The University of San Francisco USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center

Public and Nonprofit Administration School of Management

2009 Teaching Management: Preparing Professors for the Opportunities and Challenges of Teaching Web 2.0 in the Classroom J A. Robinson

Richard D. Waters University of San Francisco, [email protected]

Follow this and additional works at: http://repository.usfca.edu/pna Part of the Education Commons, and the Technology and Innovation Commons

Recommended Citation Robinson, J.A. & Waters, R.D. (2009). Teaching blog management: Preparing professors for the opportunities and challenges of teaching Web 2.0 in the classroom. PRism 6(1). 1-12.

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Management at USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center. It has been accepted for inclusion in Public and Nonprofit Administration by an authorized administrator of USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Teaching blog management: Preparing professors for the opportunities and challenges of teaching Web 2.0 in the classroom

Dr. Jennifer A. Robinson, Murdoch University, & Dr. Richard D. Waters, North Carolina State University

Abstract competitors (Lyons, 2005) to identifying key As the impact of blogging continues to grow, stakeholders (Dearstyne, 2005) and practitioners must be communicating key information to these prepared to develop and manage constituency audiences (Secko, 2005). Given this level of relationships by managing and responding to growth and significance, public relations . Journal articles and trade practitioners must understand blogs and how publications encourage academics to strategic management of this new tactic can introduce blogging in the classroom; however impact organisations. few examples outline the opportunities and Because of the growth of ’s challenges that instructors may face during prominence, Edelman and Weber Shandwick blogging assignments. Using a case study hired experienced bloggers in and methodology, this paper reports on the public affairs to better serve their clients professional and personal concerns that (AdAge.com, 2006). With the industry students (n = 28) expressed during and after acknowledging the blog’s power, a question for a six-week blog management assignment at a academics looms: How and where should large college in the United States. students turn for lessons on blog management? An awareness of these concerns can prepare The Edelman Digital Bootcamp is designed to other public relations educators for what they expose students and faculty to the application may encounter while teaching blogging. of blogging and other social media within public relations scenarios. But, according to Introduction Solis and Breakenridge (2009), most public relations programmes aren’t teaching students In 2005, the Pew Center found that 30 percent how to use social media for organisational of users regularly read blogs (Pew purposes, even though blogs are changing the Center, 2005). The web log, or ‘blog’ as it is way traditional public relations is being more commonly known, is a key example of practised (Wright & Hinson, 2008). how new media are impacting society every Fortunately, case studies and articles are day. With more than eight million active emerging to provide academics insights into blogs in existence by 2006 (Project for how blog management can be taught (O’Neil, Excellence in Journalism, 2006), they play a 2006; Duke, 2009). significant role in education, entertainment, In efforts to better prepare students for the and influencing the content of (Lowery, changing dynamics of public relations practice, 2006). There are now estimated to be more the authors of this paper chose to introduce than 133 million blogs comprising the blog management into a public relations writing ‘’ (Technorati, 2008), ranging course in 2006 after having a guest speaker from traditional personal blogs to those present the topic to a student organisation on written by media and, increasingly, campus. Engaged in active-learning, the organisations. The latter group has used students had to maintain their own blog on a blogs for activities ranging from guerrilla public relations topic while also responding to (Barbaro, 2006) and attacking blog postings on other students’ blogs. Using a

