Essentially, while all lessons and features for our project were great skill sets to add to our “tool boxes,” I felt it was all jam-packed a little too tightly over the course of the semester. Either we needed more time for the project, or less features should have been needed to complete the project. We’re all busy students (especially those of us who are doing journalism ultra-duty as editors for the prestigious The Brown and White newspaper), and planning when all group members have different schedules can become a little hectic, making what little free time we have an even greater rarity as we’re fighting to complete the project on time.
I was surprised, yet not surprised at the same time regarding the amount of knowledge we obtained in taking this course. Who would have thought something so simple and frequently used like Google Maps or Flickr could be an explanatory aid for a large project like this? Though, my most valued learning experiences are those involving Twitter and blogging, as well as other social media. Twitter (aside from its addicting nature), while huge right now amongst celebrities and news sources alike, is about to blow up on the social media scene for civilians. Now, we all have the necessary knowledge of how to navigate these social media/citizen journalism changes.
In terms of where I’ll be using these skills? Well, as soon as June, as I join the Pulitzer Prize-winning newsroom that is Newsday and help manage sports content on its award winning Web site. And then again in August, as I have the opportunity to do the same for Allentown’s Morning Call.
And now I’ll leave you with this quote by Oscar Wilde:
“In America, the president reins for four years, and journalism governs for ever and ever.”
