a teacher when necessary. Voluntarily help other students, bearing in mind, however, that doing other people's work for them in tantamount to cheating.

• Develop needed technology skills; visit other social media sites unrelated to the class to observe trends and best practices.

• Contribute to course discussions. Listen to others, and respond respectfully to their comments.

• Contribute to team activities, and respect the ideas of others.

• Conduct thoughtful peer reviews and provide constructive criticism.

• Comply with all course policies.

• Submit constructive suggestions for improving the course.