CA364:
Prerequisites
Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details
This course examines the changing landscape of communications, as influenced by social media. Students will explore transformations within the public relations and journalism fields directly and indirectly caused by social media. Class will focus on message design, message dissemination, message reception, evaluation, market research and theory, all related to participatory media. Prerequisites: CA231 or CA233
Contact Information
Textbook: Social Media Strategy
Edition: 3rd
ISBN: 1538138174
Author: Keith A Quesenberry
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
1. Understand the use of social media as a method for communicating to mass audiences
2. Integrate social media models, platforms and techniques into an overall communications strategy
3. Evaluate the effect(s) of social media on an audience
4. Implement and manage a social media campaign
Week | TUESDAY | THURSDAY |
1 Week of Aug 18 | 8/19 Syllabus; discussion of takeover calendar; personal headline, broadcasting v. narrowcasting, target audience | 8/21 Creating a content calendar/content creation based on takeover businesses / pitching content to a stakeholder |
2 Week of Aug 25 | 8/26 Brand archetypes; Seth Godin on tribes; storytelling (storycorps); Intro to Canva CH1 QUIZ | 8/28 Canva lab/classroom brainstorm on businesses for social media takeover |
3 Week of Sep 1 | FB Dilemma 1 & 2 - Round Table Discussion after each section | FB Dilemma 1 & 2 - Round Table Discussion after each section |
4 Week of Sep 8 | 9/9 Guest Speaker Libbe HaLevy- Host of the Nuclear Hotseat podcast- keeping listeners informed about all things nuclear since 2011, listened to over 124 countries around the World! CH3 QUIZ ONLINE ONLY | 9/11 Guest speaker Josh McGee, Senior Social Media Strategist for Luxid US Q&A before Stakeholder meetings TAKEOVERS BEGIN/PREP FOR STAKEHOLDER MTG. |
5 Week of Sep 15 | 9/16 LAB- content calendar creation, macro and micro due September 19 to give to stakeholders/Blackboard | 9/18 First F2F Stakeholder meetings 9/18 First set of Content Calendars, sample graphics, and word banks due |
6 Week of Sep 22 | 9/23 Content Creation and Curation techniques for engaging and creating shareable content- how to find content from other sources CH4 QUIZ | 9/25 Guest speaker Connor Dermody- Social Media Manager & Public Relations @ Wilmington College Introduce video project for Homecoming weekend! |
7 Week of Sep 29 | 9/30 Simon Sinek on Why; introduction to WC Brand Guidelines (and the brands that didn’t stick) CH5 QUIZ | 10/2 Creating a successful ad campaign Analysis of social media platforms and connecting with an audience /Digging deeper into SWOT |
8 Week of Oct 6 | 10/7 Faculty In-service Day- No classes. Stakeholder calendar due EOD instead of F2F class CH6-7 QUIZ | 10/9 Social Media Crisis Simulation Lab: Hypothetical social media crisis scenario and devise a crisis management plan- how to continue building a brand through crisis |
9 Week of Oct 13 | 10/14 Social Listening- how to monitor conversations and mentions of your brand on social to gain insights, respond to feedback, and improve Community management and engagement CH8 QUIZ | 10/16 Emerging Trends in Social Media: Staying up-to-date with the latest developments, tech, and trends to maintain an edge Podcasting basics; Buzzfeed and Reddit explore; Crowdsourcing defined; exploring Google Trends; what is the “Public Sphere?” |
10 Week of Oct 20 | 10/21 Tentative Social Media Awareness event with local FFA groups 3:00-5:00 PM | 10/23 Adaptability and Flexibility- how to rise above the noise on social media for your business. Explore new social platforms where your community might be. How do you make your community follow your CTA |
11 Week of Oct 27 | 10/28 Social Media Management Tools Review- research and review different social media management tools, features, pros, and cons CH9-10 QUIZ | 10/30 Social Media Ethics and Legal Considerationsprivacy concerns and legal aspects of using social for marketing |
12 Week of Nov 3 | 11/4 Collaboration and Networking building relationships with influencers, partners, and other brands to expand your reach and engage with a broader audience CH11-12 QUIZ | 11/6 NO F2F CLASS--ON YOUR OWN: Concentrate on your business this week- Finish your content calendars for November and contact your stakeholder - Stakeholder calendar will be your attendance grade |
