utaaa conference, 2/15/11
DESCRIPTION
Social Media in Academic Advising: Meeting Students Where They Are.TRANSCRIPT
Social Media in Academic Advising: Meeting Students Where They Are
University of Texas at Arlington Advising Association’s Annual Conference
Brad PopiolekUniversity of Texas at Austin
Overview
• Why?• Literature Review• Fears & Frustrations• Tools – Examples
• Tips & Strategies • Possible Issues• Action Plan
Why?
Create your own: woordle.com
Background
• The more active students are in college life, the more they will develop during that time period– Astin, 1985
• Engagement encompasses various factors, including investment in the academic experience of college, interactions with faculty, involvement in co-curricular activities, and interaction with peers– Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; Kuh, 2009
• Meeting students “where they are”– Millennials
Where they are…
• Today’s students are twenty-four-hour, seven-day-a-week customers who reject the disadvantages of traditional nine to five administrative practices. Technology provides extended access to information, interaction, and client-centered applications– Multari, 2004
• Consistent information is a necessary and important part of good academic advising, even when the message is repetitive and is published in several locations – Steele & Carter, 2002
94% of first year college students use social networking websites– Higher Education Research Institute (HERI), 2007
Fears & Frustrations
(Falls 2008)
Jason Falls, co-founder of the Social Media Club, asked his Twitter followers to explain social media in two words or less. Common terms included…
• Relationship building• Interaction• Community
Surprising?
Heiberger and Harper (2008)/HERI (2007) via Rey Junco's Blog
Engagement via
• Branding• Remain open• Balanced postings• Softball questions• Make it personal – give students a reason to
click, comment, like, etc.
Engagement via
• Twitter – Retweet – students, campus, etc.– Frequently search & respond– Direct messaging– Follow/Followers
• Avoid being static– Virtual trophy case
Don’t forget…
• Asking “why” before talking about “tools” *– Outcomes based
• Engagement– Dynamic vs. Static
• Free measurement tools– Limitations
• Social Media Guidelines
* Inside Higher Ed Blog Post by Eric Stoller
Possible Issues
• One size does NOT fit all• Privacy – FERPA• Lack of control = Opportunity• Accountability• What material may/may not be appropriate– Do not want to replace face-to-face
• Engaging students – how to measure success?
Profdevelop tag
