Technology and Student Affairs

1
Technology and Student Affairs

• Courtney Brown
• Linda Jameison
• Emily Moore
• Cathy Stevens
• Clemson University
• February 13, 2004

2
Introduction

• Proposed new class on technology and student
  affairs
• Course justification
• Objectives
• Student Affairs
• Learning Outcomes
• Course Structure
• Assignments
• Weekly Outline

3
Course Justification

• Technological expansion has, currently is and
  will continue to occur
• Technology is the revolution about which we have
  no choice (Gates, 1995).
• Technological advancements demand that our
  schools prepare educated workers who can use
  technology effectively in the global marketplace
  (Harnisch, 1999).

4
Course Justification

• Technology is drastically impacting higher
  education
• Technology is disruptive Colleges and
  universities must think through issues and their
  impact on higher education, and must devote
  sufficient resources and investment to get ahead
  of the curve in this new era (Jackson, 2004).

5
Course Justification

• Graduate students need to have the same basis of
  technological knowledge as the students they will
  work with once professionals
• When professional development is geared to a
  specific purpose, educational technology can
  reach its full potential (Serim, 2003).

6
Course Justification

• Incoming college students are more
  technologically savvy than their predecessors
• In general, technology has changed the nature of
  communication and communication patterns among
  students and between students, faculty and
  administrators (Gatz, 2000).

7
Student Affairs Objectives

• Enhance student learning and personal
  development
• In a learning paradigm scholars no longer presume
  that every student learns the same way or that
  widely accepted practices necessarily result in
  optimal levels of learning for students (Anderson
  Colvin, 2003).

8
Student Affairs Objectives

• Understand resources available
• The technological learning environment, time
  management, software savvy, computer comfort,
  personal motivation, and synthesis may be as
  important as skills required in a traditional
  classroom (Upcraft Goldsmith, 2000).

9
Student Affairs Objectives

• Collaboration
• the group can know and accomplish more than the
  individual,the individual can be advanced
  through the resources available in the group,the
  group advances at rate faster than the sum of
  individual effort,this increased group
  advancement in turn advances the individual in a
  greatly accelerated manner (Anderson Colvin,
  2003).

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Student Affairs Objectives

• Be the expert
• SA professionals should be the authority on their
  students technological environment and their
  learning process
• The possibilities are endless only limited by
  educators imagination and willingness to think
  in the new medium (Dadabhov, 2001).
• Research and review
• Respond to the concept that different conditions
  provide different learning opportunities

11
Learning Outcomes

• Foster transition from multiplicity to
  relativism, according to Perrys theory of
  intellectual and ethical development
• Knowledge is now viewed more qualitatively it is
  contextually defined, based on evidence and
  supporting arguments (Evans et al, 1998).

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Learning Outcomes

• Understand challenges, limitations, benefits,
  disadvantages and ethical problems posed with new
  technology
• Understand how technology can enhance education,
  interaction, discussion, collaboration.
• Gain knowledge of various specific uses of
  technology to enhance areas of student affairs

13
Learning Outcomes

• Challenge and support Knefelkamp and Widicks
  Developmental Instruction Model
• Experiential learning relates to the
  concreteness, directness, and involvement
  contained in learning activities (L)earnings
  purpose is to help students make connections to
  the subject matter. (Evans et al, 1998)

14
Learning Outcomes

• Experiment with various uses of new technology
  and different learning techniques
• Gain general knowledge on portal technology and
  the possibilities of its application and use in
  student affairs

15
Course Structure

• 14 week course, meets one day per week for a
  three hour class
• Experience wide array of technology
• The syllabus is outlined week-by-week,
  highlighting
• Weekly topics
• Justification for topics
• Assignments

16
Assignments

• Email etiquette project
• Small group discussion board
• Weekly 10- minute presentations
• Article postings
• Research component
• Portal development project and presentation
• Final exam

17
Email Etiquette Project

• During first class, address current technology
• Email
• IM
• Assign case study that requires professional
  email response
• Due within the week via email to instructor

18
Small Groups

• During first class, divide into collaborative
  learning groups (2-3 students)
• Groups will work together all semester on all
  assignments
• Assigned online group discussion board
• Each group assigned one of ten divisions of
  students affairs for semester

19
Small Groups

• Groups will each focus on one of the following
  areas

• Housing
• Admissions
• Career Services
• Health/Counseling Services
• Financial Aid

• Multicultural Services
• Judicial Services
• Recreation Services
• Student Affairs Faculty
• Orientation Staff

20
Small Group Discussion

• Discussion board assigned to each collaborative
  group
• Used to discuss weekly presentation topics
• Venue for developing long-term research project
• Instructor monitors for quality of discussion

21
Weekly Technology Topics

• Each week instructor discusses new technology
  topic applicable to higher ed.
• Small groups research the weeks topic as related
  to their division of Student Affairs
• Report back during next weeks class
• How is area currently using technology
• How could they be
• Supply one supporting article

22
Weekly Technology Presentations

• 3-4 groups present each week
• Not expected to be formal
• 10-15 minutes in length
• Research and report include
• Articles
• Conversations with faculty, staff, students
• Observation

