Technology and Student AffairsCourtney BrownLinda Jameison

Emily MooreCathy Stevens

Clemson UniversityFebruary 13, 2004

Introduction• Proposed new class on technology and

student affairs• Course justification• Objectives

• Student Affairs• Learning Outcomes

• Course Structure• Assignments• Weekly Outline

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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

Learning Outcomes

Foster transition from multiplicity to relativism, according to Perry’s 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).

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

Learning Outcomes

Challenge and support: Knefelkamp and Widick’s Developmental Instruction Model Experiential learning relates to the

concreteness, directness, and involvement contained in learning activities… (L)earning’s purpose is to help students make connections to the subject matter. (Evans et al, 1998)

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

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

Assignments

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

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

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

Small Groups

Housing Admissions Career Services Health/Counseling

Services Financial Aid

Multicultural Services Judicial Services Recreation Services Student Affairs Faculty Orientation Staff

Groups will each focus on one of the following areas:

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

Weekly Technology Topics

Each week instructor discusses new technology topic applicable to higher ed.

Small groups research the week’s topic as related to their division of Student Affairs

Report back during next week’s class How is area currently using technology How could they be Supply one supporting article

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

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

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

Portal Development Project

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

Final Exam

One essay question requiring synthesis of materials

Individually completed outside of class and submitted via email

Week-By-Week Syllabus

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)

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 technology’s role in that area.

These groups will be responsible for brief presentations throughout the course and a final cumulative presentation.

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 institution’s services and resources

Provides the best service to date Allows for user personalization of resources

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

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)

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

Portals and Student Affairs

Twenty years ago, traditional classroom instruction was the norm. Now it’s 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. We’ve 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)

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.

Cyber Ethics

Teach by example Raise issues with students Opportunity for student development

Developing integrity Moral development

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

Technology Changes in Student Affairs

Provision of Services Technology is a great assistance to providing

student service functions There are few things that can’t be translated

from physical to virtual environment Creation of Community

Web portals provide a good tool to create a virtual community

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

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

Desktop Applications and Personal Technology

Focus: Software Applications Mobile Computing and Personal Technology

in Student Affairs Adapting to Constant Changes in Technology

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

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).

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)

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.

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).

Distance Learning

Colleges are offering more distance learning courses

Focus: Pro’s & Con’s of distance education Factors that contribute to success or failure of

students Student characteristics Life factors Institutional factors

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

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).

Online Chat

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

chat

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.

Technology and Funding

Focus: Technological resources useful in obtaining

funding Necessity of funding to advance technology

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)

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

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

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)

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 profession’s 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.

Resources

Dadabhov, Z. (2001).Distance learning and a well rounded education: A Dichotomy? Retrieved October 30, 2003 from http://studentaffairs.com/ejournal/Spring_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/ImpactofTechnology.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 social integration in cyberspace: Students and e-mail.  The Review of Higher Education, 23(3), 299-318.

Harnisch, D.L. (1999).  Technology and teachers: Issues in getting connected to IT.  National Institute of Multicultural Education.  Retrieved February 12, 2004, from: http://www.nime.ac.jp/conf99/pre/Harnisch.paper/Harnisch.html

Resources

Integrated Information Systems for the Campus. (2004). Syllabus Magazine. Retrieved February 10, 2004 from http://www.syllabus.com/article.asp?id=8865

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 professional development. Multimedia Schools, 10 (2), 6-10.

Taggart, B. (2004) Portal integration and a scalable, flexible enterprise system. Syllabus Magazine. Retrieved February 10, 2004, from: www.syllabus.com/article.asp?id=8866.

Upcraft. M. L., Goldsmith, H. (2000). Technological changes in student affairs administration. In M. J. Barr, M. K. Desler & Assc. (Ed.), The Handbook of Student Affairs Administration (pp. 216-228). San Fracisco: Jossey-Bass.