Lecture notes
Class-by-class notes, outlines, and key concepts. Use these for review or if you missed a session.
Week 1: January 20-22 — Introduction & the state of media
| Date | Topic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Jan 20 | Class expectations, student interests, and the final project | First day — introductions, course overview, final project preview |
| Thu, Jan 22 | Introduction and digital literacy | Keyboard shortcuts, browser extensions, file types |
Week 2: January 27-29 — Digital fundamentals & the Cluetrain Manifesto
| Date | Topic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Jan 27 | Information needs and the shiny new thing | Media markets, enshittification, information needs |
| Thu, Jan 29 | Cluetrain Manifesto discussion | 95 theses, corporate humor, authentic communication |
Week 3: February 3-5 — AI tools & design principles
| Date | Topic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Feb 3 | AI tools and assignment submission | Submission format, AI policy, Canva Pro setup |
| Thu, Feb 5 | Design principles and slide design | Hierarchy, contrast, balance, rhythm, 6x6 rule |
Week 4: February 10-12 — Propaganda poster critique & slide deck workshop
| Date | Topic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Feb 10 | Propaganda poster critique | Live critique, hierarchy feedback, rule of thirds |
| Thu, Feb 12 | Slide design and final project overview | Final project structure, required deliverables |
Week 5: February 17-19 — Slide deck presentations & final project intro
| Date | Topic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Feb 17 | Final project kickoff and research dossier | Project selection, research dossier content, Google Drive setup |
| Thu, Feb 19 | Final project topic strategy | SMB selection, dossier as living document, personas intro |
Week 6: February 24-26 — Campaign strategy & audience
| Date | Topic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Feb 24 | Customer/user personas working session | In-class persona workshop, research dossier grades |
| Thu, Feb 26 | Campaign objectives, platform strategy, and content calendars | Goal → Strategies → Tactics → KPIs → CTAs framework |
Week 7: March 3-5 — Clear writing & critical copywriting
| Date | Topic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Mar 3 | Clear writing for strategic communications | Submission policy, Zinsser’s On Writing Well, simplicity and clutter |
| Thu, Mar 5 | Critical copywriting with a solutions lens | MVP and backlog, Zinsser’s craft vs. style, solutions-oriented blog post |
Week 8: March 7-15 — Spring Break
No class.
Week 9: March 17-19 — Headlines, distribution, and social graphics
| Date | Topic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Mar 17 | Hooks, headlines, and social media | Blog post debrief, headline hooks, social promotion strategy |
| Thu, Mar 19 | Social promo graphics: distribution and design | Content distribution, platform-specific graphics, Canva walkthrough |
Week 10: March 24-26 — Copywriting workshop
| Date | Topic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Mar 24 | Social promo and graphic design critiques | Group critique of student social graphics, file types, text readability techniques |
| Thu, Mar 26 | Copywriting peer review | Upcoming — Critical copywriting due |
Week 11: March 31 - April 2 — Visuals for the web
| Date | Topic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Mar 31 | Blog posts, featured images, and aspect ratios | Upcoming |
| Thu, Apr 2 | Canva best practices for high-resolution assets | Upcoming |
Week 12: April 7-9 — Social graphics & accessibility
| Date | Topic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Apr 7 | Social cards and CTAs | Upcoming |
| Thu, Apr 9 | Designing for accessibility and mobile | Upcoming |
Week 13: April 14-16 — Branding & consistency
| Date | Topic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Apr 14 | Style guides and branding kits | Upcoming |
| Thu, Apr 16 | Building the instruction manual for your brand | Upcoming |
Week 14: April 21-23 — Final project workshop
| Date | Topic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Apr 21 | Integrating assets into a cohesive package | Upcoming |
| Thu, Apr 23 | Peer review and troubleshooting | Upcoming |
Week 15: April 28-30 — Final project polish
| Date | Topic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Apr 28 | Final refinements and presentation prep | Upcoming |
| Thu, Apr 30 | Last class — final polish | Upcoming |
Week 16: Finals period
Final project presentations. Check the registrar for your assigned final exam time slot.
Final project due: Monday, May 4.