INFO 282-01
Seminar in Library Management
Spring 2017 Syllabus

Dr. Debra K Buenting
E-mail
Other contact information: 719-685-0829
Office location: Colorado Springs
Office Hours: by appointment

Syllabus Links
Textbooks
CLOs
Competencies
Prerequisites		 Resources
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Canvas Information: Courses will be available beginning January 26th, 6 am PT unless you are taking an intensive or a one unit or two unit class that starts on a different day. In that case the class will open on the first day that the class meets.

You will be enrolled into the Canvas site automatically.

Course Description

The Public Communication Campaigns course is intended to prepare information professionals in the design, implementation, and marketing of various initiatives related to branding, events, programs and other library activities. Communication scholars Rice, Atkin, Rogers and Storey define public communication campaigns as “purposive attempts to inform or influence behaviors in large audiences and featuring an array of mediated messages in multiple channels generally to produce non-commercial benefits to individuals and society.” It takes specific strategies to understand, persuade and motivate clientele to use information products and services. This course will introduce students to the potential of public communication campaigns and give them the tools to actually carry out targeted campaigns by identifying needs, narrowing goals, designing campaigns based on sound research, and conducting solid evaluation to measure success.

Learn to advocate for information initiatives that serve the public.

Course Requirements

Assignments

  1. Conduct a simple Internet search of 3 successful public communication campaigns outside the information field; you will likely find many related to health and other community development initiatives. For example, you can visit The Communication Initiative website at: http://www.comminit.com/global/ and browse campaigns that may be of special interest to you; you can also conduct a general Internet search. During week 1 you will also locate one academic study of a campaign. You can search in Google Scholar or use online databases to find articles in communication or other journals. You can also use one of the articles in your textbook (chapters 13-23) or look up one of the articles mentioned in your assigned chapters. Write an abstract and post with full citation to the discussion board. This assignment fulfills CLO#1: Analyze and target specific audiences with specific messages.
  2. Find three library & information communication campaigns. A place to start would be the ALA website at http://www.ala.org . You can also conduct an Internet search for campaigns that may have been carried out at particular libraries or other institutions, and also search YouTube. Try to find at least one example that had formative and evaluation research built into the campaign. Campaigns should represent at least two different media strategies (TV or video, radio, print, social media, websites, etc.) Post an abstract and full citation of your top pick in the discussion board. This assignment fulfills CLO#1: Analyze and target specific audiences with specific messages and CLO#3: Research, design, and roll-out effective communication campaigns using media as diverse as radio, television, print and social networking.
  3. Research an academic article describing the design and evaluation of an information-based campaign (i.e. library). This assignment fulfills CLO#4: Understand and implement essential marketing, branding and advertising of programs and initiatives based on sound theory, planning, and evaluation.
  4. Create a press release for the campaign you are designing (and submitting next week). This assignment fulfills CLO#2: Communicate effectively with the press and clientele about various initiatives.
  5. Create a 10-15 page proposal for a public communication campaign. The paper will include the following:

    • Details of the issue/problem to be addressed
    • Description of the target audience
    • Goals of the campaign clearly defined
    • Strategy for conducting formative research
    • Details of study design
    • Detailed description of the media chosen
    • Budget and fund-raising strategy
    • Campaign timeline
    • Strategy for conducting evaluation research
    This assignment fulfills CLOs1-4: Analyze and target specific audiences with specific messages; Communicate effectively with the press and clientele about various initiatives; Research, design and roll-out effective communication campaigns using media as diverse as radio, television, print and social networking; Understand and implement essential marketing, branding and advertising of programs and initiatives based on sound theory, planning and evaluation.

Course Calendar

Week Main Activity Reading Assignment
1 Introduction to Course, Communication Campaigns Overview Read:
  • Rice & Atkin Ch 1 – Theory & principles of public communication campaigns
  • Ch 2 – Public communication campaigns
  • Ch 3 – Why can’t we sell human rights like we sell soap?
  • Buenting, D. & Brown, W.J. (2013) Entertainment Education as a Community Development Strategy.
Watch:
  • Introductions to campaigns video by Dr. Deb
 Assignment:
  • Conduct a simple Internet search of 3 successful communication campaigns outside the information field. Also locate 1 academic study of a campaign.
Discussion:
  • Make introductions
  • Post links & abstracts of campaigns
  • Answer question: “Based on your text readings and campaign search, how would you describe a public communication campaign & what elements do you think go into making campaigns.” Respond to at least two classmates throughout the week.
2 Campaign Design & Evaluation Read:
  • Ch 4 – Guidelines for formative evaluation research in campaign design
  • Ch 5 – A systems-based evaluation planning model for health communication campaigns in developing countries
  • Ch 6 – Evaluating communication campaigns
  • Ch 7 – Communication campaign effectiveness & effects: Some critical distinctions
Watch:
  • Save the Troy library video
 Assignment:
  • Find 3 library & information communication campaigns that represent at least 2 different media strategies (TV or video, radio, print, social media, websites, etc.) Write abstracts of the campaigns you found and submit with full citations. Also discuss the strengths, weaknesses and effectiveness of each campaign.
  • Declare final project proposal topic.
Disc #2:
  • Post your top pick campaign in the discussion folder and respond to at least two classmates throughout the week. What did you learn about the potential of campaigns in your desired career track? How do the campaigns you found inspire you to create similar initiatives either now or in the future? Name at least 1 problem you think could be addressed through a campaign.
3 Theory Foundations Read:
  • How to write a press release, with examples.
  • Rice & Atkin Ch 9 – McGuire’s classic input-output framework for constructing persuasive messages
  • Ch 10 – Sense-making methodology as an approach to understanding & designing for campaign audiences: A turn to communicating communicatively
  • Ch 12 – Truth in advertising: Social norms marketing campaigns to reduce college student drinking
 Assignment:
  • Research an academic article describing the design and evaluation of information-based campaigns (i.e. library). Post in DB and respond to at least 2 classmates.
  • Write a press release for the campaign you are designing based on traditional PR communication strategies.
Disc #3:
  • Post abstract and full citation of academic article and provide your own analysis. What role do you see that formative & evaluative research plays in successful campaigns? What are implications of McGuire’s framework on campaign design? Mention at least 3 variables mentioned in chapter 9. Respond to at least two classmates throughout the week.
4 Application   Assignment:
  • Submit a 10-15 page proposal detailing your campaign design.
Disc #4:
  • Post 2-page synopsis of your campaign proposal. Respond to at least two classmates throughout the week.

