My fellow blogger and Facebook Friend Meg Roberts, a senior PR student at the University of South Florida, is currently blogging about why college students are not blogging. She cites four reasons why they aren’t, but makes the point that they should be.
I have been wondering the same thing about my students at Towson University. I have around 100 PR Track students in four classes. I asked each class how many read blogs regularly, and in all classes, only a very few said they did. When asked how many blog themselves, there were virtually no affirmative responses. While this is not scientific research, it is disturbing.
I do not require my students to establish their own blogs in any of my classes. Some of my colleagues do. Valued colleague and Facebook Friend Stacy Spaulding, Ph.D., who teaches Journalism and New Media at Towson, is one of them. Such an assignment fits her syllabus.
Tiffany Derville, Ph.D., formerly of Towson and now teaching at the University of Oregon, also requires blogging for her PR writing classes. I read some of Stacy’s and Tiffany’s students’ blogs when I can. It is always enlightening. I am a regular visitor to the few students of mine who blog. And I would not miss one of Meg Robert’s posts.
There are other professors out there who require student blogs for various classes. These are just a few examples of how professors are dealing with the all-important subject of social media for PR students. Like Meg Roberts, I wonder why more PR students are not voluntarily embracing blogging.
Each of my classes will have blog-related assignments, but not a requirement to set up a blog of their own. I approach the need to learn about and participate in social media in a different way. When the semester is finished, my students will have read and participated in numerous PR and IMC blogs. They will know the impact on and importance of the blogosphere to organizations and the impact it has on the PR profession.
But is that enough? Is regular reading of a wide variety of blogs plus commenting to them and discussing findings enough to help them learn what they need to know?
At present, I believe it fits the style of my classes not to require blogging personally but to instill in students a desire to participate in social media combined with the knowledge to do so. I strongly believe in learning by doing (see Why is Uncle Lester Blogging?), but it stops short of requiring a student to blog.
Am I wrong here? Your advice and counsel please.
Les:
I like your voluntary approach, but I too would be concerned that there aren’t more bloggers among the students. As my friend and blog coach Mike Sansone at converstations.com tells us, blogs are great for resumes, too. And there is no better way to demonstrate your thinking, writing and communications skills well before the interview, than with a blog.
Of course, you have to be careful of what you write in a blog because once it’s out there, it’s out there!
As a student at Iowa State in the early 1980s, I spent all of my extra time trying to get my first job. This was before personal computers, and I remember spending a lot of time sneaking into the journalism reading room to snag a few minutes on an IBM Selectric to write a cover letter. I would have rather spent that time demonstrating my thinking and practicing my writing in the pages of a blog.
A young friend of mine at Drake Universite has combined his passion for networking and blogging in the pages of his blog, Connecting in College.
Perhaps your students are not thinking very far into the future?
-Mark
Mark, thank you for jumping in with your wise counsel.
I agree that blogging makes good resume material. In fact, I met Meg Roberts by finding her blog, then her digital portfolio and resume. I recently learned that she wants to relocate to Washington, D.C. to begin her career qhen she graduates in May. Since I live in a D.C., suburb, I immediately offered to help her with my contacts here. Her blog will be a terrific sellingpoint when she interviews.
I like you point about being cafeful what you write. Google never forgets. I constantly encourage my students to be careful about what they put out there in social media, especially Facebook, which more and more employers consult to make informed hiring decisions.
You may be correct in that my students — perhaps students in general — are not thinking far enough into the future. In every class I teach, in every PRSSA meeting I attend, I always talk to students about what their college work means in terms of careers. I constantly work at preparing them for the world of work. I know what to tell them, for I earned a living doing what I teach for three decades before joining Towson’s Mass Comm. faculty in 2004.
Mark, thanks for your thoughts and guidance. You are welcome here any time.
Les
Little harm comes from insisting students have a blog for a semester. At worst, they learn about the technology behind DIY social media.
At best, they embrace it. Find out they like writing and, most important, have the knack of writing stuff other people want to read and discuss. Talent doesn’t always go in hand with confidence, however,: insisting on blogging may bring out a few wallflowers. Robert French’s work at Auburn has produced a couple of PR bloggers who are widely read — but who may have been unknown if he had not insisted that every student blog.
