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A Magazine, All About *You*

Day 240: You! by bookgrl.For my PRCA 3339 Class:

Here’s a fun assignment that you will present in class on Wednesday, January 14. 

Using your choice of software or online service (such as Big Huge Labs at http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/magazine.php), create a magazine cover that depicts you (personality, background, aspirations) to help your class learn more about you.

  • The cover photo must be of you, taken at any point in your life. 
  • Include at least your first name somewhere in the design.
  • Feel free to emulate an existing magazine cover’s look and feel.
  • Save the magazine cover as a JPG, PDF or some other format that can be shown in class.
  • Be prepared to show your magazine cover and discuss it briefly in class (on January 14).
  • This assignment will “count” as part of your participation grade in this class.

Questions?

barbara_is_listening

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/60849961@N00/1924356470/

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Creating a Magazine Cover

In one of my public relations classes, I asked my students to create their own magazine covers about themselves so that we could get to know each other better. And I thought it was only fair that I shared my own magazine cover, created using Big Huge Labs.

All About Barbara - Magazine Cover by you.

The photo was taken in front of the Love sculpture in Scottsdale, AZ, in January 2007. We were in Scottsdale for the PF Chang Rock & Roll Half-Marathon, which we both walked in less than four hours (faster than some of the runners!).

I took the photo of my husband and me at arm’s length; I especially liked how my pink International Listening Association jacket shows up in the reflections in our sunglasses. Since that weekend, I’ve made it a habit of always snapping pictures of us together like that so that we can better remember our travels together.

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Arrive, Survive & Thrive in Prof. Nixon’s Classes :: Spring 2009

An Open Note to All of Prof. Nixon’s Students at Georgia Southern University:

We’re almost off and running in our Spring Semester classes at GSU. This semester, I’m teaching two classes; the classes, with hyperlinks to the syllabi, are listed below:

So that we can make the most of this semester, please (PLEASE) take some time to read through the blog posts I’ve included here. I promise you, it will be well worth your time. (How often do professors let you get inside their heads, letting you know their tips for success and their pet peeves?)

Additionally, here are a few more tips:

  • When communicating with me via e-mail (or Facebook), please put your course number (such as PRCA 3339) in the subject line to help me immediately identify who you are and frame your questions or comments. Do your best to write in full sentences, paying attention to standard English grammar and spelling. Always sign your e-mails with your first and last name, as your GSU e-mail address will not make that readily apparent to me.
  • When submiting an assignment in GeorgiaVIEW, always put your last name as part of the file name, and also include your name in the document itself. Papers submitted without your last name as part of the file name cannot earn full credit.
  • Follow me on Twitter, if you really want to get inside my head. (What’s Twitter?)

Let’s make this a great semester together!

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Welcome to PRCA 3339 :: PR Publications, Spring 2009

Welcome Sign by davidking.Welcome to all my students who have enrolled in PRCA 3339: PR Publications, at Georgia Southern University.

Textbook(s)

Morton, L. P. (2006). Strategic publications: Designing for target publics. Greenwood, AR: Best Books Plus.

Recommended but not required: Botello, C., & Reding, E. E. (2007). Design collection revealed: Adobe InDesign CS3, Photoshop CS3 & Illustrator CS3
Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Cengage Learning.

Social Media

Be prepared to immerse yourself in social media as part of this course. If you want to get a jumpstart before classes begin, you might want to do the following:

  • Sign up for an account at Twitter. (What’s Twitter?) Use some variation of your real first and/or last name. (Do not include any numbers with your name, or you may risk appearing like a spammer.) Follow me at Twitter by going to http://twitter.com/barbaranixon .
  • Join PR OpenMic, an online community for public relations students, practitioners and faculty.

Additional Items

  • USB drive 

Syllabus

And last but not least, here’s a copy of your syllabus for the semester including our daily schedule of activities. You can view the syllabus online below or download it for easy printing at prca-3339-spring-2009

PRCA 3339 PR Publications Syllabus 

View SlideShare document or Upload your own. (tags: relations syllabus)

 

Questions?
barbara_is_listening
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Becoming Social

As the semester progresses in both PR Publications and Introduction to PR, we’ll be investigating many different forms of social media. I will demo the sites for you in class, and then you will have the opportunity to explore the service providers.

The Conversation Prism, by Brian Solis

 

To get started, sign up for free accounts at the following sites. For quick and concise explanations of each of the services, see Common Craft’s “In Plain English” series.

A couple of notes:

  • If you already have an account at one of the sites, there’s no need to obtain another one just for this class.
  • If possible, use the same username for all the sites. I tend to use my real name as my username; if you are uncomfortable using your real name, feel free to use a professional-sounding username of your choice.
  • Avoid using numbers along with your name for your username; that’s often a tactic that spammers use.