Grading

  • Online discussions 75 X 4
    300 points
    • Grades will be accessed based on thorough timely posts that demonstrate understanding of key concepts and critical thinking and accurate writing. The discussion board is a place of active engagement between the professor and the students and also between students; it is considered a vital learning environment for collaborative learning.
  • Assignment 1
    100 points
  • Assignment 2
    100 points
  • Assignment 3
    150 points
    • Grades for article reviews/abstracts will be based on accurate identification of problem to be solved, target audience, decription of the campaign design, media used & success of initiative.
  • Assignment 4
    50 points
    • Grades will be accessed on clear communication of campaign written in appropriate journalistic style for media outlets
  • Assignment 5
    300 points
    • Grades will be accessed on successful execution of the assignment details listed above. A detailed rubric will be provided.)
  • Assignments should be submitted by due date. Late work will be assessed with a 20% penalty.

Other Relevant Information
Online education is about reading, processing, discussing and writing about ideas. It is anticipated that students will be fully engaged in the course, engaging in online discussions frequently and submitting assignments as required. Education should be fun, so we will attempt to have an entertaining learning environment.

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Course Workload Expectations

Success in this course is based on the expectation that students will spend, for each unit of credit, a minimum of forty-five hours over the length of the course (normally 3 hours per unit per week with 1 of the hours used for lecture) for instruction or preparation/studying or course related activities including but not limited to internships, labs, clinical practica. Other course structures will have equivalent workload expectations as described in the syllabus.

Instructional time may include but is not limited to:
Working on posted modules or lessons prepared by the instructor; discussion forum interactions with the instructor and/or other students; making presentations and getting feedback from the instructor; attending office hours or other synchronous sessions with the instructor.

Student time outside of class:
In any seven-day period, a student is expected to be academically engaged through submitting an academic assignment; taking an exam or an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction; building websites, blogs, databases, social media presentations; attending a study group;contributing to an academic online discussion; writing papers; reading articles; conducting research; engaging in small group work.

Course Prerequisites

INFO 282 has no prequisite requirements.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  1. Analyze and target specific audiences with specific messages.
  2. Communicate effectively with the press and clientele about various initiatives.
  3. Research, design and roll-out effective communication campaigns using media as diverse as radio, television, print and social networking.
  4. Understand and implement essential marketing, branding and advertising of programs and initiatives based on sound theory, planning and evaluation.

Core Competencies (Program Learning Outcomes)

INFO 282 supports the following core competencies:

  1. D Apply the fundamental principles of planning, management, marketing, and advocacy.
  2. M Demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for professional work including collaboration and presentations.

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Textbooks

Required Textbooks:

  • Rice, R.E., & Atkin, C.K. (2012). Public communication campaigns (4th ed.). SAGE. Available through Amazon: 1412987709arrow gif indicating link outside sjsu domain

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Grading Scale

The standard SJSU School of Information Grading Scale is utilized for all iSchool courses:

97 to 100 A
94 to 96 A minus
91 to 93 B plus
88 to 90 B
85 to 87 B minus
82 to 84 C plus
79 to 81 C
76 to 78 C minus
73 to 75 D plus
70 to 72 D
67 to 69 D minus
Below 67 F

 

In order to provide consistent guidelines for assessment for graduate level work in the School, these terms are applied to letter grades:

  • C represents Adequate work; a grade of "C" counts for credit for the course;
  • B represents Good work; a grade of "B" clearly meets the standards for graduate level work or undergraduate (for BS-ISDA);
    For core courses in the MLIS program (not MARA, Informatics, BS-ISDA) — INFO 200, INFO 202, INFO 204 — the iSchool requires that students earn a B in the course. If the grade is less than B (B- or lower) after the first attempt you will be placed on administrative probation. You must repeat the class if you wish to stay in the program. If - on the second attempt - you do not pass the class with a grade of B or better (not B- but B) you will be disqualified.
  • A represents Exceptional work; a grade of "A" will be assigned for outstanding work only.

Graduate Students are advised that it is their responsibility to maintain a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA). Undergraduates must maintain a 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA).

University Policies

Per University Policy S16-9, university-wide policy information relevant to all courses, such as academic integrity, accommodations, etc. will be available on Office of Graduate and Undergraduate Programs' Syllabus Information web page at: https://www.sjsu.edu/curriculum/courses/syllabus-info.php. Make sure to visit this page, review and be familiar with these university policies and resources.

In order to request an accommodation in a class please contact the Accessible Education Center and register via the MyAEC portal.

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