Another reason for insisting that they blog: until you do it, you don’t understand it. Steve Crescenzo and David Murray — two Ragan writers — took a dim view of social media, to put it mildly, until forced to take it up. I suspect they wouldn’t turn back, now, if they could. IABC’s David Kistle rejected social media and, for all practical purposes, lost his job. IABC Chairs since have taken it up and, depending on their open-mindedness, have found it a useful way to communicate with members.
I suspect, though, this won’t be a problem for long: my children embrace social media without even having to call it “social media.” It is a given. Of course, you are on MySpace or Facebook…
Whether or not they must have their own blogs, though, they must learn to read, sift, follow and discuss the ones that pertain to communication — you professors should insist on that, at least. All the news in the communication profession appears on blogs first, and all the discussion takes place there.
Allan
Hi Les,
Thanks for the kind words, but more importantly, thanks for continuing this discussion! My post was written as a “how to” guide– a how to combat the excuses students have made for themselves. Even if my friends don’t want to blog, I encourage them to read my blogroll and comment on posts that pique their interest. It’s a start, right?
Take care!
Les,
Thanks for your reference to Meg’s insightful discussion of why students do not blog. I think the best way to understand social media is to dive in and engage in it, just like both of us have done.
Most of my students from last quarter did not continue their blogs after the class requirement stopped; however, this might be because I only required them to write four blog posts and comments. This quarter, students blog twice a week and post a comment weekly. I give students more work time in class to accommodate the added workload. I don’t know if they will continue to blog after the class requirement ends — we’ll see! We also built del.icio.us pages, engaged in the 48 hours of Twitter exercise from Kaye and Karen at the University of Georgia (http://teachingpr.blogspot.com/search?q=48+hours+of+twitter), set up aggregators through Google Reader, and recorded podcasts. Not all of these exercises were smooth sailing (particularly the technical issues of recording a podcast in Audacity); however, students can talk from experience about these new media.
Why not ask students to blog (and perhaps engage in other social media) for one semester as a test run and see how it goes? Not that there’s room to spare in Public Relations Writing or Principles of Public Relations, but perhaps you could do your magic and make it work? You have a writing angle with the writing course and a discussion of hot topics angle in the principles course.
Ideally, you could add a new media course in the public relations sequence or an interdisciplinary class, but for now, perhaps trying it out in the existing PR classes for a semester would be worth consideration.
All the best from the West!
Tiffany
Allan,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this subject. I agree with you on several things. I particularly agree with your comment that whether or not students have their own blogs, they must learn to read, sift, follow and discuss the ones that pertain to communication. That is what I stress now. I have developed a number of ways to accomplish this, but short of requiring students to create and maintain their own blogs.
There are professors in my department who require students to blog. As you say, it certainly can’t hurt to require it for a semester. I will consider this for my PR writing classes.
Thanks again, Allan. Come back any time.
Les
Tiffany,
I just finished commenting on a post by one of your students, Allie. I love reading your student’s blogs, and I try to support them with comments when I can.
What you are doing at Un. of Oregon sounds fantastic. You are really introducing your students to many aspects of social media. Good for you (and them)!
We do have a Journalism and New Media course whose syllabus sounds similar to what you describe.
I will consider your suggestions for my courses, Since you taught them here at Towson, you know all too well what we do. Now, with your advice and counsel, I will try to take it to a higher levels. Thank you for sharing your program with me.
We all miss you terribly.
Les
Don’t be shy, Les. Make them blog. Otherwise they won’t. It’s not that students don’t like to experiment with social media. Just look at Facebook. But at my school most students work 20-30 hours a week while taking a full-time load of courses. They’re too busy for anything that isn’t required (with the exception of Beer Pong tournaments).
We require a blog plus 10 posts as part of a course in Online Tactics, now in its 4th semester. We also require students to track 5 PR blogs and to report to the class what they learn. I have a teaching blog on which we have discussions of Web 2.0 issues with some regularity. Comments are required and scored based on quality and relevance.
About one in ten of our student bloggers keeps on once the semester ends, but all of them learn about the medium, read other bloggers and begin to find their online voice. If you can’t tell an engaging story and draw folks into a discussion, you’re in the wrong business. Blogs allow students to develop those skills, and in my class, you do it or you fail the course. That approach may see a little heavy-handed, but I’ll put our job-placement rate up against anyone. It works.