Robinson, J.A. & Waters, R.D. (2009). Teaching blog management: Preparing professors for the opportunities and challenges of teaching Web 2.0 in the classroom. PRism 6(1): http://praxis.massey.ac.nz/prism_on-line_journ.html 1 triangulated research methodology, this have suggested that blogging has a strong article discusses the professional and personal potential for relationship-building (Seltzer, issues that students expressed when blogging. 2005; Kelleher & Miller, 2006) because of the The purpose of this article is to present those potential for facilitating ongoing exchanges of topics so others can anticipate the challenges ideas with key stakeholders. Kent and Taylor and opportunities that exist when seeking to (1998) note that the goal of this kind of prepare students for working in a Web 2.0 dialogue is not necessarily simple agreement; environment. This case study complements instead it is a series of open discussions the James (2007/2008) study on the academic designed to foster relationship growth. Though of evaluation of blogging in the classroom by dialogue has often been suggested as the most examining the issues students have about ethical form of public relations, Grunig (2001) blogging that impact life beyond the said that organisations are still far from classroom. becoming symmetrical. Blogging conducted dialogically may Public relations and the Internet provide opportunities to achieve For several years, students have been learning excellence. As Taylor, Kent, about the importance of online and White (2001, p. 265) note, “given the communication and the conversion of field’s shift to a more relational approach to traditional public relations tactics to a digital public relations, the concept of dialogue may format, such as newsletters and e-newsletters, now best capture the process and product of in textbooks (Boynton & Imfeld, 2004). relationship building”. The principles behind These tactics, however, fail to take advantage blog management, however, do not rest solely of the interactivity that the Internet provides. in engaging with publics about organisational Even though most institutional web sites positions. Even though an organisation may provide feedback forms or links to send have a blog, its public relations practitioners someone an e-mail, these sites are not helping must also engage in environmental scanning to organisations build relationships with key monitor the Internet discussion about the publics (Kent, Taylor, & White, 2003). Blogs organisation. Blog management requires are one method to overcome this challenge. practitioners to engage in active listening to all Blogs, or web logs, are online diaries of of its Web-based publics – not just those who posts that are sorted in reverse chronological visit the organisation’s own blog. Through order that allow readers to offer feedback and subscription to free monitoring services, such comments to the original author (Trammell & as Technorati or Reader, organisations Keshelashvili, 2005). Blogs typically are can monitor blog-based conversations about focused on specific subject matter based on their reputation, policies and actions. the interest of the author (eg, politics, Blogs have gone mainstream, and technology), and blogs often are “weeks organisations cannot afford to ignore their ahead of the mainstream media when impact. Fortune 500 companies have begun reporting stories on their own hiring employees to monitor the blogosphere to industry/profession” (Kent, 2008, p. 33). see how organisations can best address their The modern blog evolved from an online publics’ concerns (Barnes & Mattson, 2009). diary in the early 1990s as authors invited Public relations firms have also hired bloggers others to read and respond to their personal, to ensure they are capable of offering the most day-to-day experiences. However, as political up-to-date management topics written on blogs were creeping into services (Lim & Yang, 2006). Given the mainstream media, political consultants and growing attention blog management is strategic communicators began to re-examine receiving, public relations students need to be the outlet as a means for organisational exposed to the concept during their studies. communication (Jensen, 2003). Scholars Indeed, Richard Edelman confirmed the importance of learning blog management. In a

Robinson, J.A. & Waters, R.D. (2009). Teaching blog management: Preparing professors for the opportunities and challenges of teaching Web 2.0 in the classroom. PRism 6(1): http://praxis.massey.ac.nz/prism_on-line_journ.html 2 posting on his own blog, Edelman said withdraw from participating in portions that “students need to blog and join conversations, were not related to the students’ final grade for not just to write for the and to the assignment. Students voluntarily completed create PR campaigns for local businesses. the written questionnaires. Additionally, those Faculty can lead the way by starting their own who chose to have their comments omitted blogs … to discuss their projects and from any assignment analysis were included in learnings” (Edelman, 2006, ¶ 11). Following classroom discussions as part of the learning the advice of Edelman and other leaders in process, but their ideas and comments were not the public relations industry, this project used for this paper. sought to answer the following research Throughout the assignment, the instructors question: What concerns do students express asked students to provide feedback either when challenged to blog in the classroom? through verbal communication (eg, class discussions or face-to-face conversation) or Methodology through written comments, which were At a large journalism college at a public collected over e-mail and through informal university in the United States, the authors questionnaires that were administered at the conducted a six-week blog management beginning and ending of the assignment. It project that required students to blog on a should be noted that verbal comments were not topic of their choosing and respond to recorded, and instructors did not attempt to comments and enquiries made regarding their remember them verbatim to protect the students posts. The structural details of the who chose to have their comments excluded assignment have been previously published in from the study. Instead, verbal comments were the Teaching Public Relations monograph used to create the written questionnaire. All series (Waters & Robinson, 2008). In the quotations that appear in the results are from curriculum sequence of this public relations the written comments. department, the third-year undergraduate students who participated in this project had Results already taken an introductory public relations Before educators think about ways to course, public relations strategy, public incorporate blogging into their syllabi, there are relations research, and mass communication several issues they need to be prepared to law. During the semester of the blog discuss. After leading students through a six- management project, nearly half of the week assignment on blog management, the students had also taken an elective in public authors of this paper reviewed students’ relations. comments about the project and blog In the two ‘Public Relations Writing’ management’s role in public relations. The courses, 28 students participated in the students posed several interesting questions that assignment. Students were told at the had not been anticipated by the authors during beginning that this was a ‘new’ assignment the assignment. Further reflection on these for the course and that the two instructors topics during classroom discussions and written wanted to document their experiences, good self-reflective questionnaires provided insights and bad, to help other professors understand that may be helpful for other educators how they could improve teaching blog interested in introducing blog management into management. Given that it was a graded the public relations curriculum. After analysing component of the course, students were the results of the interviews, 10 main issues required to complete the six-week assignment emerged as concerns for the students. These to learn about blogging and online issues could be broken down into two distinct communication writing; however, in types: professional and personal. accordance with ethical clearance from the University, students were given the option to

