I've invited the students in the Tulane class I teach in Internet Public Relations to come onto the blog and contribute while class is in session. I hope they'll comment in here to introduce themselves. Part of the class grade is determined by participation: here on the blog, on the Friday Skype chats that start February first, and in class. Some people shine online and we can all learn from them.

The classroom Tulane provides this term has fifteen PC terminals, all running Vista, and a teacher's workstation PC, also on Vista. I can toggle from the workstation to my MacBook running OSX using a dongle (pardon me).

Too late into the class, I asked the students, one by one, to come up and Google themselves on the PC projected on the wall. Interesting way to get to meet people -- and for them to see how they look to folks in the outside world. Every student has a different style of working the web. When you watch them demonstrate, you learn something.

So I hope my students will pipe up in the coming weeks and teach us a thing or two about online PR and we'll try to return the favor.

Steve O'Keefe
Adjunct Professor
Internet Public Relations
Tulane University

I'm pleased to report that IAOC is once again hosting Steve O'Keefe's 10-week course in Internet Public Relations. Class starts Friday, February 1, 2008 and continues through Friday, April 18, 2008.

The online class is free and space is limited so pre-registration is required. You may register today by sending an email request to sokeefe <at> tulane <dot> edu. The online class meets every Friday at 12 noon Eastern Time for a one-hour live chat with the instructor.

This semester, Steve is using Skype as the interface for the live portion of the online class. A Skype Public Chat is launched each Friday and registered participants are invited to connect. Skype Public Chat provides both a VOIP audio feed and a text interface for Q&A. For the first half-hour, Steve teaches from the syllabus shown below. The second half hour is a moderated Q&A on both audio and text chat using Skype.

Skype software is available for free download from Skype.com. For those unable or unwilling to install Skype - there are security issues related to using Skype behind firewalls - IAOC will provide a Skype transcript and Q&A opportunities here on the blog each week.

The online course is a much abbreviated version of Steve O'Keefe's Tuesday night class at Tulane University. It's really an optional addition to the class for those wanting clarification of key concepts or help with homework.

Online class members are welcome to do the assignments but there will be no instructor review or commentary beyond the online chats and comments left here on the blog. The full Tulane syllabus, schedule, readings, and assignments are available at the class web site:

http://www.patronsaintpr.com/resources/tulaneclass.html

INTERNET PUBLIC RELATIONS
Buff Online Class (and it's free!)
Instructor: Steve O'Keefe
Spring Semester 2008, IAOCblog.com
Every Friday 12 Noon Eastern Time
"End Your Week With Strength"

SCHEDULE:
FEB 1 - Campaign Planning & Themes
FEB 8 - Document Production & Syndication
FEB 15 - Video Production & Syndication
FEB 22 - Social Networking PR
FEB 29 - Blog PR
MAR 7 - Web PR
MAR 14 - Discussion Group PR
MAR 21 - SPRING BREAK (No Class)
MAR 28 - News Releases
APR 4 - Contact Management
APR 11 - Search Engine Optimization
APR 18 - Online Newsrooms

Live Skype Public Chat
Friday, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Free of charge. Preregistration required.
Email to sokeefe <at> tulane <dot> edu

Don Dunnington
IAOC President