What about encouraging your students to collaborate on a blog, sharing/alternating posting duties? This would allow them to try it out without having to make a more serious commitment to keeping their own blogs going.
Les,
Thanks for providing an excellent example of blog writing in this post. Not only is the post thoughtful and provocative, but the discussion going on in the comments is just as informative. It perfectly illustrates our ongoing classroom discussion–that the best bloggers are engaging in an ongoing conversation with readers. How did you know I’d be trolling the web today looking for an example to illustrate this in class?
Stacy
Les,
I tech PR in Argentina and I have to say that the same happens here… Last year my students had to blog during the semester as a requirement and I have to say that none of them continued it after the classes were over.
I encourage them to use social media but I find it difficult to commit them. In my personal experience I got a lot of work and contacts through my blog. As a matter of fact I am working for a US PR company and they contacted me as they read my blog and shared some of my ideas. It is a very useful tool and perfect for networking.
Thanks you all for your inspiring opinions!
Fernanda
I’ll try to catch up. I have been sidetracked doing my real work. That’s cuts into my blogging time.
Bill, I regularly read your blog about what you are doing at Kent State. I have learned much from your approach. What you say here is great advice. I know you are correct — without some skin in the game, students won’t voluntarily blog unless they are that rare motivated student who comes along now and then.
Sue, collaboration is a perfect solution. In fact, it fits the Millennial profile as they are very collaborative by nature. Great idea! Thanks.
Stacy, I am happy to help you with your lesson planning. hahaha. It is I who come to you for advice, remember? I agree about the comments. I have been blessed with a richness of solid thought on this and other subjects. I am but a collector of thoughts and ideas, a conduit. I am happy you jumped in.
Fernanda, I most happily welcome you to More With Les. I am honored that you read this and commented here. I think your comment cements my thoughts; we can require students to blog in order to learn the technoilogy and the technique and to simply get involved in social media. Without requiring it, few will do it voluntarily. But, like other courses, it may not stick, that is, short-term anyway. Perhaps we plant the right seeds for blooming later. That is our job. And in so doing, we have done right by their education.
Thank you all for your wise counsel and good advice.
Les
The reason I don’t blog now is because I did it in high school…and I can’t seem to find the time to get back into it. Maybe it’s because with classes, 2 jobs, and various activities that I take part in on campus, my free time is devoted to studying or sleeping. Or, maybe it is because on subconscious level blogging reminds me of high school, and how every entry provided drama and gossip for the week.
I started a LiveJournal account the day my friend passed away and then wrote in it at least once a week for two years. When I got to college, I had slowly stopped writing in it. I don’t know if a LiveJournal is the type of blog you meant, but that is what I used to use.
My question is, what is the true point of blogging? I always used it to rant and relieve my stress of the day. I do not feel as if I ever wrote anything interesting, unlike your blog that discusses PR and such. But, I guess that’s the difference between a LiveJournal account and a true “blog”. A journal is a journal whether online or on paper. It’s meant for ranting. So I guess what I’m saying is, the reason I don’t blog is I don’t know what to say or if what I said would be very important due to my lack of experience.
I think that is a great question! What is the true point of blogging?
One of my students, Patrick Smith, uses his blog to develop his professional identity (http://www.patricksmith04.blogspot.com/). Of course, this is going to be a real asset when he goes looking for a job. Not only does it tell an editor that he’s thinking about his work creatively, but it also demonstrates that he’ll be able to contribute to the expanding multimedia demands newspapers are making on photographers and reporters.
Now, I’m a journalism professor, so I’ll have to rely on some of the other experts poking around through here. In what ways are PR students using blogs? (Bet that’d be a good blog entry, Les!)
Melissa, having read your thoughtful comment above, I respectfully disagree with you — you DO have something valuable to say, and you just said it.
You mentioned a point I wish to emphasize. You said that you work two jobs plus attend school full-time. I ask all of my classes how many work, then how many have more than one job. Almost 100 percent of my students here at Towson have at least one job, and many more have more than one like you do. I have always admired this in my Towson students. it seems that we have students who work, not just coast though college. I believe that these real-life work lessons will serve all of you well when it is time for employers to consider hiring you.
