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OER & ZTC: Open Educational Resources & Zero-Textbook Cost Classes

A guide for faculty about OER & ZTC at El Camino College.

Textbooks

book coverThe Data Journalism Handbook by Jonathan Gray, Lucy Chambers & Liliana Bounegru (2017): O'Reilly.

When you combine the sheer scale and range of digital information now available with a journalist’s "nose for news" and her ability to tell a compelling story, a new world of possibility opens up. With The Data Journalism Handbook, you’ll explore the potential, limits, and applied uses of this new and fascinating field.


book coverMedia Innovation and Entrepreneurship by Michelle Ferrier & Elizabeth Mays (2017): Rebus Community.

This is the first edition of a modular open textbook designed for entrepreneurial journalism, media innovation, and related courses. This book has been undergoing student and faculty testing and open review. An accompanying handbook will include additional activities, ancillary materials and faculty resources on media innovation for instructors.


book coverMedia, Society, Culture and You by Mark Poepsel (2018): Rebus Community.

Media, Society, Culture, and You is an approachable introductory Mass Communication text that covers major mass communication terms and concepts including "digital culture." It discusses various media platforms and how they are evolving as Information and Communication Technologies change.


 


book coverTools for Podcasting by Jill Olmstead (2019): American University.

Podcasting is a dynamic way to use your smarts and creativity to tell stories about compelling subjects. This handbook provides instruction and tools to produce your own podcast — whether you are a professional in journalism, the arts, sciences, business or law, an activist or just someone who has a story to tell. The tools discussed are focused on keeping costs low for entry-level podcasters and designed to help anyone who wants to record, edit and distribute podcasts.


book cover       Understanding Media and Culture (2016): University of Minnesota Libraries. 

Understanding Media and Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communication, will support an engaging and interesting course experience for students that will not only show them the powerful social, political and economic forces will affect the future of media technology, but will challenge students to do their part in shaping that future.


book coverMedia Studies 101 (2014): BCcampus. 

Media Studies 101 is the open educational resource for media studies studies in New Zealand, Australia, and Pacifica. We have constructed this text so it can be read in a number of ways. You may wish to follow the structured order of 'chapters' like you would in a traditional printed textbook. Each section builds on and refers back to previous sections to build up your knowledge and skills. Alternatively, you may want to go straight to the section you are interested in -- links will help guide you back to definitions and key ideas if you need to refresh your knowledge or understand a new concept.

Courses

Become a Journalist: Report the News! (University of Michigan)

This Specialization will develop and enhance your understanding of the global field of journalism. You'll learn best practices and ethical standards for news gathering processes and compiling a news report through hands-on projects, peer-to-peer feedback, and issue exploration. You will also study journalism's impact on societal issues and trends, plus explore career opportunities in newspapers, magazine, social media, Internet multimedia, television, radio, corporate and community journalism. The final Capstone project will guide you through the journalistic portfolio process, where you will conceptualize, report and complete a professional-quality news report.

 

English for Journalism (UPenn/Coursera)

This course is designed for non-native English speakers who are interested in developing the skills needed for a career in modern journalism. Students analyze the growth, impact, and challenges of digital news, while completing a reflection assignment that allows them to think about and discuss the recent changes to the field of journalism.

 

Music and Technology: Recording Techniques and Audio Production (MIT OpenCourseWare)

This course is an introduction to music recording and audio production from both a practical and a theoretical perspective. Learn about the physical nature and human perception of sound, how it is transformed to and from electrical signals by means of microphones and loudspeakers, and how it can be creatively modeled through mixing consoles, signal processors, and digital audio workstations. The course covers making informed choices about microphone selection and positioning, and various editing, mixing, and mastering techniques.

Additional Resources

Comparative Media Studies/Writing (MIT OpenCourseWare)

Diction Exercises (Building Voices)

Film Aesthetics Course (Georgia State University)

Lantern: Digital Archive of Film, Broadcasting & Recorded Sound (University of Wisconsin)

Television and Radio Criticism (Mobina Hashmi/The Alliance for Networking Visual Culture)

Writing for Strategic Communication Industries (Ohio State University Libraries) 

Writing for Electronic Media (Rebus Community)

Voice and Diction (Hamilton Theatre)

Voice Acting Exercises (Wikiversity)