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http://www.sree.net/teaching/sites.html
WORKSHOP:
Building Your Personal Websites
A two-day hands-on workshop for journalists to learn how to build a
personal website (or improve an existing site), protect their online
identity and use the Internet in smarter ways. You will leave with a
basic website that's accessible worldwide and the knowledge to continue working on it for years to
come. If you already have a basic site, you will learn how to make it
better.
A chance to
learn new skills at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism
Sat, April 2 & Sun, April 3, 2005
Instructor: Prof. SREENATH SREENIVASAN,
Columbia Journalism School & WABC-TV Tech Guru
Adjunct:
SANDEEP JUNNARKAR, Weil
Visiting Professor of New Media, Indiana University at Bloomington
updated Jan. 25, 2005
What: Journalists and other professionals have to control their "cyber identity" and the best way to do that is to build personal websites or portfolios that highlight their work. Building better personal websites is the subject of this two-day workshop.
Over the course of two packed weekend days (Saturday, April 2 & Sunday, April 3, 2005), Columbia new media professor & WABC tech reporter Sree Sreenivasan will show you what works and what doesn't in the world of personal websites. More importantly, you will leave with a website and the means to update it and make it better anytime you wish. No Web skills required to attend.
See Poynter column on importance of having your own site.
Who: Reporters, writers, editors, producers, managers in print and broadcast who want to acquire new media skills. Non-journalists interested in the media are also welcome to apply. We will select 15 students to participate in this workshop. We may have additional slots if you have your own WiFi-equipped laptop that you can bring with you (we will tell you in advance what trial software you need to download before you arrive).
Why: A must-attend class for all media folks interested in retooling their careers. Leave with a working website, online resume, life-long skills and a Columbia Journalism School certificate. It's been offered for three years now and dozens of students have learned new skills.
Fees:
$450 per student (see discounts below). The fee covers all instruction, teaching materials, a
Zip disk and CD of your work, breakfast both mornings and Sunday lunch. Students are
responsible for travel and hotel costs, as well as the outside hosting fees for their sites (to get an idea of the rates, see SreeTip on creating personal websites).
DETAILS: Standard applicant: $450
Columbia alum: $400
Standard applicant with own WiFi laptop: $425
Columbia alum with own WiFi laptop: $375
If you are bringing your own laptop, it must have built-in WiFi, and you will have to either purchase or download trial versions of specific software (we shall let you know details the week before class starts).
How: To apply for a slot, fill in the form available here in PDF format (and snail-mail it as per instructions). In addition, send an e-mail to Stephanie Gray, program assistant at sg846@columbia.edu so that she knows you are applying. The 15 slots will be filled in a first-come, first served basis, so apply early. [feel free to cc: Prof. Sreenivasan at sree@sree.net when you write to Ms. Gray]. Please indicate whether you will be bringing your own WiFi-equipped laptop or will work on our computers. We expect to fill the spaces ahead of the deadline, so sign up soon!
DEADLINE: Monday, March 28, 2005. (Depending on the level of interest, we will offer more versions of this)
Our adjunct instructor: Sandeep Junnarkar, visiting professor of new media, Indiana University at Bloomington.
See Poynter column on importance of having your own site.
Agenda
Columbia
Graduate School of Journalism
116th and Broadway, New York, New York 10027
Directions & Map
SATURDAY,
April 2, 2005
8:30-9 am: Room 607B
Registration & coffee
Collect name tags and welcome packages
9-10 am:
Greetings and Workshop Overview
Discussion: What Makes a Good Personal Site
Led by
Prof. Sreenath Sreenivasan
We will lay out the agenda and have introductions. Each participant will
lay out a vision of what kind of website they want to create, what kind
of online identity they want to have.
10 am - 12 pm
Wrecking Ball: Critiquing personal sites
The good, the bad and everything in between. See examples of journalists' personal sites here.
Introduction to Dreamweaver
The
basics of Dreamweaver, a Web production software package.
