They are different, but how???

Students walking about today’s campus of higher education are different than twenty, even ten years ago. How exactly are they different? Namely technology and the advances that have taken place in their lifetime. Digital Technology emerged in their lifetime and became an everyday convenience, as opposed to earlier decades of students. Mark Prensky refers to these students as “Digital Natives” (2001). Digital Natives grew up with a computer in the home, access to the Internet, cell phones that weren’t attached to a charger in a bag that had to be left in your personal vehicle.

S. Craig Watkins, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin, when questioned, noted that these students are now “walking in armed with technology, from their mobile phone to laptops”. (Beja, 2009).

Beja, M. (2009). How Students, Professors, and Colleges Are, and Should Be, Using Social Media. Wired Campus - The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/how-students-professorscolleges-areshould-be-using-social-media/7787. (2009, August 24).

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon, 9 (5).

A Vision of Students Today

At first glance, this youtube video didn't seem give me what I was searching for. However, in its on way, it had a powerful impact in expressing the nature of students today in relation to technology, the classroom, and communications. Obviously, the world we operate in today is different than yesterday, but what are we going to do as administrators to keep up?

Don't call me, I'll won't call you

Check out this very insightful article posted in the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/fashion/20Cultural.html?_r=1


I left my home this morning without my cell phone and felt lost. What did we do before? I tell you, we were just unavailable sometimes. I am always interested in what is going on with communications, media, and technology and find any insight in to trends helps me to adapt personally and professionally.

"According to Nielsen Media, even on cellphones, voice spending has been trending downward, with text spending expected to surpass it within three years."

Paul, P. (2011). Don’t Call Me, I Won’t Call You. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/fashion/20Cultural.html?_r=1. (2011, March 18).

What is the hype with Facebook?

Who hasn’t heard about the social media site, Facebook? It is everywhere we look and when asked how someone learned something, might we be safe to say they would reply, “I saw it on Facebook”. Facebook is used by both individuals and organizations to share information that is both work related and for personal interest (Kappan, 2010). Individuals, groups, organizations, businesses, etc. may disseminate information in a text, link, photo, or video, and share with whom they like; all through their personal account. In addition, Facebook provides a resource for individuals to carry on instantaneous messaging, and internal email without leaving the site.

In addition, “groups and organizations can establish collective pages, ” (Kappan, 2010) which provides two additional avenues to reach others with the same interest. Users can create a group page, or a fan page. The group page allows a platform for those of shared interest, any user, to converse and share information. The fan page is an opportunity to establish a professional presence, mainly by an official representative.

User settings provide a level of security that assist permission and controls of interactions between users. What is amazing is that the user interface is continually changing, some updates for good, some not so good, and users are able to adapt quickly to the communication techniques utilized.


Ewbank, A., Foulger, T. S., & Carter, H. L. (2010). Red Bull, Starbucks, and the Changing Face of Teacher Education. Phi Delta Kappan, 92(2), 25-28. Retrieved from EBSCOhost on February 15, 2011.

Sense of Community On-Campus

An outsider to Higher Education may think that campuses of higher learning would be a haven for social media use; however, that is not the case. A report by Ewbank, Foulger, and Carter (2010), remarks that instead, teachers used social media primarily for personal communications, not those of an academic nature. In reviewing one campuses Facebook page it was determined that a majority of communication referred to accomplishments, press releases, and that the fans were mostly its own faculty and staff (Ewbank, Foulger, & 2010).

So, does this type of presence instill a sense of community in the campus? Probably not.

What is Social Media?

According to Wikipedia, “social media” are for social interaction, using highly accessible communication techniques. Interactive dialogue within the crossroads of web-based and mobile technologies encompasses what social media is all about. It is a dynamic blend of technology and social interaction that is relatively inexpensive and accessible to individuals of all backgrounds, education status, and socioeconomic background.

In its raw beginning social media was used as a means for individuals to communicate on personal interest and stay connected with friends, family, and co-horts. Now information is disseminated through these avenues not only for personal interest but, to educate, inform, survey, assemble, and protest everything from classroom curriculum, family updates, and breaking news.

It is no longer necessary to watch the 5:30 news broadcast to get up-to-date on community and national headlines. Nor is it necessary to pick up a phone and call to confirm a dinner reservation, a date, or communicate with professors or a fellow student. Social media takes communicating to a entirely new level.

Note to readers, Wikipedia is not known to visitors as social media, but in many respects this outlet too has an interactive component that, in many classrooms and noted by many professors, creates questionable references.

Social Media. (n.d.) Retrieved from Wikipedia on March 10, 2011.
Wiki:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media

Social Media on Campuses of Higher Education

It is a slow go, but social media has made its presence in classrooms on many campuses of higher education. Faculty are utilizing media outlets to communicate with students and a significant increase is occurring in incorporating curriculum dissemination too.

Question is....is social media a good outlet for encouraging student engagement and involvement? This blog will look at varying social media applications, their uses, and the potential for grabbing the attention of the techno-savvy college students.