"The Power is Yours"
Think of this document as the contract between you and course instructors. If you have questions raise them early not late.
Web Producing explores production and publishing for the web, from storytelling and curation to site management and promotion. Students will learn how to design and build a journalism website from the ground up, using human-centered techniques to create intuitive user experiences. Using open web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, students will create dynamic online content. With a combination of case studies and hands-on training, students will emerge from the class comfortable producing and designing in-depth online content for a digital platform.
Every project you'll ever build will be different, involving new skills, new research, and new people. This class reflects that continuous learning process, pushing individuals to learn for the benefit of the team and the project as a whole. Over the quarter, students will work together not only to build the final product, but to strengthen colleagues' knowledge and understanding. You'll be expected not only to learn, but to teach - communicating your knowledge is essential in this course.
At the end of the course, students should be able to:
As reflected in the course overview, we'll be hitting a variety of technical skills alongside case studies, interactive design and theory, usability, and a handful of other essential skills any web editor must know. Our time in class will reflect this, divided between lecture/discussion, technical instruction, and lab. However, we won't be doing this in lock-step.
We'll repeat it here for good measure: Every project you'll ever build will be different, involving new skills, new research, and new people. Our "unclass" takes this philosophy to heart, dividing our meeting time into a series of lectures, meetings, and teamwork - each hour designed to grow you and your team's project. Our goal is to go beyond learning what's required for a single project; it's about learning how to identify what's needed, and how to go about learning those things, setting you up for a lifetime of learning. To that end, you'll each create your own version of this class that's grounded on your team's story and its presentation. From the 30+ workshop offerings, you'll attend a minimum of 12, each with its own homework to be completed before and after the workshop. You'll create a plan along with your team during the first week of class, and workshops will begin in week two. You're also welcome to propose self-study as part of your dance-card plan; you can spend an hour or two on that subject and then deliver a lightning talk about what you learned later in the quarter.
In eight teams of four, the class will produce eight stories around a single topic, producing those stories for a site we'll build together. Each team is responsible for the conception, reporting, design, and production of its proposed story. The class as a whole assumes editorial control and will sign off on each major step.
Monday, Wednesday: 1:00 - 2:50 p.m., Fisk 311
Fridays 1-5 p.m., MTC 2-107 - Reserved space for teamwork and time with our resident student gurus
All students are required to adhere to the Medill Integrity Code as well as Northwestern University's academic integrity policies. Academic dishonesty can result in penalties ranging from letters of warning to dismissal from the university. Instructors may give a failing grade in a course for academic dishonesty. It is also university policy that instructors can require students to submit their work electronically to be analyzed for possible plagiarism. The full policy can be read here: http://bit.ly/hUQWlo.
Northwestern University works to provide a learning environment for students with disabilities that affords equal access and reasonable accommodation. Any student who has a documented disability and needs accommodations for classes and/or course work is requested to speak directly to the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (847)-467-5530) and the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first two weeks of class). All discussions will remain confidential. Accommodations can be made by instructors once OSSD has met with the student and verified the disability.
Attendance is required at all class meetings. Please arrive on time. If a student is unable to attend class, he/she must notify both instructors by e-mail or phone at least 2 hours before class. Unexcused absences will detrimentally affect your professionalism grade. If a student misses class he/she is responsible for material and feedback covered in class. Any work you miss from an excused absence is due within one week of the date of your absence.
This class encourages you to explore media and technology. Students are encouraged to think and share things they learn in class. However, to ensure healthy, candid discussions and questions students prohibited from quoting other students without express permission.
Using content for which you do not have rights is a serious ethical breach and will be treated as such.
A Medill, Northwestern faculty member who teaches, studies and practices human-centered design, usability and interactive storytelling.
Journalism faculty at @MedillSchool, erstwhile contributor to @TheAVClub. Specialist in webby-journo things. That's a technical term.
Sarah has designed a variety of projects for the Lab and was instrumental in developing the Lab's new branding identity. Interned at WIRED and Sports Illustrated
Tyler is the creator and developer of SoundCite, joining Gannett Content for summer 2013. Formerly of Chicago Tribune News Apps.