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Digital Media Innovation Major

The document outlines the opportunities and changing landscape in digital media innovation, highlighting roles in traditional media, tech companies, and startups. It discusses the development of a new undergraduate major focused on preparing students for emerging careers in digital media, emphasizing problem-solving, innovation, and a mix of skills courses. Additionally, it details the curriculum structure, including core courses, electives, workshops, and capstone projects, aimed at addressing the evolving needs of communication industries.

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DIGITAL MEDIA INNOVATION
DIGITAL MEDIA INNOVATION • The media landscape now includes the remediation of traditional areas as well as new areas • Opportunities for graduates exist: • social, digital and data roles within traditional media organizations • media roles in tech companies • media startups • strategic innovation roles in all organizations- advanced social, seo and analytics roles. • changing media roles in the future
• New York Times, Interactive News Developer “The job requires solid coding skills and the ability to execute.” “Expert-level of standards-driven CSS, HTML, JavaScript.” “Experience with Ruby, Python or MySQL is a plus.” • Quartz, Reporter on “Things” Team “Quartz seeks a reporter to help us commit acts of journalism with code.” “Chiefly responsible for our data-driven and visual journalism, from charts to interactive graphics to news apps. Background in “front-end Web development, systems administration, statistics, data science, design, writing or information architecture.” JOBS!
• Texas Tribune, News App Developer “Proficiency in JavaScript/jQuery, ability to learn new browser- based libraries quickly.” “Experience in responsive/mobile-first design.” “Experience with web mapping (Mapbox.js, Leaflet.js)” “Experience with/a desire to work with databases (PostgreSQL/PostGIS preferred)” JOBS!
• BuzzFeed, Data Journalist for Investigative Reporting Team “Track record of using data to find, tell and reinforce powerful stories.” “Be proficient in at least one modern programming language.” • Austin American-Statesman, News Application Specialist “Programming skills to develop apps for HTML5/CSS3/JavaScript.” “Familiarity with Web APIs and common data visualization libraries.” “Experience with a web development framework such as Rails or Django is preferred.” JOBS!
• Spredfast, Content and Digital Marketing “Drive SEO strategy across all aspects of content and digital property management.” “Create and manage the operational testing and management process around social, digital and content strategies.” • HomeAway, Marketing and Analytics “Advanced in HTML, CSS and JavaScript.” “Eager to implement UI/UX/site improvements or enhancements to improve the customer experience.” • Blackbaud, Web Applications Specialist “Stay abreast of current technology in products, design changes, and new products offered.” “Knowledge and experience working with any of the following; HTML, CSS, SQL, JavaScript, XML, TCP/IP, DNS.” JOBS!
• Google, Content and User Education Specialist “Excellent problem-solving skills, sound business judgment, strategic and analytical capabilities. Basic HTML and CMS skills.” “Strong understanding of user experience principles, rich media and social media.” • Twitter, Partner Manager, Platform Partnerships “Infectious passion about and active user of Twitter with a clear understanding of Twitter consumer platform products and services.” “Fluency in speaking about APIs and SDKs as well as understanding the implications and nuances of partnerships driven by data access.” • Facebook, Ad Integrity Manager “Deep understanding of Facebook.” JOBS!
GRAD PROGRAM DIGITAL MEDIA CONCENTRATION • Web and multimedia producers • Social media editors • Social media managers • Community engagement managers • Web developers for media orgs • Webmasters • Digital project managers • Growing presence at NYT and NPR • Success with undergrads taking Advanced Online Media • Develop undergraduate offering based on grad achievements
OUR PROCESS • Started during Spring semester with a Google Doc that included several open-ended questions about the feasibility of a new undergraduate major • Developed a qualitative survey for recent alums, digital faculty and pros • Discussions with various alums and professionals • Design Thinking Workshop
OUR PROCESS • How Might We… develop a degree that prepares some students for emerging digital careers and better leverages faculty competencies. • Discussed reasons for new degree, competencies and elements. Developed individual “dream” degrees, then combined.
WHY? • Prepare some students for range of jobs, new skills, perspectives; jobs that don’t exist yet • Attract new kinds of students; address student demand • Better address changes in media professions; collaborate with industry • Package activities we are already doing well • Lead discipline; put spotlight on our activities and competencies • Potentially attract funders; grant opportunities
DRIVING PHILOSOPHY • Learning how to learn • Grounded in storytelling • Mix of strategic/conceptual and skills courses; not a purely vocational degree • Problem-solving, innovation, entrepreneurial mindset • Mix of in-person, flipped, online and hybrid courses • Flexibility/adaptability in curriculum
DIGITAL MEDIA INNOVATION MAJOR Same Core as Other Majors (12 hours) – Intro to Mass Comm, Writing for Mass Media, Media Law and Fundamentals of Digital/Online Media Combination of Digital Development, Social and Multimedia courses (15 hours) Required (6 hours) • Web Publishing – includes elements of content, design, mobile, programming and multimedia • Advanced Social Media and Analytics – strategy, research, content and analytics related to digital media careers; other courses could be developed to also satisfy this requirement. Choose Adv Coding or Multimedia option (3 hours): • Adv Coding (one course): Coding and Data Skills or Mobile Development or • Adv Multimedia (one course): Mobile Reporting/Multimedia Journalism or Documentaries or Visual Storytelling Workshops and Short Courses (3 hours) • 3 hours from workshops or short courses Capstone (3 hours) • Digital Innovation Capstone - Guest Speakers on innovation, technology, research and strategy; development project – 3 hour version of new class; or • Digital Experience Project, like SXTXState
DIGITAL MEDIA INNOVATION MAJOR Digital Workshops on different programming languages, tools. 1 credit hour each • In person. • Allows us to be flexible with introducing new topics. Reach more students. • Outside resources to intro new topics. • Weekends • Potential Topics • JavaScript/JQuery • Python • Ruby • PHP • Software tools – Photoshop, Premere, etc.
DIGITAL MEDIA INNOVATION MAJOR Digital Short Courses 1 hour each. Can be done online/hybrid. Weekend short courses. Opportunity for anyone in the department to develop digital emphasis courses. • Digital Media History –History of computers, Internet, Web, mobile and social • Digital Media Law – libel, privacy, intellectual property, • Digital Media Ethics – ethics and issues associated with online journalism, blogging, social media, commenting, governance • Interactive Ad/PR • Drones, wearables, gamification • Other topics as proposed
DIGITAL MEDIA INNOVATION MAJOR Electives (12 hours) Recommended • 3 hours additional digital elective • MC Electives • 3 hours - one course in Intro to PR, Advertising, Writing for Elec Media, News Writing and Reporting I • 6 hours in other advanced MC courses Other • Internship, Practicum, Special Topics 1 hour • Minor
DIGITAL MEDIA INNOVATION MAJOR • Opportunity to lead the discipline • Ability to be flexible, change with dynamic needs of communication industries – like creating a “start up” in our own program. • Leverage existing faculty in a productive manner • Allows inclusivity across the School • Courses available as electives to all majors • Re-assess course offering, curriculum each year