Robinson, J.A. & Waters, R.D. (2009). Teaching blog management: Preparing professors for the opportunities and challenges of teaching Web 2.0 in the classroom. PRism 6(1): http://praxis.massey.ac.nz/prism_on-line_journ.html 3 Professional issues raised by students on the organisation. It is not always easy to during the blogging assignment stop and think about how it will impact your company.” Another expression of the same Given the incredible growth rate of blogs and view is that “A practitioner writing a blog for their impact on organisational an organisation must represent the thoughts and communication, educators must understand sentiments of the organisation. They must how to incorporate blogs into the existing leave their thoughts out of it.” educational framework and understand the A second ethical issue surrounds releasing impact they make on the curriculum. Blogs corporate information through a blogger as a are substantially different in nature to way of generating discussion about the traditional print communication tools to organisation. As practitioners begin to explore warrant their being taught in every public this new tactic for gaining publicity and relations programme. In addition, blogs building relationships with loyal publics, the provide an intriguing way to teach other rules for ethical use of the medium are being topics using a pedagogical style focused on established. One attribute that is important in student-centred learning. Indeed, many of the the blogosphere is the genuineness of the key concepts required in a public relations postings. One student questioned the sincerity accredited curriculum (The Commission on of blogs promoting corporations: Public Relations Education, 2006) are raised “I worry about the nature of some blogs. in new ways with blogs. The following are Walmart recently got busted for offering some of the professional and personal issues trips to headquarters to bloggers who that were raised by our students as we gave favorable coverage. I see value in brought blogs into the classroom. reaching out to the Internet community – but organisations that try to buy positive coverage will just ruin it for 1. Blogs raise cutting edge questions about those of us trying to incorporate blogs in ethics in public relations an ethical manner.” As public relations practitioners become more familiar with blogs and how to use them 2. The personal, not corporate, nature of blogs effectively, the chequered history of the tactic raises legal issues raises several important ethical questions for One of the mandates for public relations students. For example, students frequently curricula is to prepare students to understand challenged the ethics and the decision-making the legal implications of various strategies and process individuals go through when they are public statements. In discussing blogs, our speaking for a company or when work-related students asked questions about the use of information is shared using their personal pictures in the blog. Creating and managing a identities on a blog. Specifically, they blog allows the students and the educator to wondered what an employee can say: “My raise issues such as the legality of using a ethical concern is where to cross the line. As corporate logo when referencing a particular an employee, you cannot really say what you company in the blog. It allowed us to discuss, feel if it is negative about the company. So, for example, the degree to which practitioners when can I talk about my feelings?” freely use organisational logos, trademarks, and One student highlighted the blog of a slogans on blogs about issues where you female Delta Airlines employee, who was reference the organisation. fired over posting pictures of herself in the Similarly, many students wondered how company’s uniform on her blog. As one sarcasm and humour would be perceived on the student stated, “You have to realize you still Internet and blog postings. One student asked, represent an organisation even if you write “Can a blogger representing a company make about personal issues. Your attitude reflects fun of a competitor given the less formal nature

