Essentials in Online Storytelling (2024)

Instructor –– Alan M. Murray

This course is for students registered for the Columbia University Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) Summer Journalism Workshop.

Why Enroll?

It’s a revolutionary era for online journalism.

Technology now empowers individuals with opportunities for reaching and influencing audiences that were once only accessible to major media outlets. Through the worldwide web, a single student journalist with a smartphone can reach and influence people all around the world. This workshop shows you how to take advantage of these technologically evolving opportunities.

Increase your knowledge and become more marketable.

While taking a journalism workshop isn’t a prerequisite to being a successful journalist, the knowledge gained from an award-winning instructor with real-world experience in media, entrepreneurship, and online project management provides added perspective and lays a foundation for future learning opportunities. Journalism skills aren’t just for journalists – they can easily be applied to other industries, enhancing performance and establishing career marketability and mobility.

Cultivate Global Relationships.

The virtual course brings together students from around the world and complements our on-campus workshop that is periodically available. This global networking opportunity cultivates lasting personal and professional relationships to nurture collaboration between schools and create future educational and professional opportunities in a variety of careers. We believe the one-week workshop lays a foundation for a student’s future activities. Through our learning management system, we aim to help our students stay connected with the instructor, classmates, volunteer guest media professionals, and alumni, providing a forum for continued networking, collaboration, and feedback well beyond the one-week virtual workshop.

What You Will Learn

Enhance your reporting, writing, and visual communication skills to more effectively identify, reach, and interact with audiences on the worldwide web through principles of teamwork, leadership, communication, and planning. Develop basic skills in reporting and writing for a variety of article types, including news, features, and opinion pieces. Learn how to expand the reach of your journalism through Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques, social media marketing, visual communication, and blogging. Develop a foundational understanding of journalism ethics and best practices. Prepare now for your career by gaining experience working in a simulated online newsroom where you will develop a blog, work in teams, and receive coaching from your instructor and other media professionals on how to improve your work, prepare for employment, and get published.

Testimonials

“The great thing about this class was the broad range of assignments–from op-eds and play reviews to profiles on a fellow student and even a blog design– and the emphasis on a quick turnaround which mimics real-world journalism. The instructor gives helpful feedback and also has some outside colleagues in journalism read over your work. He has a broad range of experiences that he draws on to guide the class and to help you understand what life is like in the world of journalism today. I still draw on some of the skills I gained here for my internships and classes in college.”

––– Alle Tyler, Georgetown University,
Science, Technology, and International Affairs

“After attending the program, I found that my interview questions prompted better responses, and ultimately generated better quotes.“

––– Cole Greenberg, Student
Montgomery Blair High School, Silver Spring, Md.

“Going into this class, I was fairly anxious as I had very little experience in journalism. However, I soon learned that regardless of where we stood in our academic careers, there was something to take away. Mr. Murray taught us in a way that prepared us for the real world.”

––– Juyoung Lee, Seoul, Korea,
Intern, Vogue Korea

Learning Opportunities

Our classroom design simulates working conditions experienced by professionals in a collaborative, hands-on learning environment that includes an online newsroom where students gain experience interacting in virtual teams, multitasking, and meeting tight deadlines. Class members will learn industry best practices and techniques through assignments, class discussions, individual coaching, guest speakers, and role-playing exercises that will help students:

Learn how to prepare for and conduct effective interviews.
Learn how to leverage sources to find story ideas, fact check, and improve the overall quality of your work.
Learn how to select the right kinds of stories and prioritize which ones are most important and informative to your audience.
Study observation techniques that lead to better reporting and writing.
Learn how to research and plan long-term projects.
Practice narrative storytelling techniques that can hone your ability to inform, persuade, and entertain your audience.
Learn self-editing techniques that will help you say more with fewer words.
Learn how to compose strong and compelling leads and conclusions.
Examine and discuss award-winning professional articles, photography, videography, and multimedia.
Learn how to apply Search Engine Optimization tools and techniques to more effectively reach your audience.
Learn how to leverage social media platforms to attract, build, and retain your audience.
Learn how to use visuals and multimedia to enhance your writing.
Set up and design a personal blog.
Submit assignments in a variety of styles including news, features, and opinion pieces.
Work on a team project that brings various storytelling methods together into a published team blog.
Learn how writing and reporting skills and techniques can help you motivate others and be a more effective leader.
Receive one-on-one coaching from the instructor and from guest speakers and media professionals who volunteer their time to provide online critiques of student work.
Become acquainted with low-cost, time-saving tools and techniques that you can try out at your own publication.

What You Need

• Submit samples of your writing and your publication (printed or online versions), if available. It’s strongly encouraged that you send links of your work samples prior to the workshop so the instructor can review and tailor portions of the course to better meet your needs and skill level.

• Come prepared with questions that are directly related to your publication. We can use class time to focus on these questions and apply the curriculum to your specific circumstances. Students are encouraged to send questions in advance via the contact form.

• A laptop or comparable device with word processing software and access to the Internet.

• While photographic equipment isn’t required, it may be helpful to you or your team if it’s available. A smartphone equipped with a camera is sufficient.

About the Instructor

Alan Murray is a Philadelphia-based entrepreneur, journalist, and educator. He is the founder of Uncharted, where he oversees the design and development of an exploration-minded community for adventure travelers. Alan has extensive experience working as a reporter, photographer, and editor for newspapers, magazines, and websites. His work includes assignments covering the Olympics, the NBA, and the NCAA. As a project manager, Alan produced multimedia productions that garnered public service honors for raising awareness about the need for organ and tissue donation. He is a 2019 CSPA Gold Key recipient and a regular instructor at CSPA’s summer workshop.