Transcript Engaging - Student Affairs

Engaging
International Students
through Social Media
StudentAffairs.com Case Study
Quiana McKenzie
Leslie C. Schacht
Tiffany Cohen
Silas Pippitt
Iowa State University
Proposal Overview
 Social media strategy developed for the International Student
and Scholars Office (ISSO) at Iowa State University
 Social media defined as “social communication tools used for
sharing and discussing information. Social media allow users to
interact, share and converse with one another online: blogs,
forums, social networks, online chat, wikis, newsfeeds, videos,
etc. A social media outreach strategy is outreach using these
tools” (Merrill, 2010, p. 1)
 Strategy includes three components:
 Development of Social Media Student Ambassadors
 Use of five social media tools: Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Blogs,
and Skype
 Targeted social media approach for Chinese students
Background: Goals
 International Student and Scholars Office (ISSO)
 Mission Statement: Enhance the educational, cultural, and social
experiences of international students and scholars at Iowa State
University. Promote enhanced campus internationalization.
Support the international work and goals of the university.
 Social media strategy for the office will further goals of providing
quality service (serving the needs of students, families, and the
Ames community in a supportive and friendly manner) and
providing a welcoming environment for international students
(providing outreach and programming to create a more
welcoming environment for international students and scholars
on the ISU campus).
(International Student and Scholars Office, 2011)
Background: Office Objectives
 Objective 1: Advise international students and scholars on
matters pertaining to immigration regulations, non-academic
procedural matters, and issues of cross-cultural adjustment.
 Objective 2: Promote enhanced communication and expanded
partnerships with students, the campus and Ames community
members.
 Objective 3: Improve use of technology within the office to
provide better service to students and scholars.
All objectives can be achieved with the strategic use of social media
by the International Students and Scholars Office
(L. Seiler, personal communication, February 16, 2011)
Current ISSO Strategy
 Student –driven approach to social media (undergraduate student
assistants)
 Students familiar with current trends among students and
characteristics of social media tools
 Official ISSO Facebook page and Twitter account: IowaStateISSO
 Linked to ISSO webpage: http://www.isso.iastate.edu/
 Provides updates and important information to current and
prospective international students
 Includes pictures of international student life at Iowa State
 Recently created Blogger account for exchange students to post their
experiences: http://www.isuexchangestudents.blogspot.com/
(L. Seiler, personal communication, February 16, 2011)
Departmental Needs
 Would like to engage more international students in social
media strategy and encourage them to share their
experiences and stories with other students (current and
prospective)
 Experiencing difficulty in reaching students in China:
Facebook and Twitter as well as other social media tools
blocked in the country (L. Seiler, personal communication,
February 16, 2011)
 Approximately half of Iowa State international students are
from China (Iowa State University, 2010)
 Seeking way to actively engage ISSO staff members in the
use of social media
Engaging International Students
 Development of Social Media Student Ambassadors
 10-12 international students (not limited to current undergraduate
office assistants) who assist ISSO by answering and addressing
concerns and questions of current and prospective students
 Students expected to use ISSO social media outlets three to five
hours a week

Give glimpse of current student life on campus through social
media interactions: participation in campus organizations and
events, information on campus resources; tips on what to bring
to campus, etc.

Adds “authenticity to the information exchange”- student has
relevant experience and similar background (Merrill, 2010, p. 5)
 Connect with students across the globe during and outside of
regular business hours
Engaging International Students
 Social Media Student Ambassadors must:

Have completed at least one semester at Iowa State University

Be actively involved in a recognized student organization leadership
council on campus or have completed or be currently enrolled in a
leadership training program at Iowa State such as ILEAD or Cyclone
Aides


Semester to year-long leadership development program that familiarizes
student with campus resources, programs, university procedures, etc.
Participate in an orientation led by program co-advisors
 Graduate student and current staff member: Co-advisors

Monitor social media tools for appropriate language and
communication; Ambassadors to forward questions that they cannot
answer to advisors

Develops and supervises schedule for ambassadors

Will check in with ambassadors biweekly to address program concerns
and questions
Rationale for Ambassadors
 Allows international students to build community with students from
their home country and other countries around the world




