Author Archives: Julie Dodd
Posting course syllabi online before start of semester helps students make informed decisions
An important part of preparing for each semester is the course syllabus. That’s true for faculty, students and their parents. Students (and often their parents) use course syllabi to make decisions about selecting classes and instructors. Students count on the syllabi to be an accurate reflection of the course — from what textbooks are required […]
How to get the most out of attending a professional conference
Attending professional conferences is a great opportunity for college students. They make professional contacts. They learn about trends in the work force. They come back to classes with stories to share and often with renewed enthusiasm for what they need to learn in class. Adera Ney, who is president of UF’s PRSSA chapter and a […]
7 tips to keep in mind as you ask faculty members to write letters of recommendation for you
I’m taking a break from writing letters of recommendations to write this post for those of you who are asking faculty members to write letters of recommendation for you. I’m writing letters for undergraduates seeking summer internships, graduating seniors seeking jobs, and doctoral students applying for faculty positions. Most students have done a really good […]
Technology can help in solving problems in face-to-face classes
Technology helped me solve a teaching problem caused by the school calendar. I teach a Tuesday/Thursday class and usually have two class meetings at the beginning of the semester before students complete their first graded assignment – a cover letter and résumé for a media-related internship. This semester, classes started on Wednesday instead of Tuesday, […]
Online teaching requires planning — and a great deal of course content creation even before the course starts
I observed as Jaclyn Rhoads presented the last lecture for the semester. She offered advice on how the students could apply what they had learned in the course to the workplace. She thanked the students for their effort in the course. An interesting element in this scenario is that the course doesn’t start for two […]
7 tips for starting your own magazine
I recently received an email from a former student who is interested in starting up a magazine with a friend. She sent me a slideshow of the plans they have for the magazine and asked for my advice. I typically receive an email like this at least once a year. I applaud students who are […]
7 tips for recruiting references for jobs, internships and graduate school
A key part to the job process for most jobs is being able to provide references. You can make it through the first rounds of the application process based on your résumé or curriculum vitae, your portfolio, and your own interviewing skills. But for most jobs, contacting references is part of the process of narrowing […]
Al Neuharth’s legacy included support of journalism education
A legend in modern-day journalism died yesterday – Al Neuharth, the founder of USA Today. I’ve read a number of the stories following his death that talk about his life and work in journalism, but those stories haven’t talked about an important part of his legacy – his contributions to journalism education. I’ve been fortunate […]
Instructional design and Pope Francis — incorporating current news adds relevance to class
Pope Francis helped me teach class this week. Every semester, I teach a class introducing the field of and functions of public relations. That introductory lesson then builds into a teaching unit or module on public relations. As you know if you’ve taught a course more than once, teaching a class that you’ve previously prepared […]
3 ways the Wienermobile contributed to learning in my Multimedia Writing class
By combining learning objectives and the Wienermobile, I had a memorable teaching experience! When I received the email blast that the Wienermobile was going to be visiting the University of Florida campus to recruit students to work as brand ambassadors for Oscar Mayer, I looked at the course syllabus to see how the Wienermobile’s timing […]
Julie Dodd 