2008 PROCEEDINGS - Public Relations Society of America

Teaching Online Public Relations Using a Hybrid Delivery Model
Michele E. Ewing
Kent State University
meewing@kent.edu
Scott Juba
Kent State University/
Cleveland Botanical Garden
sjuba@cbgarden.org
Introduction
At its core, public relations focuses on developing and maintaining relationships with an
organization’s internal and external publics through two-way communication. Online media have
changed public relations and the public relations professional’s job. Employees, shareholders,
customers, news media and other audiences are online seeking information, and interacting with
the organization. Blogs, wikis, digital press rooms, podcasts, e-newsletters and a range of other
tools offer innovative ways to reach stakeholders.
This paper focuses on the development of a new course designed to teach public relations
undergraduate and graduate students about the use of online tools in the practice of public
relations from both strategic and tactical perspectives. Since the course focused on the use of
online media and resources, it seemed appropriate to create a “hybrid” course, featuring both
traditional and online instruction, offering greater opportunities for the students to interact with
online media and resources.
Primary and secondary research was conducted to develop a new course, Public
Relations Online Tactics, and to explore best practices in online teaching and incorporating
interactive technologies in new pedagogical approaches.
Literature Review
Public relations and the Internet seem to go hand in hand. Wright (2001) reported that
nearly all public relations professionals (98%) believe their work has been impacted by online
technologies. The Commission on Public Relations Education (2006) reaffirmed this and noted
that people in the PR profession are some of the heaviest users of communication technologies.
As Internet usage continues to soar, consumers are becoming more comfortable with
accessing, creating and sharing information. According to an October-December 2007 Pew
Internet & American Life Project survey, 72 percent of American adult Internet users (18+ years)
access the internet on an average day. A February 2007 survey indicated nearly half (47 percent)
of all adult Americans have high-speed Internet access (broadband), increasing from 42 percent
in early 2006 and 30 percent in early 2005.
Public relations practitioners realize that on the Web, “dialog is occurring daily, even hourly,
with constituencies, customers and prospects, as well as enemies” (Paine, 2002). Taking an
active role in these dialogues is key, because the “goals of these dialogues are the most basic
of public relations objectives” (Paine, 2002, pg. 2).
Communication technology continues to change the way public relations is practiced. It
is important that students learn how to strategically incorporate the use of technology in the
practice of public relations. (Commission on Public Relations Education, 2006).
20