23
Article Postings

• Articles referenced during weekly presentations
  should be posted to Class database of articles
• Database is part of web space assigned to class
• Articles to be retrieved by interested parties in
  class

24
Research Component

• Semester-long research in small group areas
• Determine how each division could become a
  successful part of portal community
• Research instrument can be survey, interview or
  other type
• Present results in final project during last
  three weeks of semester
• Supplement results with written research report

25
Portal Development Project
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Portal Development Project

• To understand the portal concept and how it could
  apply to higher education
• Gain knowledge on portal technology
• Small groups then look at portal concept in
  relation to their area of Student Affairs
• Conduct research with faculty, staff and students
• What technology is working
• What is not
• What is needed

27
Final Exam

• One essay question requiring synthesis of
  materials
• Individually completed outside of class and
  submitted via email

28
Week-By-Week Syllabus
29
Week 1 - Introduction

• Purpose To introduce students to the nature of
  technology within Student Affairs and to orient
  them to the framework of the class.
• Focus
• History of Technology in Student Affairs
• Overview of Current Technology in Student Affairs
  (Email, IM)

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Introduction

• Assignments
• Divide students into project groups which they
  will be working with all semester.
• Groups will focus on a specific area of Student
  Affairs and technologys role in that area.
• These groups will be responsible for brief
  presentations throughout the course and a final
  cumulative presentation.

31
Week 2 - Intro to Portal Concept

• Supports vision of knowledge management in higher
  education
• Single, fully-integrated, enterprise-wide system
  (Taggart, 2004)
• Unifies access point for institutions services
  and resources
• Provides the best service to date
• Allows for user personalization of resources

32
Portal Concept - Services

• Financial aid services
• Orientation
• Registration
• Chat rooms
• Access to faculty
• Purchasing tickets
• Library Resources

• Health Center
• E-mail
• Instant Messaging
• Data storage
• Assignments
• Virtual counseling sessions
• Distance learning classes

33
Portal Personalization

• Must provide sense of community to users
• View personalized to each user
• Requires paradigm shift for universities
• Should be primary source of information
• (Taggart, 2004)

34
Portals and Student Affairs

• Unites all facets of an organization
• Should aid in mission to develop whole student
  (Student Personnel Point of View, 1937)
• Should increase student learning (Student
  Learning Imperative, 1994)
• Reinforces connection with student body

35
Portals and Student Affairs

• Twenty years ago, traditional classroom
  instruction was the norm. Now its not unusual
  to find a student taking two traditional courses,
  one course on television and two on the computer.
  Today a single mother can take a class at 10
  p.m. when her children are asleep. Weve come a
  long way, but the bottom line is that learning
  comes first and we have to enhance that process
  whenever we can. (Cox, Matthews Associates,
  2003)

36
Week 3 - Cyber Ethics

• The right and wrong of computer and Internet use
  (Kruger, 2003)
• Easy to commit crimes
• Crimes include
• File-sharing
• Plagiarism
• Software Piracy
• Students must understand the consequences.

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Cyber Ethics

• Teach by example
• Raise issues with students
• Opportunity for student development
• Developing integrity
• Moral development

38
Week 4 - Technology Changes in Student Affairs

• Purpose Review the impact technology is making
  on expectations for Student Affairs divisions
• Focus
• Provision of Services
• Creation of Community
• Development Resources

39
Technology Changes in Student Affairs

• Provision of Services
• Technology is a great assistance to providing
  student service functions
• There are few things that cant be translated
  from physical to virtual environment
• Creation of Community
• Web portals provide a good tool to create a
  virtual community

40
Technology Changes in Student Affairs

• Development Resources
• WCET National leader helping states and
  institutions use technology for improved
  education
• New Student Services Guidelines
• Guide to Developing Online student services
• Educuase To advance higher education by
  promoting the intelligent use of information
  technology
• Effective Practices Solutions database

41
Week 5 - Desktop Applications and Personal
Technology

• General Administration Applications vs
  Applications Specific to Student Affairs Areas
• Existing and Emerging Applications and Uses
• Encouragement to collaboration
• Enhancement with Personal Technology

42
Desktop Applications and Personal Technology

• Focus
• Software Applications
• Mobile Computing and Personal Technology in
  Student Affairs
• Adapting to Constant Changes in Technology

43
Week 6 - Web Services and Resources

• Selection of applicable and beneficial resources
• Re-directing (integration, re-use) vs. direct
  offering
• Research existing and emerging web services and
  resources for different areas in student affairs
• Variety of resources and services for different
  individual needs
• Presentation Format

44
Web Services and Resources

• Enhance collaboration
• Web services are objects data, or applications
  that can be connected, integrated, or re-used
  regardless of where or how they are used on the
  Web (Syllabus, 2004).

45
Week 7 - Collaboration and Technology in Student
Affairs

• An effective student affairs division attempts to
  make seamless what are often perceived by
  students to be disjointed, unconnected
  experiences. (Student Learning Imperative, 1994)

46
Collaboration and Technology in Student Affairs

• Current uses and possibilities of technology for
  collaboration.
• Limitations and Challenges
• Necessity of collaboration on collaboration
  techniques
• Process of converting non-technological
  collaboration techniques to an technological
  implementation.