Robinson, J.A. & Waters, R.D. (2009). Teaching blog management: Preparing professors for the opportunities and challenges of teaching Web 2.0 in the classroom. PRism 6(1): http://praxis.massey.ac.nz/prism_on-line_journ.html 4 of the blog? If so, who can be held master this different writing style that let the responsible for the post – the individual, the writer develop an individual persona, that was organisation, or both?” The teaching conversational in style, and yet was not opportunities arising from these questions are personal or classical organisation speak. When invaluable. The educator and other students responding to a question about the writing can discuss libel law and its application in style, students responded that it was new media, especially since the Securities and challenging and different. In one of the focus Exchange Commission monitor corporate groups, one student summarised the viewpoints blogs and microblogging accounts, such as others had shared: , to ensure they follow corporate “The nature of blogs, with their simple communication guidelines (Tuna, 2009). In structure, strong language networks, this particular example, students who were fresh content appeal and potential also enrolled in the Media Law course added audience of millions of people who use to the conversation, wondering how criteria newsreader software, render this for libel in the blogosphere reflected communications medium an important malicious intent and other legal criteria in the tool for public relations practitioners to non-digital world. use and understand. It is important for Finally, given that students were practitioners to use a conversational encouraged to link to other web sites to boost method of writing when addressing the their credibility, students wondered about the blogging public that is traditionally proper procedure to link to another site? taboo in public relations practice.” Students expressed concern over the proper etiquette on a blog. One student said “I felt a little odd mentioning people by name (or The less formal writing tone is one that organisations) on the blog without their needs discussion among professional knowledge.” Another continued this thought organisations and practice in public relations further by wondering: writing classes. Initially, students were told that their blog postings had to be researched; “Should I ask for permission to link to however many misinterpreted this instruction to other personal sites or even other mean that they had to go to scholarly journals organisational and business sites? to find items to discuss. Some initial postings What if I do link to another site and even used the APA style to reference material they ask me to remove it, do I have that was researched. While this style is to? Who has power in this situation – appropriate for communication plans and how can other bloggers really enforce original research that is conducted in their other their request?” classes, the students had a difficult time grasping that blogs had a level of informality to 3. Professional communication writing style them. One student responded that writing for and blogs: professional conversation? blogs “forces you to really look at an issue or The traditional tone of professional writing industry. You want to be perceived as credible that is adopted in media releases, annual and knowledgeable so you scour various reports and other organisational sources to get the whole picture. I think it is communication outlets does not apply to more difficult.” blogs. Yet, a professional representing an organisation cannot take on a completely 4. Two-way dialogue in the blogosphere informal tone either. The challenge of the As the conversational style of blogs is different blogosphere where authenticity and to traditional organisational communication, it individual voice is very important is to have has implications for models of relationship organisational representation that is authentic. building. Previous research has talked about Students maintained that they struggled to web sites as providing dialogic loops and

Robinson, J.A. & Waters, R.D. (2009). Teaching blog management: Preparing professors for the opportunities and challenges of teaching Web 2.0 in the classroom. PRism 6(1): http://praxis.massey.ac.nz/prism_on-line_journ.html 5 feedback mechanisms. However, the open, stories. As a tactic, blogs raise questions about transparent nature of a blog enhances the not only what to post, but when to post to dialogic nature of the interaction as it is both which audience. This leads to ethical and real-time and available for anyone to see. It strategic questions around the use of blogs as a is a published communication that responds strategic tool to generate newsworthiness: to the comments of the public. Comments “When I was writing my blog, I kept such as “if an organisation used blogs the thinking about what do I really want to right way, it really can provide transparency share and this was just in class. I can and a real conversation with stakeholders,” only imagine as an organisation that it and “blogs let organisations communicate would be much more complicated. It is directly with those who are hugely invested in impossible to limit it just to your the organisation,” demonstrate that students supporters. Your competition also has recognised this concept. insight into your organisation, so you The dialogic potential of a blog creates really have to be careful about what you questions about how to engage in that do write on the blog.” conversation to the mutual advantage of both the organisation and the blogging public, This issue was raised for the authors while rather than falling into the pattern of just explaining the impact of blogs on the media transferring information or making it more agenda and how to tap into its strategic accessible in a new format on a web site. In potential. We wondered whether information addition to listening to the public, the students should first go to the bloggers or through felt that a blog could be more honest traditional media relations channels. Case communication. For example, “A blog studies has demonstrated that a media story can implies an open forum where no one knows be introduced in a blog, such as the Kryptonite who you are or what you look like. This U-lock example or Jeff Jarvis’ experience with makes it easier for some people to truly speak Dell computers, or the blog could be used to their minds. It uncovers truth that may have respond to media stories, such as President otherwise remained hidden.” However, some Bush’s supporters following the CBS story on picked up on the fact that it only engages a the President’s service in the reserves. One public that is aware of the blog: student noticed that organisations cannot ignore “The publics must be aware of the the : blog, know where to find it and how “If any of the companies that routinely to participate. You only capture a get bashed in blog chatter would just segment of the population. I’m not acknowledge the concerns of these sure this is a tactic that I’ll ever be people, then I think they are much more able to use to launch a campaign but it likely to have neutral – if not positive – does seem that it would help me tap stories come out in the media. By into that core group of supporters.” ignoring your web publics, you just make them angrier, and they’ll start a 5. How do blogs impact strategic decisions? grassroots effort to make sure the media A key skill in public relations is how to know you’re doing something wrong.” release information strategically to key publics and maintain relationships with those Another student raised the impact of groups. The value of a public to the releasing an announcement simultaneously to organisation can be reflected in when and the online and traditional media communities. how information is released. Loyal bloggers In addition to raising relationship management of an organisation are an increasingly strategy, these questions allowed the educators influential public, especially as the general the opportunity to raise theoretical topics, such media increasingly monitor blogs to find