13 Week of Nov 10 | 11/11 Social Media Policy Development in class project to create a social media policy for an organization, outline guidelines for employees’ social media usage and protecting the brand reputation CH13 QUIZ | 11/13 Guest speaker~Joshua Hodges @thehometownlawyer Kruger & Hodges, LLC, |
14 Week of Nov 17 | 11/18 Insights and analytics-using and presenting your analytics CH14-15 QUIZ | 11/20 Prep Day for Final Presentations/Preparing your analytics |
15 Week of Nov 24 | 11/25 Presentations | 11/27 OFF Thanksgiving Holiday |
16 Week of Dec 1 | Final Social Media Plan Case Study due 12/4 @ 5:00 PM (12/4 Study Day, no class) Final social media presentations | Final Social Media Plan Case Study due 12/4 @ 5:00 PM (12/4 Study Day, no class) Final social media presentations |
| 17 Week of Dec 8 | Final Class Survey Final social media presentations | Final Class Survey Final social media presentations |
Major Assignments (Graded) | |
| Weekly Textbook Exercises | 140 points |
| Takeover Preplan Presentation | 30 points |
| Social Media Takeover Assignment | 10 points |
| Final Social Media Plan | 40 points |
| Final Social Media Presentation/Exam | 20 points |
| Attendance | 10 points |
TOTAL POINTS | 250 points |
Students will be evaluated via performance indicators applied to a variety of assignments, quizzes and tests designed to evaluate students’ mastery of course concepts.
A = above 89%
B = 80 – 89%
C = 70 – 79%
D = 60 – 69%
F = below 60%
All late work will be returned to students with no grade (zero) for that assignment. Students are instructed to request an extension for any assignment that cannot be completed by deadline. Requests must come in person (face-to-face) and at least 48 hours prior to the start of the class during which the assignment is due.
Instructor Course Policies
Attendance is required. Attendance will be taken randomly. Students missing from class will lose 3 points from their attendance grade. See the current Student Handbook for the college’s Attendance policy especially as it pertains to excused absences.
Academic misconduct will not be tolerated in the classroom. Failure to follow the aforementioned classroom policies may result in additional academic penalties as determined by the instructor and/or by the Office of Academic Affairs. See the current Student Handbook for the college’s Attendance policy, especially as it pertains to excused absences.
Institutional and Program-Level Policies
All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.
Undergraduate: SP25 Final Exam Schedule Graduate:
Out-of-class Work Expectation A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week. |
Instructional Course Delivery |
Academic Integrity Policy The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions. |
Class Attendance Policy |
Accessibility and Disability Services
Accessibility and Disability Services
Wilmington College provides accommodations and services for student with a variety of disabilities, including chronic illnesses, psychological, physical, medical, learning, and sensory disability amongst others. If you anticipate or experience barriers based on disability and feel you may need a reasonable accommodation to fulfill the essential functions of this course, you are encouraged to contact:
Spencer Izor, Associate Vice President of Compliance - Title IX/ADA Coordinator at spencer.izor@wilmington.edu or 937-481-2365 or Nathan Flack, Academic Resource Manager at 937-481-2208 to learn more about the process and procedures for requesting accommodations, or by visiting College Hall Room 306a or the Robinson Communication Center, Room 103.
Religious Accommodations
Wilmington College strives for an inclusive climate and welcomes students from all backgrounds, faiths, and experiences. If religious observance impedes your ability to participate fully in classroom activities or a principal holiday from your religious tradition occurs during the semester and conflicts with class meetings or activities, please make the professor aware of this immediately to determine if a reasonable accommodation is possible.