Many employers will hire graduates who had worked their way through school over those who did not. I did. You have proven that you know how to earn a pay check. You have a competitive advantage.
In light of your work load, I can see why you do not blog. But I never thought about people blogging in high school and getting burned out by the time they reach college. It isd only logical that in this day and time, younger and younger people will blog.
What is the true point of blogging? That varies with every individual who blogs. My reason are stated clearly in “Why is Uncle Lester Blogging?”
To blog or not to blog, that is the question. I believe that if you have something to say, then say it. But some will have to blog because of instructor assignment. So be it.
Les,
I would encourage instructors not to take it personally if students stop blogging when the semester ends. Most of ours do, because they lack the interest and the soul for it. That’s OK. They’ve been introduced to medium that will play a role in their professional lives. They know more, and we hope they write more clearly as a result of the experience. Besides, I’m not sure the world really needs more bloggers!
Let me add that I know a number of professionals who are savvy about social media and use it extensively in their practice, yet they’ve chosen not to blog. It’s time consuming.
Dear Uncle Lester,
There’s good and bad for making students blog from my point of view.
I started blogging because I wanted to stay connected with my friends from home and want to let them know what’s happeneing in my life. Secondly, I just need another channel to rant my stress of the day or week. Thirdly, I know that I have some “issues” with writing, so I try to blog more to improve on my writing skills though my friends still think that my blog is full of broken English. *lol*So, blogging in a way is for a more personal reason. Hence, my blog looks so “cute”. Hahahaha.
However, since I took your PR Campaigns class last Fall and working in Sinuate Media, where we rely a lot of social media to reach more people, I realize that blogs are equally effective in sharing the latest information, knowledge and thoughts with people that you may not even meet in your life time.
Since the day Shell Holtz came to our class and speak to us, I’ve read his blog frequently and I learn a lot from there about the latest technology and what not. Also, I have a few other blogger’s blog on my Firefox tool bars so that I can automatically get the latest entries from the blogs. And I really wanted to start writing something more intellectual. (I guess, by reading my old blog you will see that my thoughts are changing from time to time)
Either for personal reasons or to share thoughts and information with other people, I think that blogging has to be genuine, where the thoughts has to come straight from their heart. So, if you make blogging as part of your course assignment, I’m worried that students will do it just for the sake of doing it. At least to me I think that will just become part of my course assignment, and I may hate to blog for the rest of my life, IF I get a bad grade! Hahahaha. Also, just like what your friend Tiffany mentioned, students stopped blogging after the semester ends. Well I know that if you make your students blog as part of the course assignment, at least you manage to get their hands dirty into the blogging world, but will they truly understand why they are blogging and are the contents in the blog going to be genuine?
Honestly, I really really like the idea of you telling your students about how great blogging is, encourage them to read your blogs. I believe that nothing is better than word of mouth to get your students into blogging, rather than making it part of the course assignment.
That’s just a piece of my thought. A BIG piece though. *lol*
Haha. Gotta go back to work now. Talk to you soon!
Cheers!
Ling:
Thank you for your comments. Your comments provide a valuable perspective on this issue.
I remain extremely proud of you, but we miss you at Towson.
Les
Hi Les! Throughout the semester, I have been blogging about designated topics
for my Writing for New Media class with Dr. Spaulding. Although I enjoy writing, I find it hard to think of topics to write about. Having a blog has proven to be a great experience for me, but becoming an avid reader of blogs has been an even more beneficial experience.
After Dr. Spaulding introduced me to Google Reader, I began building up my list of blog subscriptions throughout the semester. I subscribe to about 20 blogs, which range in the subject of their content. Although I read a variety of blogs, they all provide me with the inspiration that I struggle to find when I sit down to write. Each blogger leaves me wondering, questioning, worrying, etc., and I immediately find a subject that I would like to explore.
So why are PR students not blogging? I would say it’s because they may not be fully aware of all that the blogosphere has to offer. Instead of requiring students to have a blog, it might be a good idea to have them develop a Google Reader account and begin subscribing to different blogs. It is here that I developed a great appreciation for bloggers and what they are contributing to our profession. I believe that by reading blogs, you can be inspired to write your own blog, instead of it being forced upon you.