Robinson, J.A. & Waters, R.D. (2009). Teaching blog management: Preparing professors for the opportunities and challenges of teaching Web 2.0 in the classroom. PRism 6(1): http://praxis.massey.ac.nz/prism_on-line_journ.html 6 as the agenda-setting impact of either form of makes it difficult to find really credible the media: Do discussions on blogs drive information. Exactly which blogger am I media content, or does media content impact supposed to believe?” As one student noted, what bloggers discuss? One student organisational blogs may face a bigger responded by saying: challenge in becoming a credible source if they continue to be misused: “Companies’ blogs “Blogs can be used as a strategic tool have much credibility right now. If companies to enhance transparency and build reward those who write positive things about loyalty from the targeted publics. them on blogs, then it tarnishes the reputation Depending on the depth or seriousness of everyone attempting to blog ethically of the information would depend on because there’s always a level of suspicion.” whether or not to go straight to the Another student noted that “It is hard to find media or inform the opinion leading good, reliable info in searches. With so many bloggers first. If it was about a new blogs on the Internet, can an organisation’s line of clothing or a new goal for the blog really stand out? Credible information company, telling the bloggers first from an organisation’s blog will just get mixed would probably get them excited in the search engine’s results.” about it and use word of mouth (or Blogs are increasingly being monitored to Internet) to influence others. see how the organisation is being discussed Obviously, something illegal or online. This parallels the industry’s use of possibly harmful to the reputation of environmental scanning and clipping services, the organisation should go to the which are monitored by many public relations media first.” interns and entry-level practitioners. As a component of the blogging assignment, 6. Familiarity is related to professional students are taught and encouraged to sign up expertise for various blog monitoring services using tools such as RSS feeds, Netpinions, or CyberAlert. Literacy in any medium depends on critical Even students who did not see blogging as a appraisal of products in that format. Blogs are tactic public relations should be concerned with one arena where familiarisation and literacy recognised the potential of monitoring blogs: are important skills for emerging practitioners because not all blogs are created equal. “I still do not think that organisations Distinguishing the well-written commentary will really be writing blogs in the near from mere posturing and rumour milling is a future. It just doesn’t seem feasible. skill that should be cultivated in public But, I do think that any PR practitioners relations students. Currently, they are taught that ignore how the company is being to craft well-written media releases and discussed on the Internet are setting feature stories or well-designed brochures and themselves up for disaster. You have to newsletters. These documents can be monitor the blog discussions regardless evaluated based on the strength of their leads, of how you feel about bloggers.” use of organisational quotations, proper formatting, professional tone or visual design. Personal issues raised by students But the conversational tone of the blog is a different communication style that makes it In addition to the questions that students raised more difficult to identify a credible one. about professional issues, many expressed Students need to gain exposure to different some concern over key personal issues. When blogs and read the commentary from different the assignment was first announced to the class, bloggers to be able to identify which ones are most were generally interested in learning more credible and worthy of organisational about blogging and how the industry was using monitoring. “Since anyone can start a blog, it blogs. However, when students were informed