Established students can share insights and perspectives that will
assist new students with transition
“Such relationships provide… comfort, security and a means by
which an international student could resolve and cope with problems
associated with a foreign social environment” (Al-Sharideh and Goe,
1998, p. 722)
“Contacts among students from the same geographical region help
new students experience a sense of belonging” (Klomegah, 2006)
Contact between established and newly-arrived or accepted
international students can enhance social integration on campus
(Prescott and Helsten, 2005)
 Allows established international students to gain familiarity with how
social media is used in the United States and to continue to develop
English language skills
The Power of Social Media
 “Social media tools, like Facebook, Twitter and blogs, are key
to communicating with this generation of students” (National
Association for College Admission Counseling, 2009)
 Allow for exchange of information quickly across the world
 Students use technology to “ seek out information
about…institutions, form connections with peers, and
determine potential fit” (Munoz and Strotmeyer, 2010)
 Most international students choose a college without ever
stepping foot on campus
 Social media makes the university accessible in a variety of ways
and include the student perspective, both positive and negative
Proposed Social Media Tools
 Youtube
 Ambassadors and staff can post informative videos on
student life, immigration procedures, and other issues
important to the success of international students
 Current and prospective students will be encouraged to ask
questions or comment to which ambassadors and staff will
respond
 Facebook and Twitter
 Ambassadors and staff will post updates on campus life
 Current and prospective students encouraged to “like” or
“follow” the page for important information
Proposed Social Media Tools
 Blogs
 Ambassadors will share their experiences with current and
prospective students- pictures, journal entries, etc
 Campus and Ames community clubs and organizations
encouraged to make guest posts (expand partnerships in
the local community for international students)
 Skype
 Ambassadors will be available for face to face
communication with current and prospective students by
appointment- virtual office hours
Social Media in China
 Approximately half of international students enrolled at Iowa
State are from China
 Restricted use of social media tools like Facebook, Skype and
Twitter in China (Moore, 2010)
 Targeted campaign for Chinese students
 Renren.com- Chinese social media tool similar to Facebook
 Sina.com- Chinese social media tool similar to Twitter
 Youku.com- Chinese social media tool similar to Youtube


Popular among Chinese students in China (Y. Zou, personal
communication, February 19, 2011)
Used in the same proposed manner as their English counterparts
 Requires ambassadors who communicate fluently in Chinese
Engaging ISSO Staff
 Develop and implement orientation program for Social Media
Student Ambassadors
 Emphasize office and University expectations and procedures
 Graduate student and additional staff member to co-advise
ambassadors and monitor social media tools for inappropriate
behavior and language
 Will also centralize social media strategy under two specific
staff members
 Staff encouraged to use tools to inform students of important
developments within their assigned role in the office
 Videos on filing taxes, immigration compliance, etc.
Potential Limitations

Social media hard to regulate

Colleges and universities have limited control over the conversation online
(Lipka, 2009)

Ambassador program requires ISSO and Iowa State University to trust that
students will communicate appropriately online

Lack of research on the use of social media by international students in
their home countries and in the United States

Requires staff members who communicate fluently in other languages


Will need to monitor communications between students but hard if there is
not a staff member who can read and write in other languages, particularly
Chinese
Staff members not familiar with various social media tools

Requires staff orientation on the tools proposed for use by office including
information and ideas on how they can be used actively by staff to provide
outreach and information to students
Long-Term Considerations
 Feedback from current international students on their social media
use


Country-specific social media tools
What do international students need to know in order to be
successful at Iowa State University?
 Best practices of international student offices and programs at
universities across the country
 Assessment of social media strategy

How can ISSO and Iowa State University measure the effectiveness
of communication with students through social media?
 The role of ISSO in the transition of international students

To what extent does ISSO contribute to the successful transition of
international students at Iowa State? How can it be measured?
References
Al-Sharideh, K.A. & Goe, W.R. (1998). Ethnic communities within the university: An
examination of factors influencing the personal adjustment of international students.
Research in Higher Education, 39 (6), p. 699-725. Retrieved from
http://www.springerlink.com/content/0361-0365
International Students and Scholars Office (2004). ISSO mission and organization. Retrieved
from http://www.isso.iastate.edu/
Iowa State University. (2011). Iowa State University fact book 2010-2011. Retrieved from
http://www.ir.iastate.edu/FB11/PDF/FB2011ALL.pdf
Klomegag, R.Y. (2006). Social factors relating to alienation experienced by international
students in the United States. College Student Journal, 40 (2), p. 303-315.
Lipka.S. (2009 May 1). Colleges using technology to recruit students try to hang on to the
conversation. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from
http://www.chroniclecareers.com/article/Colleges-Using-Technology-to/117193/
References
Merrill, Nicole (2010). Social media in international student recruiting and outreach survey.
Retrieved from http://globalcampus.com/external/Survey_GC_Final.pdf
Moore, M. (2010, December 30). China makes skype illegal. The Telegraph. Retrieved
from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/internet/8231444/China-makesSkype-illegal.html
Munoz, F.M. & Strotmeyer, K.C. (2010). Demystifying social media. Journal of Student
Affairs Research and Practice, 47 (1), 123-127. DOI:10.2202/1949-6605.6132
National Association for College Admission Counseling. (2009). Report finds use of
social networking tools on the rise in college admissions offices [ Press Release].
Retrieved from
http://www.nacacnet.org/AboutNACAC/PressRoom/2009/Pages/SocialNetworki
ng.aspx
Prescott,A. & Hellsten, M. (2005). Hanging together even with non-native speakers: The
international student transition experience. Internationalizing Higher Education, 16, p.
75-95. DOI: 10.1007/1-4020-3784-8_5