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Butte College
Spring 24
Journalism 2

Welcome.

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I'm Kelly Fredericks.

You can call me Kelly.

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I'll be your instructor

this semester.

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Check out the
Butte College newspaper:
thebcroadrunner.com

Journalism 2, or Intro to Newswriting, is an action-packed experience of experimentation in a new style of writing.

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I don't expect you to be an expert, but I do expect you to be courageous and kind to yourself during the learning process.

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This site provides helpful information before the semester begins. 

What you need to know

Before the first week:

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  • Class officially begins Tuesday, January 23, 2024

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  • Plan to spend 6-9  hours a week 

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  • You don't need to buy anything for this course

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  • A "module" is a folder that holds stuff for each week

Week 1 Success Kit

Log into and play around in our course Canvas shell 

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Once you have logged into our course Canvas shell:

  • Complete the "Required for Enrollment" module (you will see a "start here" button on the homepage of Canvas). Both "assignments" won't take more than a few minutes.

 

 "Required for Enrollment" Due Dates:

  • 1/26: Getting to Know You Survey

  • 1/29: Flip Video & Story of Place

Weekly Routine

A new module opens every Tuesday morning.

There are 16 one-week modules.

  • Assignments are due every Thursday and Monday night

 

Email me if you need an extension on an assignment

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Learning Pacts

What you can expect from me:

1. I will be actively present in your learning experience.

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2. I will provide timely instructional feedback designed to help you develop as a writer.

 

3. For short assignments I will provide feedback within a week while longer writing assignments may take up to two weeks.

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4. I will respond to your questions within 24-hours (except on weekends) and provide individualized support in response to your needs.

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5. I will create a positive and supportive environment where you will feel safe to experiment because learning how to be a news writer is the goal (not perfection).

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6.  I understand that you are busy and that you have many competing priorities. When needed, I will be flexible to support your successful completion of this course.

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7. I will be thoughtful in my interactions with students while taking extra care to respect diverse perspectives and support the growth of writers with varying degrees of experience.

What I expect from you:

1. You will log into our course each week no later than Wednesday evening to evaluate the work and due dates in the current module.

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2. Each week, you will invest about 6-9 hours of time to the coursework and assignments.

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3. You will aim to submit all assignments on time. If you identify a concern with meeting a due date, you will contact us directly early in the week to discuss your concern and come to an agreement about an extension if needed.

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4. If necessary, you will apply feedback to assignments and resubmit them to earn a completion.

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5. You will be brave and challenge yourself to lean into discomfort. This is the space where growth occurs.

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6. You will challenge yourself to try new things, keep an open mind, and recognize that mistakes are a vital part of the learning process.

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7. You will be thoughtful in your interactions with peers while taking extra care to respect diverse perspectives and support the growth of writers with varying degrees of training and experience.

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My teaching philosophy

Most of what I know about teaching and learning comes from gardening. When I started landscaping 30 years ago, I bought, then planted, pots of colorful flowers. Some survived; most didn’t. I learned–right plant, right spot. I learned that one type of plant does not always adapt to the seasons. A rich landscape needs a variety of plants to create beds that have color themes, textures, and structures. A class environment is similar—one perspective creates a boring and potentially dormant learning landscape. I have grown, neglected, and killed almost every plant you can think of. As a result of my trials and errors, I know a lot about gardening and can help new gardeners avoid common mistakes. I offer similar experiences to writers. I have been teaching and writing for over 25 years. I’ve made a lot of mistakes; had a few successes, but mostly have watched emerging writers, formed relationships with their work, and reflected deeply on the relationship between writer and audience. This semester, we will experiment with new forms of writing, so we will need to support one another as we make mistakes and celebrate as each of you produce work of which you are proud.

My
advice
for
success:

  1. Check Canas every Tuesday.

  2. Create and keep a weekly routine.

  3. Embrace revision as an opportunity to learn.

  4. Submit at least one assignment every week.

  5. Being a student is temporary--enjoy the ride.

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Course Goals

  1. Define and execute newsgathering strategies

  2. Develop interview questions and conduct interviews

  3. Write simple leads

  4. Write simple and complex/long form news articles using the inverted pyramid and other formats

  5. Write articles under deadline

  6. Apply Associated Press style to articles

  7. Edit own and others’ articles for proper spelling, grammar and AP Style

  8. Define writing differences for different platforms

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