Teaching

I have over three years of experience teaching core journalism courses as the Primary Instructor of Record at the University of Alabama. Here are my accomplishments.

Courses taught:

JCM 180: Journalistic Principles and Practices

Semester taught: Fall 2025, Summer 2026, Fall 2026 (forthcoming)

This introductory survey course gives students a first look at the history and professional practices of journalism and electronic news by examining both legacy and contemporary media.

JCM 200: Foundations for Journalism Practices

Semesters taught: Spring 2023, Summer 2023, Summer 2024

JCM 200 is a survey of how the practices of journalism and news work in the context of a humanities course. Students should be able to deconstruct various stories in the news media to understand how economic, social, and ethical principles affect news reporting. In addition, the class covers the ethical and legal principles that guide journalists and the historical context in which the journalism evolved as a key player in democratic societies.

JCM 303: News Writing and Reporting

Semesters taught: Fall 2023, Spring 2026, Fall 2026 (forthcoming)

This course introduces the skills required for basic news writing and reporting. The contents of this course are designed to help students learn how news stories are constructed and how the news industry operates. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course.

315: Advanced News Writing and Reporting

Semesters taught: Spring 2024, Spring 2025, Spring 2026

Advanced practice of newsgathering and newswriting for specialized topic areas ranging from government, education to more soft news and human interest stories.

Connecting with industry professionals

I prioritize experiential learning through hands-on assignments and direct connections with journalists in my teaching.

In the Advanced News Writing & Reporting class, I made guest lectures and visits to media organizations on a regular basis. Fifteen industry leaders, including Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, local media entrepreneurs, and editors and reporters from the world's leading newsrooms, have met with students within three semesters of my teaching this course.

Using interactive digital tools to boost student enagement

In March 2026, I led a 60-minute workshop at the On-site and Online Learning Innovation Summit (OLIS) organized by the University of Alabama Teaching Academy.

During the session, I shared how digital tools can transform traditional assignments into interactive, learner-centered experiences.

It was wonderful to see such a great turnout and to have participants ... play! and discuss ways to engage students in both in-person and online classrooms.

Social Media Analytics Lab Experience

I also trained students and faculty in the Social Media Analytics lab in using advanced tools like Leximancer, NodeXL, LIWC, NVivo, and Sprinklr to derive insights from large datasets and social media data.

🏆Award

In 2026, I was selected for an Outstanding Teaching by a Doctoral Student Award by the College of Communication and Information Sciences. The award committee acknowledged my "dynamic, engaging teaching style and emphasis on interactive learning and real-world applications."

"She brings industry perspective into the classroom by connecting students with guest speakers — who are the leading journalists and media professionals — and incorporates digital tools and emerging media technologies into student learning. Gulmira is deeply committed to the ethical awareness and civic responsibility and encourages students to think critically about representation, equity, and the role of journalism in society," the award committee noted.

From student opinion surveys:

• I loved having Ms. Gulmira as my professor. She is so sweet and genuinely cared that her students understood assignments and material she taught. She is a great communicator and truly loves journalism. Ms. Gulmira kept us updated with classwork or schedule changes and was a phenomenal professor overall.

• I really enjoyed the layout of the class. The course and content was very engaging and I truly learned a lot.

• She is a wonderful lady who deeply cares for her students. She grades reasonably well, and her assignments are just.

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