BLOGGING, TWITTING AND FACEBOOKING: AN INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL MEDIA

Dr. Nick & Jennifer Bowman

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

July 19, 21 & 23 (3 sessions)

1 – 3 pm

Goolsby 104

Cost: $13

Communication technology has come a long way since the telephone and postal service. Expensive and unreliable long-distance phone calls have been replaced with low-cost Voice-Over Internet Phones complete with audio and video, and a slow postal service has been supplemented with electronic mail, blogging and “Facebooking”. These technologies are used by people to form virtual social networks to stay in touch with old friends and share interests with new ones. And, although many people have the impression that these technologies are simply for kids, research shows that the largest groups of user is over the age of 45 and the fastest-growing group of users is over 65. Our discussions will provide an introduction to the concept of social media. We will talk about the many uses and benefits of social media programs, including Facebook, MySpace, Blogger, Skype, SMS (Short Message Service), and YouTube.

Born in Arkansas and growing up in St. Louis, Dr. Bowman is an Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at YHC.  He earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Missouri – St. Louis and his Ph.D. in Communication from Michigan State University. He has worked professionally as a journalist for traditional and on-line newspapers, and now heads up the College’s Media Studies degree program.

A native of Albany, NY, Jennifer Bowman is a social media marketer and web designer with Wolf Creek Broadcasting of Young Harris. She earned her B.A. in Communication from Geneseo State University in New York and her M.A. in Communication from Michigan State University. She has worked in journalism and currently consults with 95.1FM-WACF on their social media marketing.

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