Embedding Digital Tutors into the Classroom
THE MEDIA FELLOW PROGRAM
Media Fellows are extensively trained undergraduate tutors of digital communication. Our Media Fellows can offer a range of services in class, out of class, and online to assist JMU students to create more sophisticated, usable, and professional online content by:
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offering mini-lectures and/or workshops to your class on web builders, personal branding, and effective digital communication
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holding one-on-one consultations specifically to assist your students in producing more sophisticated digital content
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maintaining a website specifically for your class with relevant resources, tools and websites that will enhance the digital production
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improving the overall quality of your digital assignments
Across the Curriculum
Faculty who incorporate sustained digital assignments in their course could benefit from a partnership with a Media Fellow:
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The Media Fellow has experience utilizing web builders, creating professional portfolios, and developing digital stories, and can best advise faculty and students on effective approaches, tools, and timelines
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The Media Fellow can handle the more technical issues in one-on-one or group consultations, allowing class time to be spent with course content
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The Media Fellow can relay to the faculty member behind-the-scenes issues or concerns that can arise with digital assignments to improve process and production
THE FACULTY PERSPECTIVE
Hear what our Faculty Partners have to say about our Media Fellows.
Watch the entire Media Fellow Effect YouTube series here.
THE TUTOR PERSPECTIVE
Tutors also can benefit from a Media Fellowship with a faculty member who has incorporated a digital assignment in his/her course:
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The Media Fellow builds an on-going relationship with students in the class. This can potentially result in students being more enthusiast about their digital assignment and creating strong finished products.
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The Media Fellow can aid students with their digital assignment from start to finish, giving presentations along the way to ease the process (i.e. 'Choosing a Web Builder,' 'Effective Digital Communication,' etc.).
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The Media Fellow also has the opportunity to facilitate discussion among the students regarding their digital assignment.
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The Media Fellow maintains a class website for the semester, hosting presentations, online resources and contact information. The students can contact the Media Fellow at any given moent and the Media Fellow can address all questions, comments, or concerns in the classroom.
Class Site Examples
THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE
I think the Media Fellow was very helpful. She not only aided in completion of the project and gave advice, but acted as a middle man, if you will, between the students and the professor. She could share information with the professor if the students didn't feel comfortable.
– Communication Studies Student
[Our Media Fellow] did a great job of bringing an element of "comfort" to this assignment. I previously knew nothing about Weebly, so she was awesome about explaining the assignment. She was great about answering our questions, and made us more confident in the assignment without making us feel "stupid" about our technology skill level.
– Education Student
There is no way we would have had time to try to make this work without [our Media Fellow]. It's not that we don't want to do the digital story, it's just on top of everything else it wasn't a priority. She made it possible for us to make this work.
– Engineering Student
Some teachers and student do not know the details of using iMovie or other technologies we used and it is helpful to have someone readily at hand who is an expert in these technologies.