Robinson, J.A. & Waters, R.D. (2009). Teaching blog management: Preparing professors for the opportunities and challenges of teaching Web 2.0 in the classroom. PRism 6(1): http://praxis.massey.ac.nz/prism_on-line_journ.html 7 that they would be required to write their own person? Am I just informing? Do I want opinions and share those opinions with others to influence? Or both?” in the class, they became less receptive to the assignment. For this reason, educators need Students generally wrote on specific topics, be prepared to address a number of personal such as political public relations or special issues that students may have about blog event planning; however other students focused management. on an organisation and blogged on their operations. One student, who blogged entirely 1. Students aren’t sure they can maintain a on press releases, reflected that “the experience blog covering a specific topic really made me look at how to best write press While some responded to the assignment releases. I wrote on good and bad examples, immediately with timely posts on relevant and I really think I’m better off for doing it that professional and industry issues, others said way.” Educators should encourage students to that they were not sure where to start with narrow down the topic of their blogs so they their blog. For these students, educators need can truly focus on that issue. As the student to remember that the goal is to give the becomes more comfortable with the issue, they student a chance to become an expert in one can reflect how it pertains to broader trends in specific aspect of public relations. the industry. Ultimately, the goal is to create public relations writers, not just writers. So, 2. Time required to complete the project students need to gain experience researching Blog management does require students and an industry or client and then decide how they educators to dedicate a significant portion of would communicate about that topic on a time to the assignment outside of the normal blog. class period because of the required number of This was consistently one of the more postings on their own and others’ blogs. One difficult parts of the assignment. It would be student “liked the assignment and really learned easy for them to do a personal blog on a topic a lot from it, but I wish it didn’t take so long.” of their choice, such as football or fashion. When asked what took the most time with the However, by having them track an industry project, students answered that “researching for and make timely, relevant comments on ideas took a while because you want to make communication or business trends in that sure you have something new to talk about” industry, the students maximise their because blogs should be very timely with their professional development in both the area and content. their blogging expertise. Educators can point them to numerous resources for information “The hardest part was learning how to such as industry publications, other blogs write in the style necessary to be taken about public relations, and mainstream media. seriously in the blogging community. One student reflected after the assignment Once this technique is mastered, the that finding the content was the most difficult time commitment becomes less of an part of starting the blog: issue. However, to maintain an extremely effective public relations blog “Researching was the hardest part that receives a lot of ‘hits’ and a high about writing a blog. If it's just an Google ranking would take significantly opinion, then who cares? But when a more time. It is a technique to learn blog shows facts and uses examples, it which buzz words Google best responds is more interesting. It was difficult to to and which topics bloggers would be know what people wanted to read and most interested in. To maintain a great what was irrelevant to my company. blog requires diligent monitoring of Finding an angle to write from was daily news and at least one, if not also difficult – is it first person? Third multiple, posts per day.”

Robinson, J.A. & Waters, R.D. (2009). Teaching blog management: Preparing professors for the opportunities and challenges of teaching Web 2.0 in the classroom. PRism 6(1): http://praxis.massey.ac.nz/prism_on-line_journ.html 8 tags, and discussing and linking to issues Educators can relieve some stress popular in the media. regarding time management by emphasising that blogs are somewhat less formal in tone. 4. Picking appropriate material to blog about Though they should still follow the basic Even students who became active bloggers rules of public relations writing, they require within the first week of receiving the monitoring current events rather than the assignment expressed some concern about what academic research required for formal papers. material was appropriate for their blog. Students who conducted Internet searches and 3. Maintaining student while looked through trade publications said that sharing personal thoughts there was too much information – even when The authors quickly discovered that students they narrowed their searches down to singular were hesitant about commenting and going industries or events. “It was so overwhelming public. “I am concerned about offending in the beginning. I just couldn’t decide what to people but more so I am concerned about concentrate on,” one said. For these students, people writing mean things to me.” It is educators may need to step in and offer some critical to protect the student’s identity as guidance by examining the source credibility of much as possible until they are comfortable the item or its timeliness. The best-written blog sharing their blog more widely. For this blog topics are newsworthy and have timely items assignment, online names could be that contribute to the media’s discussion of pseudonyms as long as the educator knew the society and public relations practitioners’ blogger’s identity. In addition, students wrote discussion of their role and function. their blogs privately for two weeks and then Additionally, educators should stress to shared the blogs with their classmates. By students that once their personal opinions are keeping the blogs private for the first two published on a blog, they are available for weeks of the assignment, it was possible to everyone else to read and challenge. So allow the students to develop confidence in students need to be prepared to discuss and their blogging abilities. One student possibly even defend their comments. This summarised the general concerns expressed challenge was highlighted by one student: by others: “I was a little afraid that I might “Making sure the information is truthful and write something that could be taken out of factual. I would not post anything as fact context and used against me later on, unless I could support it.” Another student especially when I tried to reflect on issues summarised the problem with blog credibility impacting the entire industry.” that “opinions can sometimes be taken as fact. The blogs for the assignment were Someone may have great evidence to support published as a real blog in the real world to an issue, but that (probably) is only one side of add credibility to the assignment and provide the issue. This leads people to have incomplete it with a good sense of realism. Publishing opinions of their own”. the blogs on a public site, such as One student noted that even though there Blogger.com, also enhanced the was some initial hesitation, the dialogue and thoughtfulness of the posts and the sources to discussion that emerged from the blogs was one which the students chose to link. However, of the more rewarding aspects of the by using a real format we had to make sure assignment – “It was fun.” that students understood which actions on Finally, though not an issue raised by their part would affect the popularity of their students, this is one that educators should blog. These include links to sites already high embrace: learn the new tactic along with your on search engine criteria, posts on sites with students. For both educators who implemented high visibility, selecting currently popular this assignment, this was their first experience with blog management. When they felt that

