Transcript Student Affairs Technology In The Year of the Personal Computer Staff Development Retreat May 2008 McApple College University of North Dakota Curtis Jefferson Valerie Johnson Sarah Owens.

Student Affairs Technology
In The Year of the Personal Computer
Staff Development Retreat
May 2008
McApple College
University of North Dakota
Curtis Jefferson
Valerie Johnson
Sarah Owens
Purpose of Retreat
Identifying and describing
programs or services, within
McApple College’s Student Services
Division, where technology has
changed service delivery.
-Vice President for Student Affairs
Residence Life, Student
Activities, Counseling, Student
Health, Orientation Services,
Disability Services, Career
Services, and Judicial Affairs
Agenda
Technology in
– Student Recruitment and Retention
– Improving Safety and Security Through
Technology Enhancement
– Collaboration and Communication
– Learning through Online Services
– Assessment and Evaluation
Assumptions
• Resources: Infinite financial and personnel
resources to implement programs,
recommendations, etc.
• Access: All McApple College students have
access to a personal computer
• Use: All McApple College students use their
personal computers
• Consistent Review:
– Of what comparable and aspirational institutions
are doing regarding student affairs
– Of student affairs literature
Student Recruitment
and Retention
Rationalization
The efforts of a college to communicate with
prospective and admitted students has a
direct effect on college selection
(Chapman, 1981).
Easier access to more information before
arriving to campus can aid students in
making appropriate decisions regarding
college selection, choice of major, and
residential situation.
Objective:
Improve and supplement current
recruitment practices by developing and
using online technology to provide access
to resources and information for
prospective and admitted students.
Examples of recruitment techniques:
• Admissions/Recruitment Website
– Provides 24-hour interactive access to information about the
college, admissions processes, programs, and services (Schworm,
2008).
– Can provide online orientation modules before students arrive to
campus, modeled after those being used in many distance
education programs (Scagnoli, 2001).
• Prospective Student Blog
– An opportunity for prospective and admitted students to engage
with the campus by reading pertinent news, commenting on blog
posts and engaging in discussions (Roper, 2007).
• Podcasting
– Campuses have had success in using Podcasts to provide
information to prospective students (Admissions, 2005) and to
send greetings and welcomes to admitted students (McCafferty,
2006).
Pros
• Provides 24/7 access to
information—something
students find important
(Moneta, 1997).
• Opportunity to engage
students visually with the
campus.
• Allows for the
dissemination of up-todate information at all
times.
Cons
• Needs to be regularly
reviewed and updated as
information changes
(more often than once-ayear paper publications).
• Students may base
attendance decisions
solely on website
information and skip out
on campus visits.
Improving Safety and
Security Through
Technology
Enhancement
Rationalization
Exploring technology programs and
services to aid in case of emergencies and
to keep our campuses safe is crucial for the
well-being of our students.
Objective:
To enhance the quality of life for individuals in
institutions of higher education by providing
safe and secure living, working, and educational
places
Examples of Safety and Security
Programs:
•
•
•
•
Online safety training sessions
Email/Text Messaging Services
Broadcast on Campus TV Network
Bug Your Bike Program
Sample Communication Tools
•Text Messaging
•Email System
•Broadcast on
Campus Television
Network
http://www.niu.edu (2008, February)
Bug Your Bike Program
“Bicycle Theft can be a
problem for students.
Use of the latest
technology a Radio
Frequency Identification
Device (RFID) to keep
track of your bike.”
Ohio State Webpage
http://studentaffairs.osu.edu/safetyinformation.asp
Safety extends beyond times of emergency, it is a priority that should
be executed at all levels, at all times.
Safety and Security, Cont.
Pros
• Quick and efficient
way to warn students
• Effective way to
network with
colleagues about hard
conversations
• May be able to
respond to
emergencies in a
more timely manner
Cons
• Potential risk of
technology not
working or becoming
overloaded
• Consistent updating
of student
information
– Privacy concerns
Communication and
Collaboration
Rationalization
Our profession benefits from discussion
amongst our members of our own
department, even more when it is across
the institution and further when we are
able to talk with others from other places
Objective:
To design and implement ways to involve
the entire division in campus and
community concerns specifically through
improved communication and working
together.
