how social networking enhances the student experience€¦ · presentation goals • describe how...

Facebook, blogs, tweets: How social networking enhances the student

experience

Presenters

Presentation Goals

•  Describe how social networking sites are used by advisors, faculty, and other colleagues to create engaging environments and experiences for students;

•  Walk through Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and blogs;

•  Discuss the ways Facebook and other technologies can be used intentionally to interact with students;

•  Consider, “Is there value in jumping on “the new, next best thing?”

What are you curious about, when it comes to social networking?

Tweet, Poke, Friend, Link… Oh My!

Leveraging Available Tools

•  Social networking tools are powerful

•  Two possible areas affected by social networking are community and identity development

•  Can be used across universities to foster different types of communities on campus in a positive way

•  Can be another way for students to explore who they are and “try on” different identities in ways that are less loaded given the medium

•  These elements can enhance AND challenge educators’ roles in forming and maintaining community and engagement

The “Big House” Dilemma

Facebook overpowers weather

“There were over 200 confirmed guests on Facebook, for what that’s worth.”

– event organizer

Surveying Students, Faculty/Staff and Employers 2007 - 2009

•  Surveys in three years to students:   1300 students in 2007   1100 students in 2008   606 students in 2009

•  First year for faculty/staff and employer surveys   614 faculty and staff in 2009   70 employers in 2009

Value of Social Networking on Theoretical Student Affairs Frameworks

•  Allows for integration into the campus community – transitioning between past membership and new communities.

•  The multitude of communities (i.e., groups) provide a variety of ways in which students can become integrated into campus life.

•  “Community and having a sense of community play an important role in the culture of college campuses” – Tinto

Social Networking and Identity Development Theories

•  Arthur Chickering - Seven Vectors • Developing Autonomy - disengage from

parents. Reliance on peers or other reference groups.

• Establishing Identity - refers to the person a student feels he/she is.

Electronic Tether (Fullman)

  Describes connection students and parents maintain through cell phones, IM, and other cheap and convenient communication.

  Extends “Emerging Adulthood” to describe the role technology plays in extending relationships with home instead of creating independence.

  Delays development of Chickering’s “Autonomy” vector.

•  Faculty/staff and students are actors in both of these theories

Facebook Profile

LinkedIn - Profile

Twitter…Tweet!

Keeping Up to Date…

“Actually I use Twitter for research – seriously! I follow authors whose books I like and see what they are paying attention to. I get all sorts of good leads on articles and books way before colleagues do.”

Blogs

Which of the Following Do You Use? (Students)

The Popularity of Social Networking Sites

•  As expected, social networking sites are the number one online community to which students belong.

•  The top two things they do while on the sites are:   Sending messages to people they know.   Looking at profiles of people they know.

10 Random Things About Facebook

•  Launched on 4 February 2004 by a Harvard undergraduate. o  Now headquartered in Palo Alto, CA.

•  Site is free to users and is financed by advertising. •  175 million registered users.

o  70% of users are outside of the United States. o  Still, roughly 1/6 of the US population (of all ages) use Facebook.

•  Fastest growing demographic: People aged 30 and older. •  850 million photos uploaded monthly. •  3 billion minutes spent on Facebook each day.

  The equivalent of 6.25 million workers daily output today!

Facebook “Statistics” page, 6 March 2009

Who is on Facebook?

Answer: Nearly every student!

Time Students Spend on Facebook

UM entering undergraduates*

  58.9% 1-5 hours per week

  14.5% 6+ hours per week o  This is slightly less than nationally

  36.4% report regularly reading or writing internet blogs

*CIRP 2008

Learning About Other Corners of the Community

• Consider this: - What is the (your) impact on the campus community, in a fuller sense, through on-line tools?

Building Communities with Faculty, Staff and Students

Age of Faculty/Staff Respondents

Discplines

Faculty/Staff Familiarity

Faculty use of tech tools

When Did You Join Facebook?

Has Your Perception of Facebook Changed (Faculty)?

Who Can See Your Profile?

Add Students as Friends?

Why can’t we be (Facebook) Friends??

Facebook Changing Faculty Perception of Students

Personal or Professional Use?

Communities – Large and Small

“That may be the biggest lesson of the campaign: Trusting a community can produce dramatic and unexpected results.”

Following World Events

Can social networking connect colleagues?

Does department have page?

Showcasing Resources

For More Information. . .

•  http://www.umich.edu/~rsa

•  Friend Kerin and Malinda (Michigan network)

•  Email: kborland@umich.edu mmatney@umich.edu