Dreamweaver help:
http://www.sree.net/teaching/dreamweaver.html
Noon-1:15 pm:
Lunch on your own in the neighborhood
1:15-3:30 pm
Writing outline for "About Pages"
Collecting material for portfolio
3:45-4:15 pm
Introduction to Image Editing Tools
The
basics of a couple of freeware photo editing and graphics production
programs.
4:15-5:30 pm
Finalize Navigation, Color Scheme and Content Map
Evening: On your own
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SUNDAY,
April 3, 2005
9-9:30 am: Room 607B
Coffee & pastries served
9:30 am -
noon:
Work on your sites
Presentation: How to raise your Google rankings
Presentation:
To Blog or Not to Blog?
Introduction to digital cameras
Noon-2 pm:
Working lunch / Box lunches served
Presentation: "Smarter Surfing for Journalists"
Better
use of your Web time, reporting and research on deadline.
This session is adapted from a session that has been taught to more than
9,000 journalists in seven countries. It is designed to make finding
useful information easier and more efficient.
Description:
http://www.sree.net/web
Links:
http://www.sree.net/tips/web.html
2-5:30
pm:
Site work continues
Checklist: About page, bio/resume, photo, bullets, links, drop caps, dingbat
Optional: writing samples
Formatting & uploading
Taking it all home: How to update your site and keep improving it
-fin-
Sree.net > Teaching > Building Your Personal Website
"It was informative, thought-provoking and loads of fun. I learned an enormous amount - and I'm sure the information will prove invaluable. I hope you continue the program and expand it in the years ahead. Journalists - and journalism - will surely be better for it." — Shankar Vedantam, reporter, The Washington Post
"The workshop was challenging and intense, but the effort worthwhile. I think anyone interested in the Web and its application to journalism would benefit from it because it broadens horizons and builds confidence. You won't come out of it a "techie," but you will have a better understanding of what works, why and what can be done." — Joe Marren, associate editor, Business First Buffalo
"Before I
attended the workshop, I was a technophobe, but as a young journalist I
knew that with the speed that technology is growing I had to be more
familiar with this medium in order to stay competitive in my profession.
I learned a great deal in two days. First of all I never magined that I
could ever build a website, and was amazed when I did. I also learned a
great deal about all of the resources available on the Internet that has
subsequently helped me as a journalist. It is the best learning
experience I have had in a long time."
— Amy Wu, reporter, Monterey County Herald, California
~~~
Photoshop:
Sree Tips
sample photo
Smita Paul Tips
Dreamweaver:
Sree Tips
Smita Paul Tips
Online Writing
Tips:
Brian Kennedy
Jon Dube
Roberta Beach Jacobson
Resources:
Sree's Tips on Images
Logo Generator
Button Maker
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Faculty:
Sreenath Sreenivasan, associate professor, Columbia Graduate
School of Journalism
Sandeep Junnarkar, visiting professor of new media, Indiana University at Bloomington.
Program
Staff:
Arlene Morgan, director of executive education, Columbia Graduate
School of Journalism
Stephanie Gray, program assistant
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On-site Notes...
NAME TAGS: Please wear your name tag prominently whenever you are in the building
ATTIRE: Casual throughout. The labs can get cold, so you may want to have a light sweater handy.
WEATHER
FORECAST:
http://www.weather.com/weather/local/10027
COMPUTER ACCESS: We will be in a PC lab throughout the weekend, so you will be able to check your e-mail and such. If you are a "Macintosh person," please see if you can familiarize yourself with a PC, any PC, before you arrive -- if you cannot, don't worry.
PHONE ACCESS: There will be plenty of phones for local calls; if you wish to make long-distance calls, please bring a phone card or your cell with you.
Official New
York visitors' site:
http://www.nycvisit.com/
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ADVANCE WORK:
Please glance through the following sites...
* NYC24.com
www.nyc24.com
*
Cyberjournalist.net
www.cyberjournalist.net
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