Rachael Jurek
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Media interview about media

4/24/2016

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Twitter - I so very much want to still love you, but you're making it difficult

1/20/2016

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Click on image or find article at http://www.econtentmag.com/Articles/News/News-Feature/How-Twitters-Decision-to-Expand-its-Character-Limit-Will-Impact-You-108565.htm

How would I know the stock of Twitter is performing horrendously? I'll show you my portfolio. #Yikes (This should probably go into my other blog.)

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Second Annual PRSSA Golf Tour Event

9/20/2015

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The SUNY Plattsburgh PRSSA held its second annual golf event on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015. This year's event nearly doubled in size. And it raised more than $1200 for the PRSSA students travelling to the November PRSSA National Convention in Atlanta.

Click the image below to see the video produced by Isabella Sofia, SUNY Plattsburgh PRSSA member and PR major.

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Stop, listen. Think. Ask, listen, ask, listen... do something. Stop. Listen. Think. Repeat.

9/25/2014

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Today I lectured, I actually lectured. 

In an attempt to teach students how to do everything, we fail to teach them how to think.

I remember being an undergrad in a communications program (and then a master's PR student) never "doing" just conceptualizing and relating back to theory.  I was frustrated that my liberal arts education didn't teach me to DO anything. Instead I was constantly finding that, "some things affect some of the people, some of the time, in some situations." 

I now realize I was learning more than the current "experiential teaching" method could ever teach. My liberal arts schooling taught me something much more important  - it taught me how to think. 

I find most of the time my students want to know what they have to "do" to get an A (or heck, a B will do most of the time). Then they do what is needed to earn that mark.  They want to be told what to do to earn the next mark. And if they don't achieve the mark on the first try (probably because they didn't turn in anything) they badger and beg (very unbecoming) trying to get me to break and give them an exception (grade, time, try, extension).

Some students work so hard at getting out of work, that they could have finished the entire assignment by the time they finished their excuse correspondences. I get exhausted thinking about it (and from from reading/hearing their multiple platform attempts telling me they CAN'T get their assignment in on time).

Many want to rush through the theory, research, cases, (did I mention theory?) and jump into the "fun" doing aspect of our program. They see the more advanced students doing and want to skip the learning required to "do" effectively. They don't want to connect the dots and think about the big picture.

So, today I lectured. I really lectured.

 I whipped this up a few minutes before class. Feel free to use it with your students. My title was to grab their attention.  Adjust it to your learning style and needs. Just ask and I'll email you the old skool Power Point with outdated PC animations. I think I may have even JUMPED during the last slide. Heck if, it will help your students learn, I'll record a jump for you too!

And a special thanks to all of the teachers who forced me to think - Dr. Barbara Burke, Dr. Neil Leroux, Dr. Janet Ericksen, Dr. Ana Garner and Ms. Sandra Whitehead.

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And Published

6/30/2014

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The day has come, the message from SAGE publications finally arrived.  Whewf.

“Assessing the impact of a community program for young girls: Literature review, questionnaire survey methods and survey data analysis” is now live on the SAGE Research Methods Cases site.  


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A fantastic day

4/10/2014

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Today was one of those days that reminded me why I do what I do. Yesterday was great too. Thank you students. Thank you colleagues. Thank you PR profession. Thank you people who donate in support of the students. Thank you.
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A Response to an email from Rob Hatch via infustionmail.com about Structured Variety

1/23/2014

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My Response (to the original email below) :

Great thought piece. In my profession I must give the illusion of variety while maintaining absolute structure. As a college professor I must educate, interact and unfortunately entertain. Many students believe they detest structure and actually think they can (or are currently) avoid it in the future. Yet, if I want to throw a dash of variety, or change the course to bring in a relevant idea, they fault me for disorganization because it wasn't noted on the syllabus that was planned more than four months earlier. This is true even if they are given extraordinary opportunities.

This is why my job is so exciting. I need to assist many of these young minds into thinking for themselves while viewing structure and planning as an asset.

Personally I see variety with each changing semester. Each class dynamic is different and
 lessons planned months in advance must be changed minutes before lecture to relate to the world at large.

A word of advice to my fellow professors - have a detailed syllabus with grading and assignments, but leave some wiggle room with the topics and in-class activities. As long as you make a time-slot for interaction, you can give let them decide if it's variety or structure.


~ Rachael




The original email:

from - Rob Hatch via infusionmail.com

"I have a question for you, Jurekrl.  (Do note that this is a form email as I signed up for the Chris Brogan blog as jurekrl)

Are certain days of your work week more important than others?  

Here’s what I’m getting at.

Athletes practice. Often. Their days are structured. Their workouts are different each day. The intensity varies. Some even have, dare I say it, #daysoff.