Robinson, J.A. & Waters, R.D. (2009). Teaching blog management: Preparing professors for the opportunities and challenges of teaching Web 2.0 in the classroom. PRism 6(1): http://praxis.massey.ac.nz/prism_on-line_journ.html 9 that they were learning with the educators, the organisational behaviour and communication. students were more willing to explore the The introduction of blog management into the topic and discuss their attitudes toward public relations curriculum challenges both blogging. This is particularly true for two educators and students to learn more about this reasons with blogs: firstly, it is an emerging emerging tactic that is influencing the field and they are excited to be helping their communications behaviour of companies, non- educators stay up-to-date and for them to be profit organisations, and government agencies. on the cutting edge; secondly, the The issues presented in this paper offer some conversational nature of blogs makes it an insights into what educators can expect to face interactive teaching experience in which it is when incorporating blog management in the appropriate to share your observations and classroom. learning too. References Conclusion AdAge.com. (2006, Feb. 21). Micropersuasion It did not take long after giving the blog moves to Edelman. Retrieved March 26, assignment to the students for their initial 2006, from hesitance to be replaced with confidence and http://www.webprowire.com/summaries/125 an understanding of the impact of this new 6304.html. medium. By exposing students to the dialogic Barbaro, M. (2006, March 7). Wal-Mart enlists nature of blogs, educators can show the bloggers in its public relations campaign. impact of relationship development in the New York Times, Business/Financial Desk, public relations setting. One important lesson Section C, p. 1, Col. 2. that students and educators can take away from the blogging assignment is that this new, Barnes, N. G., & Mattson, E. (2009). The emerging tactic allows organisations to be in Fortune 500 and blogging: Slow and steady touch with this very loyal Internet public in a and farther along than expected. Center for two-way relationship that is unparalleled in Marketing Research. Retrieved June 10, its potential impact. It also is important for us 2009, from to introduce this new communication channel http://www.umassd.edu/cmr/studiesresearch/ in the classroom because as one student fortune500.cfm. explained: Boynton, L. A., & Imfeld, C. (2004). Virtual “A student's' familiarity with blogs issues in traditional texts: How introductory and their use in public relations will public relations textbooks address internet enhance his or her value to future technology issues. Journalism & Mass employers. Even if they choose not to Communication Educator, 58(4), 330-342. actively address the blogging Dearstyne, B. W. (2005). Blogs: The new community, it will be helpful to have information revolution? Information staff personnel who know how to Management Journal, 39(5), 38–44. track blogs and provide strategic recommendations regarding this Duke, S. (2009). Educating public relations practice. In addition, blogging has students to enter the blogosphere: Results of only been on practitioners' radar for a Delphi study. Journalism and Mass the past few years, and current Communication Educator, 63(4), 317-332. students are among the first to benefit Edelman, R. (2006, March 27). A view into the from learning about blogging in a state of PR education. Retrieved September classroom environment.” 16, 2006, from http://www.edelman.com/speak_up/blog/arc Blogging has been embraced and hives/2006/03/index.html. acknowledged as a major influence on