47
Week 8 - Distance Learning

• Purpose Highlight the dramatic increase of
  distance learning participation
• (H)igher education is experiencing a paradigm
  shift, where the old paradigm of discreet
  educational experiences is being replaced with
  the new paradigm of continuous learning (Edwards,
  2003).

48
Distance Learning

• Colleges are offering more distance learning
  courses
• Focus
• Pros Cons of distance education
• Factors that contribute to success or failure of
  students
• Student characteristics
• Life factors
• Institutional factors

49
Distance Learning

• Standards
• Accreditation Fundamental purpose to assure
  quality of the program
• DoEd Department of Higher Education
• CHEA Council for HE Accreditation
• NACADA National Academic Advising Association
• CAS The Counsel for the Advancement of Standards
  in Higher Education

50
Week 9 - Online Chat

• Spending time chatting with friends or Internet
  acquaintances is healthy and natural in today's
  world. Logging hours online, while not a
  substitute for face-to-face interactions, can
  produce some of the same benefits as other
  humanistic activities (Brown, 2002).

51
Online Chat

• First-hand knowledge of online chat
• Continue development of final projects
• Advantages and disadvantages of online chat

52
Week 10 - Technology and Funding

• Purpose In the wake of budget crises in higher
  education, student affairs professionals must be
  prepared to seek their own funding for programs
  and further technological development.
  Technological resources can greatly further this
  endeavor.

53
Technology and Funding

• Focus
• Technological resources useful in obtaining
  funding
• Necessity of funding to advance technology

54
Week 11 - Video Conference

• Introduce students to institution with portal
• Lehigh/Notre Dame partnering to implement
  enterprise-wide portal
• Personalizing portal applications to meet needs
  of students
• Working with departments to develop useful portal
  applications
• Is the portal a success?
• Changes that would improve project
• (Taggart, 2004)

55
Weeks 12, 13 14 - Final Project Presentations

• The final project is designed to be a culmination
  of all that the students have learned about the
  current technological practices and identified
  needs of their particular area of Student Affairs

56
Final Project Presentations

• In their groups students will give a
  comprehensive presentation including
• Current technological trends in their area
• Technological needs for their area
• Portal functions that would be necessary for
  their area
• An evaluation of how this technology will affect
  students and campus community

57
Conclusion

• As this transformation progresses, student
  affairs professionals need to acquire the skills
  and knowledge necessary to use emerging
  technologies to design and deliver programs,
  enhance communication, and facilitate learning.
  This changing technology will redefine the
  environment in which we work, impact the policies
  and practices that govern our work, and demand
  that we as a profession, engage in continuous
  learning about technology that will serve the
  best interests of students. (Upcraft Goldsmith,
  2000)

58
Resources

• American College Personnel Association. (1994).
  The student learning imperative Implications for
  student affairs. Washington, DC Author.
• American Council on Education. (1994a). The
  student personnel point of view. In A. L. Rentz
  (Ed.), Student affairs A professions heritage
  (American College Personnel Association Media
  Publication No. 40, 2nd ed., pp. 66-77). Lanham,
  MD University Press of America. (Original work
  published 1937)
• Anderson, J. A., Colvin, J. W. (2003).
  Partnership-directed education a focus on
  technology. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 7 (1),
  34-43.
• Brown, Stuart. (2002). Building virtual
  communities - one cyberhug at a time. Palmetto
  Practitioner. Retrieved February 12, 2004 from
  www.sa.sc.edu/sccpa/palmetto/P2002.htm
• Cox, Matthews Associates. (2003). Tailoring
  technology to student needs. Community College
  Week, 15 (16), 8-9.

59
Resources

• Dadabhov, Z. (2001).Distance learning and a well
  rounded education A Dichotomy? Retrieved October
  30, 2003 from http//studentaffairs.com/ejournal/S
  pring_2001/policy.htm
• Edwards, K. (2003). Impact of Technology on
  College Recruitment and Retention. Student
  Affairs Online, 4(4). Retrieved 10/30/03 from
  http//studentaffairs.com/ejournal/Fall_2003/Impac
  tofTechnology.htm
• Gates, B., Myhrvold, N., Rinearson, P. (1995).
  The Road Ahead. New York, NT Wiking Penguin.
• Gatz, L. B., Hirt, J.B. (2000). Academic and
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• Harnisch, D.L. (1999).  Technology and teachers
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60
Resources

• Integrated Information Systems for the Campus.
  (2004). Syllabus Magazine. Retrieved February 10,
  2004 from http//www.syllabus.com/article.asp?id8
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• Jackson, S.A. (2004). Ahead of the curve Future
  shifts in higher education. EDUCAUSE Review,
  39(1), 10- 18.
• Kruger, R. (2003). Discussing cyber ethics with
  students is critical. The Social Studies, 94 (4),
  188-190.
• Serim, F. (2003). Planning for growth
  indentifying needs and focusing resources for
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• Taggart, B. (2004) Portal integration and a
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• Upcraft. M. L., Goldsmith, H. (2000).
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