A few examples of Communication
and Collaboration Programs
– Shared Student Information Programs
– Knowledge Communities
– Virtual Advising
Shared Information Programs
• Programs that allow access to information
about students by multiple departments
– Ex. Judicial Officer by Adirondack Solutions
• Database for information related to judicial
hearings
• Can be accessed simultaneously by individuals
within the same department or other departments
(eg. Residence Life & Judicial Affairs)
• Decreases reliance on paper files to be sent from
office to office
Knowledge Communities
• “Provide an opportunity for NASPA members to access information
and resources in a specific subject that pertains to the student affairs
profession” and
• “Create and share knowledge through the delivery of educational
research, programs, and products, through the use of technology
and by way of face to face meetings, workshops and/or conferences”
(NASPA, 2006)
• Evolved from NASPA Information Technology Network
• Example of Student Leadership Programs Knowledge Community
(Dare, 2006)
Virtual Advising
• Ensuring that graduates are prepared to meet the demands
of today’s global economy
• Why it works: saves on travel time and money, provides
opportunities for collaboration, improved relationships
with remote students, enhanced communication, and sense
of belonging.
• “The communication and interpersonal skills used to build
the advisee-advisor relationship when the parties are faceto-face may also be utilized in an electronic environment”
(Carter, n.d.).
• “Technology like Facebook can be a tremendous resource
for cash- and time-strapped advisors” (Traxler, 2007).
Communication, Cont.
Pros
• Easy to access
information about
any student at any
time
– Ease in tracking and
filing information on
students
• Allows for advanced
research to happen
• Provides opportunity
to learn about new
programs quickly
Cons
• Need to take caution
in who has access to
student information
• Takes away the
personal element of
conversation with
colleagues
• Need to consider
security measures to
protect student
information (Petersen
& Hodges, 1997)
Online Services
Objective:
Provide greater and more efficient
access to services for students.
Rationalization
• Students expect efficiency of service delivery and
“are twenty-four-hour, seven-days-a-week
customers who reject the service disadvantages
of traditional nine-to-five business practices”
(Moneta, 1997, p. 7).
• Division and department managers are always
expected to try to be more efficient and get more
done with less funding (Moneta, 1997).
Examples of online services for students:
• Already Mentioned
– Recruitment/Orientation Options
– Technology-driven Communication Methods
• Residence Life
– Online Room Selection & Transfer Requests
– Online Maintenance Work Order Reporting
• Judicial Affairs
– Online Educational Modules as Sanctions
• Ex. judicialeducator.com
• Counseling Center
– Online Self-Assessments
• Mental Health Screenings
– E-Chug
Examples of online services for students, cont.:
• Student Activities
– Online Student Organization Directory
– Website Space for Student Organizations
– Online Resource Listing for Student
Organizations/Leaders/Advisors
• Student Health
– Online Personal Health Resources
– Online Appointment Scheduling
• Disability Services
– Online Resources for Students with Disabilities
– Online ADA Compliance/Access Issue Reporting
Examples of online services for students, cont.:
• Career Services
– Online Job Listings/Employer Database
– Online Student Career Profiles/Resume Database
– Online Job Search Tips & Advice
– Tips & Software for Preparing Resumes and Cover
Letters (Smith, 2005)
Online Services, Cont.
Pros
• 24/7 Access
• Allows students to
engage with services &
resources in ways they
understand
• Increased student
satisfaction (Moneta,
1997)
• Students get chance to
engage with a
service/department
before going to the
office
Cons
• Little to no face-to-face
contact
• Students may rely too
much on online content
and not consult student
affairs staff
• Students need to be
educated on
appropriate follow-up
to online interactions
Assessment and
Evaluation
Rationalization
"Assessment is any effort to gather,
analyze, and interpret evidence which
describes institutional, divisional, or
agency effectiveness" (Upcraft and Schuh,
1996, p. 18).
Objective:
Continue to improve upon current
assessment and evaluation practices in
our student affairs division.
If a unit does not have an assessment or
evaluation plan, work towards
developing a plan.
