The administration hired Higgs in 2002 to create the online class and, with its launch in 2004, it was deemed a required class for journalism ?students.
“I love J155, and it’s my proudest accomplishment that students haven’t been able to graduate (with a journalism degree) without taking this class,” Higgs said.
Higgs said the objective of the course was to teach students advanced Internet research techniques they could utilize as ?journalists.
“I really filled an important need at that time, moving into the world of online journalism and moving away from where a reporter only writes stories and a photographer only takes pictures and where a video guy only does video,” Higgs said. “Now you have to do it all. This class is introducing you to bring it all together on the research side to prepare people to be online journalists.”
Online classes were a newer concept when J155 was first offered, and Higgs created an e-text for the course. That e-text was among the first of its kind at IU. He was also the only professor who taught J155.
“Most courses belong to the department,” IU Journalism Chair Bonnie Brownlee said. “Anybody in theory could offer to teach any of the courses that we have. What’s unusual about 155 is that Steve Higgs developed the course at our request and the e-text that goes along with the course.”
Throughout the years, Higgs did not revise his e-text, and he said eventually some students were evolving to acquire these skills on their own without the course while others were not.
“Each semester when I get a couple of course evaluations, I get a range from ‘This class is a waste of time — everybody knows how to do this’ to this semester, somebody saying, ‘This is a great class — not everyone knows how to do this,’” Higgs said.
In October, Higgs approached Brownlee about removing himself from teaching the course in the journalism curriculum.
“There’s nothing scandalous here, it’s just time for me to move on,” Higgs said. “With the Media School going on, I know they’re reevaluating everything anyway, so it’s better for me not to teach this class.”
Higgs said he still plans on teaching J200: Reporting, Writing and Editing and J303: Online Journalism in the upcoming spring semester.
He is also currently writing a guidebook to natural areas in southern Indiana for IU Press, with his manuscript deadline approaching in April.
“Everything just kind of worked out for me that I need more time,” Higgs said.
Since the course was first offered, Higgs said 4,419 students have taken the J155 final exam.
“I will miss J155 even though it was a heavy weight for me,” Higgs said. “My favorite part of every semester is when everybody comes (for the final exam), shows me their IDs, and I finally can look them in the eye and put a name to the face.”
