Get Digital: A one-day, hands-on course designed to improve your digital work/life skills.

Course Syllabus - Winter/Spring 2009

DESCRIPTION

Digital competence and digital skills are key differentiators. This course is designed to help students become more competitive and make them more productive in the digital economy of the 21st century. The practical guidelines, ideas and techniques are immediately applicable on both a personal and business level. Students will learn how digitally-savvy executives are using their computers and they will gain an understanding of best practices digital tools and techniques.

Today, everyone with a computer and a connection to the Internet can create text, graphics, audio and video content and instantly distribute it to a worldwide audience. Through a series of hands-on exercises combined with lectures and demonstrations, students will learn how consumers are empowered by digital technology, how they are using the medium and how this technological transition is changing the doing of business in the 21st century. Special attention will be paid to using digital skills to identify and take advantage of new business opportunities.

ORGANIZATION

This is a lecture-lab course in which topics are presented by the instructor, techniques are explained, and assigned technical exercises are completed by students in class.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

• To make students more productive, more competitive and more marketable by increasing their digital competence and digital skills.

• To provide students with practical methods for properly separating their personal and professional online presence.

• To introduce and explain the fundamental elements of digital work/life.

• To teach students how to create value online and translate it into wealth.

• To teach students best practices, business-building online social networking techniques.

• To affirm the vast amount of knowledge that students already possess and give them the confidence to put it to practical business use.

COURSE TOPICS

The course will cover the following topics:

• The socio-techno divide

• Branding and advertising 101 for business and personal use in the 21st century

• The presentation of self in everyday life

• The elements of digital work/life

• The currencies of the Internet. (Translating value into wealth.)

• Google

• Social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Twitter, etc.)

• Contact management

• Conventions of social media

• The challenges of digital communication

• Hardware choices

• Digital Work/Life strategy (Solo, SoHo, Corporate)

• Email/Phone/Contacts

• Internet connectivity (wired and wireless)

• Required business software skills

• The paperless office

• Backing up (NAS, cloud storage, physical media)

• Thinking digital

• Domains, Websites, Blogs

• Metadata

• Digital Honesty

• Logos and graphics

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

"For those of us in need of a digital face-lift, I would highly recommend visiting 'Doctor' Palmer. His work is impeccable and he is discreet. After a day with him, you will look at least 10 digital years younger!" -- Brian K., NY, NY

"Radically helpful, and so glad I did it. Your command is extraordinary, and it was well worth the price of admission. It is one fabulously exciting environment right now, both terrifying and exhilarating in the same breath. Your prescriptions ring true." -- Hank C. Darien, CT

"It was exciting to discover where things are heading, and going over details that the average person might not know even if you're 'in the culture.'" -- Lauren M. NY, NY

Read more testimonials from Get Digital seminar attendees.

ABOUT SHELLY PALMER

Shelly Palmer is a consultant and the host of MediaBytes a daily show featuring news you can use about technology, media & entertainment. He is Managing Director of Advanced Media Ventures Group LLC and the author of Television Disrupted: The Transition from Network to Networked TV (2008, York House Press). Shelly is also President of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, NY (the organization that bestows the coveted Emmy Awards).

Mr. Palmer is a popular speaker and moderator at technology and media conferences hosted by industry organizations, like: The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), The National Association of Broadcasters Convention (NAB), The National Show presented by the National Cable Television Association (NCTA), Telecom presented by the United States Telecom Association, Digital Hollywood, iHollywood, ad:tech, and iMedia. He is a guest lecturer at the MIT Media Lab, Stern Graduate Business School at NYU, The Columbia Institute for Tele-Information (CITI) at Columbia University, The Graziadio School of Business Management at Pepperdine University, The Digital Content Lab at the American Film Institute and other top tier colleges and universities. For more information, visit shellypalmer.com

PREREQUISITES FOR THIS COURSE

You should have a basic knowledge of personal computers, email, web-surfing and search. You should have and bring your laptop computer to this course. Rentals are available, see below. Prep work can be found here. It is best to do the prep work before attending the course.  1and1.com is offering special deals on web hosting packages that start at $9.95 per month.  We strongly recommend that you register your own domain name.

FEE

The fee for the one-day course is $449.95 per person. This fee includes all of the materials you will need for the course. Please bring your laptop. Rentals are available for $150 with advanced notice. Free WiFi is provided. Groups discounts available, please email getdigital@shellypalmer.com or call 212-532-3880 x1 for more information.

Payment is required in advance but it is refundable, less a $25 processing fee, if your cancellation is received three full business days before the course. To obtain a refund for this course, you must cancel BEFORE 12 noon ET, Monday 2/23/2009. There are no exceptions and there are no refunds after the cutoff. Substitutes are welcome.

HOURS

10:00am to 4:30pm. Check-in begins at 8:00am.

ADDITIONAL

Lunch is on your own. Dress is informal. Doors open at 8:00am.

WiFi & TECH SUPPORT

If you are planning to bring a laptop computer (recommended), please make sure that your computer can connect to the Internet via WiFi. If you need help configuring your computer, please plan to arrive as close to 8am as possible. Technical help is available until the class begins at 10:00am.