Molasso (2005) states:
• “Providing data-based evidence of
behaviors, attitudes, and trends will
increasingly become important for student
affairs professionals as they improve their
programs and services, and fight for
limited staff, financial resources, and
exposure”.
• “…using the Web to collect assessment
data could be an effective method for
student affairs professionals”
If your unit needs to create an assessment or evaluation plan
please review the resources at:
– Minnesota State University Mankato
– Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville
– Syracuse University
Current McApple Assessment Tools Addressing Student Affairs:
– Cooperative Institutional Research Program
• Freshman and Senior Follow-up
– National Survey of Student Engagement
– Student Satisfaction Inventory
– College Student Inventory
Student Self Assessment Tools
– Career Counseling
– Mental Health Assessment (previously mentioned)
Assessment and Evaluation, Cont.
Pros
• Ensures: quality, cost
effectiveness,
planning, show
progress,
strength/weakness
• Identifies need for
services and
programs
Cons
• Time
• Organization
• Understanding of
statistical output
Conclusion
• Technology has greatly changed how we
approach student affairs and it will continue to
challenge us.
• However, it is important that we “match our
personal values with socially responsible
behavior” (Chickering and Reisser, 1993, p. 237)
even when it comes to technology.
• Additionally, it is important that embrace this
challenge and utilize the technology creatively to
reach our students.
References
Admissions podcasts tackle what students really want to know. (2005). Recruitment & Retention in Higher Education, 19(12), 14.
Carter, J. (n.d.). Utilizing Technology in Academic Advising. Retrieved February 16, 2008 from the NACADA Clearinghouse of
Academic Advising Resources Website: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/Technology.htm.
Chapman, D. W. (1981). A model of student college choice. Journal of Higher Education, 52(5), 490-505.
Chickering, A.W., & Reisser, L. (1993) Education and identity (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Dare, L. (2006). Standing Room Only. Retrieved February 10th, 2008 from the Technology in Student Affairs Summer 2006
edition.
McCafferty, P. (2006). Podcasts replace acceptance letters. Recruitment & Retention in Higher Education, 20(5), 1-4.
Molasso, W.R. (2005). Exploring Options to Create Web Surveys for Student Affairs Assessment Plans. Retrieved February 13,
2008 from http://www.studentaffairs.com/ejournal/Fall_2005/StudentAffairsAssessmentPlans.html.
Moneta, L. (1997). The integration of technology with the management of student services. New Directions for Student Services,
78, 5-16.
North Carolina State University. (n.d.). Division Technology Planning. Retrieved February 13, 2008 from
http://www.ncsu.edu/student_affairs/techplan/.
Ohio State Webpage Safety Information. Retrieved February 12th, 2008 from
http://studentaffairs.osu.edu/safetyinformation.asp.
Petersen, R. J. & Hodges, M. W. (1997). Legal, ethical, and policy issues. New Directions for Student Services, 78, 45-58.
Roper, E. (2007, April 12). Colonial blogging: Prospective students visit GW-sponsored blogs. [Electronic version] The GW
Hatchet. Retrieved February 15, 2008 from
http://media.www.gwhatchet.com/media/storage/paper332/news/2007/04/12/News/Colonial.Blogging.Prospective.Stud
ents.Visit.GwSponsored.Blogs-2837702-page2.shtml#cp_article_tools.
Scagnoli, N. (2001). Student orientations for online programs. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 34(1), 19-27.
Schworm, P. (2008, January 7). Colleges turn to web tools in hunt for ‘08 freshmen. The Boston Globe. Retrieved February 14,
2008 from
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/01/07/colleges_turn_to_web_tools_in_hunt_for_08_freshmen/.
Smith, B. (2005). Online student support service. Community College Journal, 76(2), 26-29.
Traxler, J. (2007, March). An Introduction to Facebook as an Advising Tool. Academic Advising Today, 30 (1), Retrieved March
8, 2007 from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/AAT/NW30_1.htm#10
Upcraft, M. L., and Schuh, J. H. (1996). Assessment in Student Affairs: A Guide for Practitioners. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Thank You