Spring 2017 Internet Communication Student Review
Dr. Perreault’s Internet Communication class was one of the best classes that I took during my four years at Appalachian. She clearly cares about all of her students, and truly wants to impart valuable knowledge about how to brand yourself online. The day and age that we live in is dangerous. We can put things online by accident and they will always be there. This can seem to be overwhelming, but during Dr. Perreault’s class I gained the expertise to control my presence online.
During the semester we created a website. This website was very individualized and we had the opportunity to play to each of our individual strengths. Throughout the semester this website continued to change and evolve as we added more skills to our arsenal. By the end of the semester our websites were looking ten times better than the beginning and we were confident utilizing several different tools. We learned about Search Engine Optimization (SEO), website navigation, website layout, continuity, branding, and so many other tangible skills.
At the end of the semester our final project was extremely valuable. It was clear that it served a purpose. All students had to really think. We would look critically at our own websites, design a new website for a potential business, or analyze an existing business. These final project topics were extremely intentional, and served to put all of the puzzle pieces together from the semester. This was one of my favorite portions of the course. It helped each student to utilize all of the skills they had gained, and put them into a tangible platform that could help them get a job after graduation. As a senior in this course my portfolio website (I was an Electronic Media/Broadcasting major) my final project was a re-do of my first website. My final website was polished, professional, and something I was very proud of.
Each exercise that we completed, each test, each assignment, each lecture, each guest served a clear and intentional purpose. This class did not feel like busy work, or that the things I was learning wouldn’t matter after graduation. Everything I took out of this class will stick with me. It was one of the biggest assets of my senior year, and Dr. Perreault is a phenomenal professor. Her knowledge, network of professionals, and experience are the perfect combination to execute an excellent Internet Communication course.
