Cronkite School New Media Academy

Participants in the Cronkite New Media Academy learn how to set up a Web site.

The Cronkite New Media Academy is a special program for adults who want to understand how communication is changing and how to set up and maintain a fully functional, multimedia-rich Web site.

The academy is held several times a year at the Cronkite School’s new state-of-the-art building in downtown Phoenix. It consists of 10 full days of training and is held on consecutive Saturdays. Class size is limited to 20.

Demand for the first academy, held in the summer of 2009, was so great that the academy filled and a waiting list was established. A second academy is planned for Sept. 12 through Nov. 14.

Participants learn how to design and develop a Web site, how to effectively present and edit photos for the Web, how to use social networking tools, how to create Web-based graphics, how to do podcasting and audio slideshows, and how to edit and use video on the Web.

At the end of the 10-week program, participants have fully developed Web sites suitable for professional or personal use.

All sessions are taught by trained Cronkite School professionals in small digital media labs, with an emphasis on practical hands-on training.

Cronkite Dean Christopher Callahan said the need for digital media training has grown exponentially in the past few years. “The Cronkite School is uniquely positioned to serve that need,” he said. “We have the most advanced technology, and we have a faculty and staff who are leading the country in the field of digital media.”

Participants in the academy come from a wide range of backgrounds and have a variety of goals. Some want to launch their own professional Web sites or businesses, some want to build personal Web sites, and others seeks to advance their careers by building their digital media skills.

Register early to ensure your spot.

Four price levels:

• 10 full days of training: $2,000
• Five days of training (any five days of your choice): $1,250
• Single day of training up to five days: $350
• 10 percent discount for ASU employees and students

Cronkite New Media Academy workshops:

Developing Your Web Site (Sept. 12 and Sept. 19)
Learn how to develop and stylize a functional, attractive Web site using the WordPress content management system. You will learn how to install, set up and maintain WordPress on a server using FTP. You will learn how to post, upload and manage content, including stories, photos and videos. Once your site is installed you will learn how to customize the look, feel and functionality of it with themes and plug-ins. This workshop will do more than teach you how to employ WordPress gadgets and tools; along the way you will learn basic design principles and how they affect usability and traffic. Much of this session will be hands-on with participants able to work with their own content. At the end of the session you will be able to export the completed files to your own WordPress account.

Photos on the Web (Sept. 26)
Learn how to correct and crop digital photos and prepare them for the Web using Adobe Photoshop. You’ll learn to work with layers, correct red eye, save time with batch-processing and create title slides. Importing, saving and archiving photos will be covered as well as how to avoid copyright violations. Pick up tips on how to shoot better photos, edit them and record audio for a slide show. Participants who bring a selection of digital photos to class should have them on an external hard drive, a thumb drive or a CD.

Graphics on the Web (Oct. 3 and Oct. 10)
Beginner designers and developers new to Adobe Flash will learn key elements of how Flash works and how to use it in a personal or professional Web environment. You will learn how to work with graphics and text, how to create and edit symbols, how to add animation, video and sound and how to test and load Flash content. At the end of this two-day interactive workshop you will be able to prepare and export your finished project for your Web site.

Web Content that Connects (Oct. 17 and Oct. 24)
Learn how and why to connect with others to help you achieve your professional or personal goals, using Twitter, Facebook and other social networking tools. You will learn about effective blogging, microblogging, social networking, social bookmarking and using visual social media. Topics include how to optimize your content for search functions and monitor current online trends. You also will learn to use RSS and blog add-ins to centralize your own social media connections and encourage others to share your content with the blogosphere and beyond. Much of this two-day workshop will be hands-on, with participants applying these tools to their own Web sites.

Video on the Web (Oct. 31 and Nov. 7)
Learn the basics of the Final Cut Pro video editing system. Participants will get hands-on practice with FCP interface, organization, basic editing and trimming techniques, using stills in FCP and using filters. Participants may bring their own video to edit for this session, which will be taught by an Apple Certified instructor. Video should be brought in a MiniDV or HDV format or as already captured files on a hard drive. At the end of this two-day workshop, you will have added video to your Web site.

Sound on the Web (Nov. 14)
Learn how to create, capture, mix, download and upload audio for Web podcasting, video and slideshows, using SoundTrack Pro. At the end of this interactive workshop, you will have added sound elements to your Web content and site.

All sessions are held at the Cronkite School, 555 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. Each workshop session will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m., with a break for lunch.

You do not need to be a registered ASU student to attend the Cronkite New Media Academy. Registration begins June 5. Register early to ensure your spot!

If you have questions, please e-mail newmedia@asu.edu.