What a difference three years makes! When I first developed this class for the Fall 2005 semester, it wasn’t so easy to publish online. You had to learn a web development software program like Dreamweaver, which took a lot of time and effort. Today we are in the age of Web 2.0, in which it’s easier than ever to publish online, and writers MUST think about issues like interactivity, links and multimedia assets.

That makes this course both easier and more difficult in years past. While the technology is easier to manage, it also means that there are a lot more people out there producing content. How do you stand out? The first step: hone your journalism chops! Great reporting, great writing. That’s what I push in this class first, and the technology comes second.

The upshot: don’t get distracted too much by the bells and whistles. Work hard, and pay attention to the reporting and writing first, presentation second.

I’m looking forward to a great semester, and I hope you are, too. Let’s start the semester by introducing ourselves and telling about our relationship to the web.

Starter questions: How old were you when you got your first email?

How much time do you spend online, and what are you doing in that time?

BJ Roche