Robinson, J.A. & Waters, R.D. (2009). Teaching blog management: Preparing professors for the opportunities and challenges of teaching Web 2.0 in the classroom. PRism 6(1): http://praxis.massey.ac.nz/prism_on-line_journ.html 10 Grunig, J. E. (2001). Two-way symmetrical Retrieved from public relations: Past, present, and future. http://praxis.massey.ac.nz/fileadmin/Praxis/F In R. L. Heath (Ed.), Handbook of public iles/Journal_Files/Evaluation_Issue/ONEIL_ relations (pp. 11-30). Thousand Oaks, CA: CASE_STUDY.pdf Sage Publications. Pew Center. (2005, January). The state of James, M. (2007/8). Driving learning through blogging. Retrieved March 27, 2006, from blogging: Students’ perceptions of a http://www.pewInternet.org/pdfs/PIP_bloggi reading journal blog assessment task. ng_data.pdf. PRism 5(1&2). Retrieved from Project for Excellence in Journalism. (2006, http://praxis.massey.ac.nz/fileadmin/Praxis March). The state of the news media 2006: /Files/Journal_Files/James.pdf An annual report on American journalism. Jensen, M. (2003). Emerging alternatives: A Retrieved March 28, 2006, from brief history of weblogs. Columbia http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2006/n Journalism Review, 1(5). arrative_online_intro.asp?media=4 Kelleher, T. & Miller, B. M. (2006). Secko, D. (2005). The power of the blog. The Organizational blogs and the human voice: Scientist, 19(15), 37f. Relational strategies and relational Seltzer (2005). The dialogic potential of outcomes. Journal of Computer-Mediated weblogs in relationship building. Paper Communication, 11(2), article 1. presented to the Association for Education Kent, M. L. (2008). Critical analysis of of Journalism and Mass Communications blogging in public relations. Public annual conference, public relations division. Relations Review, 34(1), 32-40. San Antonio, TX. Kent, M. L., & Taylor, M. (1998). Building Solis, B., & Breakenridge, D. (2009). Putting dialogic relationships through the World the public back in public relations: How Wide Web. Public Relations Review, social media is reinventing the aging 24(3), 321- 334. business of PR. Saddle River, New Jersey: FT Press. Kent, M. L., Taylor, M., & White, W. J. (2003). The relationship between web site Taylor, M., Kent, M. L., & White, W. J. (2001). design and organizational responsiveness How activist organizations are using the to stakeholders. Public Relations Review, Internet to build relationships. Public 29, 63-77. Relations Review, 27(3), 263-284. Lim, J., & Yang, S. (2006). Building trust in Technorati. (2008). State of the blogosphere the blogosphere: A blog-mediated public 2008. Retrieved online June 8, 2009, from relations model. Paper presented at the http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the- annual meeting of the International blogosphere. Communication Association, Dresden. The Commission on Public Relations Education Lowery, W. (2006). Mapping the journalism- (2006). The professional bond: Public blogging relationship. Journalism, 7(4), relations education and the practice. 477-500. Retrieved December 22, 2006, from http://www.commpred.org/report/ Lyons, D. (2005). Attack of the blogs. Forbes Magazine, 176(10), 128. Trammell, K. D., & Keshelashvili, A. (2005). Examining the new influencers: A self- O’Neil, G. (2006). Blogs, mash-ups and presentation study of A-list blogs. – new tools for evaluating event Journalism and Mass Communication objectives: A case study on the LIFT06 Quarterly, 82(4), 968-982. conference in Geneva. PRism, 4(2).

Robinson, J.A. & Waters, R.D. (2009). Teaching blog management: Preparing professors for the opportunities and challenges of teaching Web 2.0 in the classroom. PRism 6(1): http://praxis.massey.ac.nz/prism_on-line_journ.html 11 Tuna, C. (2009, April 27). Corporate blogs and ‘tweets’ must keep SEC in mind: Copyright statement: Social media offer immediacy and The authors retain copyright in this material, spontaneity to communications but risk but have granted PRism a copyright license to running afoul of regulations. Wall Street permanently display the article online for free Journal Online Edition. Retrieved June public viewing, and have granted the National 10, 2009, from Library of Australia a copyright licence to http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124078135 include PRism in the PANDORA Archive for 070257099.html. permanent public access and online viewing. Waters, R. D., & Robinson, J. (2008). This copyright option does not grant readers the Blogging 101: Introducing Blog right to print, , or otherwise reproduce the Management into the Public Relations article, other than for whatever limited research Curriculum. Teaching Public Relations, 74 or educational purposes are permitted in their (Summer), 1-4. country. Please contact the authors named above if you require other uses. Wright, D. K., & Hinson, M. D. (2008). How blogs and social media are changing public relations and the way it is practiced. Public Relations Journal, 2(2). Retrieved 11.08.09 from: http://www.prsa.org/prjournal/spring08.ht ml

Authors’ contact details

Dr. Jennifer A. Robinson Senior Research Fellow Interactive Television Research Institute Murdoch University 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150 Australia [email protected]

Dr. Richard D. Waters Assistant Professor Department of Communication North Carolina State University 201 Winston Hall, Campus Box 8104 Raleigh, NC 28697-8104 [email protected]

Robinson, J.A. & Waters, R.D. (2009). Teaching blog management: Preparing professors for the opportunities and challenges of teaching Web 2.0 in the classroom. PRism 6(1): http://praxis.massey.ac.nz/prism_on-line_journ.html 12