Depending on the sport, athletes may have a day to focus only on form, or endurance, speed or strategy. Then they put it to the test. Maybe on a Friday night under the lights or on Sunday or even a few days each week.

Variety is the...

In larger organizations operational structure is imposed externally.  Monday may be filled with internal meetings or reports may need to be submitted by noon. Wednesday may be a day for smaller teams to convene. This creates a rhythm to the week and you can be asked to “perform” differently on certain days to serve the needs of the organization.

For some this might feel constraining. Others however enjoy the cadence, knowing what they are working towards, when to push and when to pull back a bit and attend to other things.

The variety an athlete uses to train acknowledges that there are many facets to her successful performance. It is built on the idea that the body needs variety in developing speed and endurance. She understands that not every day is all out. She works hard, but she’s preparing for something bigger.

Your week…

I’m curious how your week is constructed?  Is everyday the same for you?  Do you go all out or do you vary your workload throughout the week?  Do you give yourself practice days? Do you have days where you need to “perform”?

Let me know what YOU do and how it works for you.

-Rob

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Who knew Thanksgiving was the Most important holiday for 18-22 year olds...

11/26/2013

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There were students who left for Thanksgiving break last week. Seriously.

I'm all for taking time to be with your family, but that's why the school gives you Wednesday - Sunday off. Did these same students who celebrate Thanksgiving for  10+ days really feel this is "the" holiday worthy of missing numerous classes? Isn't this the holiday where just a few short years prior they were begging their parents to leave following the pie (so they didn't have to do dishes or answer another question about which college they were going to attend)?

I do understand the students who left this morning to beat the anticipated snow storm, that's fair. But those who sent the, "I'm not going to be in class do to family reasons (yeah, it's called Thanksgiving and we all are experiencing it too)." followed by, "Is there anything I'm going to miss?"  NO - I never do anything in class, I'm just running the classes the week before TG for my own benefit. 

Oh real world, please be kind to these poor souls. They have no clue that you don't actually take off  work for your birthday (let alone celebrate an entire birthday week); need to be showered, dressed and actually to your desk before 9 a.m. even if you had to stay up late the night before; or might actually have to "work" on the days that were given off while in school.
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October 28, 2013

10/28/2013

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This year's Educators Academy Super Saturday at the #PRSAICON was the first for this State University of New York at Plattsburgh professor. In addition to the expected pedagogical discussions, the Saturday sessions provided me with perspective. It's a perspective that solidifies the importance of staying connected and further developing a relationship with the Capital Region parent chapter. It also reminded me of a popular power ballad yelled at us by Cinderella in the late eighties.

While at the EA we heard about University programs big (Oklahoma University) and small (Albright College), those with graduate programs and those who are at the top for e-learning (West Virginia). The best connection I made was with Elizabeth Kerns from Central Washington University. Like ours, their PR program lives in a mid-sized state school with a young PRSSA chapter. The biggest similarity between our PR programs is the geographical challenge that forces us to teach creatively about an industry that in the students’ minds seems so far away; conceptually and geographically.
 
Like SUNY - Plattsburgh, students at CWU must travel at least two-hours for the nearest PRSA chapter face-to-face interaction. Coming most recently from Milwaukee, Wis. I took for granted the number of agencies available for internships, class projects and learning opportunities. Agencies, non-profits and corporate public relations offices in Southeastern Wisconsin are nearly as easy to find as Green Bay Packers fans. The professional adviser could pop-in to class presentations on her lunch break. Students could attend the luncheons and round table PRSA sessions without missing class or costing them their lunch money in gas. Cinderella's lyrics, "You don't know what you got until it's gone" played in my mind while Dr. Bonita Neff talked about the $13,000 student senate grants and up to $50,000 budgets their PRSSA student agencies receive from near-by clients to run campaigns.

Instead of becoming downtrodden, I looked over to my new-found PR geek comrade Liz and we began devising a plan. An integral part of the future success of our programs will be to build and strengthen the current relationships with our parent chapter. Our student chapter is working hard at moving beyond establishing policy and procedure into developing strategy and implementation. A major goal is to strengthen our relationships with Capital Region professionals. We are grateful for the support and are eager to share our ideas with any Capital Region member.
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Ethical Dilemma Examples

9/10/2013

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Why do all ethical dilemma examples have to be so far-fetched?  We deal with ethical dilemmas all the time (or at least I do in my Polish-Catholic world of contemplative guilt). Why do even the examples from Harvard deal with killing pregnant women, your own child, or a cheating wife? 

Why can't we have a good 'ol legal vs. ethical issue like back in the 90's when I went to school. I'd really like to find a good example so I can put to bed the - poor mother stealing formula for her baby - example that was used back in the day at UM-Morris.

Anyone have any realistic examples, communications/media related preferred, to use?

Thanks!
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    I am assistant professor in the Journalism & Public Relations department at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh.


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