Please be sure to sign up for all the accounts by January 21.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/briansolis/2735401175/ (Note: A full summary is available on PR 2.0)

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A Cannibal is a “People Person,” Too

Bleeding Hearts!! by Sabby3000.As Spring semester is drawing near, I am preparing to teach Introduction to Public Relations for the first time in several years. One of the things we’ll do during the first week is discuss why the students chose PR as a major.

I ran across this info in a blog post by John King at East Tennessee State University, and I laughed out loud. King has heard his students give these reasons for liking PR:

“I’m a people person.” 
“I like people.” 
“I really like people.” 
“I really, really like people.” 
“I really, really, really like people.”

To these students, King replies:

“Well, so do cannibals!  They like them baked, half-baked, fried, deep-fried, even shishkabobbed and sushied (is that a word?).” 

“But, can you write?  Can you do research?  Can you write a speech?  Can you design a brochure, newsletter, web page or other persuasive publication?  Do you have a nice balance of creativity and analytical skills (right brain and left brain functions)?  Are you persuasive?  Are you willing to learn some management skills?  Are you a team-player?  Can you learn AP style? Can you meet deadlines?  Can you juggle 17 projects at once?  Do you understand media culture?” 

“Oh, and do you like people?”

Well said, Dr. King, well said!

barbara_is_listening

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/93014914@N00/495608405/

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Getting Ready for Spring 2009 PRCA 2330

A hearty welcome to all my new students who have enrolled in PRCA 2330: Introduction to Public Relations, at Georgia Southern University.

Textbook(s)

Wilcox, D.L., & Cameron, G.T. (2009). Public relations: Strategies and tactics (9th Ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

  • Purchasing the hardcover book is about $90 at Amazon.com, 
  • You can rent the hardcover book for about $50 from Chegg. 
  • Or you can rent an electronic version of the book  from  CourseSmart for about $60.

Recommended but not required: Li, C., & Bernoff, J. (2008). Groundswell: Winning in a world transformed by social technologies. Boston, MA: Forrester Research, Inc.

Social Media

Be prepared to immerse yourself in social media as part of Intro to PR. If you want to get a jumpstart before classes begin, you might want to do the following:

  • Sign up for an account at Twitter. (What’s Twitter?) Use some variation of your real first and/or last name. (Do not include any numbers with your name, or you may risk appearing like a spammer.) Follow me at Twitter by going to http://twitter.com/barbaranixon .
  • Join PR OpenMic, an online community for public relations students, practitioners and faculty.

Additional Items

  • Pack of multi-color markers (you will need these on the first day)
  • USB drive 
  • Occasional use of a notebook computer in class

Syllabus

And last but not least, here’s a copy of your syllabus for the semester. By the end of the first week of class, you’ll also have our daily schedule of activities. You can view the syllabus online below or download it for easy printing atprca-2330-spring-2009.

PRCA 2330 Spring 2009 Syllabus          

View SlideShare document or Upload your own. (tags: relations public)
Questions?
barbara_is_listening
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Pleasantries on Twitter?

In my (almost) year using Twitter, I’ve noticed that some people greet people with a “good morning” as they start their days, and others end their days with some version of “good night.” That led me to wonder how often–if at all–you exchange these types of pleasantries as you start and end your days on Twitter. Please take a moment and take this quick and unscientific poll.

I also welcome your comments on why you do or do not say “good morning” or “good night.”

 

 

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Choosing Whom to Follow on Twitter: My Strategy

twitt-twitt1When I first started using Twitter about a year ago, I would follow anyone who first followed me. As Twitter has grown, I have realized that I need to be more discerning so that I don’t get overwhelmed. Here’s a brief description of my thought process.

I tend to automatically follow:

  • people I’ve met in real life
  • students of mine at Georgia Southern University
  • PR students & faculty from other universities
  • people who live in the Savannah or Statesboro (GA) areas

I’ll visit my Followers page and hover my mouse over a name. If there’s no real name or any bio at all, I usually don’t look further. I’ll read a bio if it’s there. If in your bio you’re promising me things that I’d hear in a late-night infomercial, it’s unlikely I’ll follow you. Things in a bio that may intrigue me include:

  • public relations or social media
  • photography
  • Auburn University
  • Presbyterian
  • NASCAR
  • autism or Asperger’s syndrome

Though it’s not hypercritical, I prefer engaging in conversations on Twitter with people who use their real photos. It’s nice to have a name and a face together.

If I make it as far as looking at your most recent tweets:

  • Is there a mix of original comments, @replies,  retweets and links? (If all the tweets are of one type, I usually don’t follow.)
  • Do I see @replies to people I know?
  • Do I think I’ll learn something from you?
  • Are many of your tweets of a positive nature (not whiny)?
  • Do you make me laugh?

If I haven’t followed you, and you would like me to, it’s generally a good idea to send me an @barbaranixon so that I know you’re interested in engaging in conversation with me. And if it seems like I’ve been talking in a foreign language here, take a look at A Twitter Lexicon.

So, what’s your strategy? How do you decide whom to follow?

barbara_is_listening

 

 

 

 

 

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nereski/2889953926/