Q & A on the need for Social Media Policies in Colleges and Universities

Are there any institutional risk for University staff or faculty using social media? if so what are they?

The risks are the same as for staff and faculty who have cell phones, email and Internet accounts, and are otherwise provided with opportunities to engage the general public. The good news is that most staff and faculty in higher education seem to feel they are in a gated community and don't reach out the public much. The bad news is that those who do have the tendency to forget they are representing the University and may even give indications of their personal biases that are in direct conflict with the purpose of the University, their academic department, and their co-workers.

How is the educational system using or not using social media to advance education?

Some departments (especially those involved in recruiting and placement) are finding ways to engage with the global residents that populate the world of social media. Unfortunately, those who don't are missing out, and so are their students. Individually, those responsible for the mind-stretching of today's students fall short in their understanding of how to reach them. This problem was seen long before social media, so it should not be too much of a shock.

Do you see Educational Institutions incorporating the use of social media policies? If so why?

I see some of them in the beginning stages, but with so few of the decision makers having a grasp on what social media is, their efforts are expected (by cynics like me) to miss the mark and either over-protect or under-protect the institution. For now, I think we could adapt the current policies on communication to the world of social media like the law has adapted controls on telecommunication designed for the telephone to the use of the Internet.

What are you seeing in terms of other Universities using social media? Do any of them have policies?

The Universities that have been forward-thinking are forward-thinking and those in Higher Education who have made a point to reach out to the community appear to be continuing that practice. If you look at social media like a location where prospective, current, and former students hang out (think mall or coffee shop) then you realize the effort it takes for some to reach the point where they 1) see the need to adjust and 2) make the effort to do so. There are the makings of social media policies in a small number of Universities. These should be wiki-like (not written in stone) so as to make use of the social media space without limiting opportunities for learning.

What impact will social media have on the educational process, the relationships between institutions and teachers, teachers and students, etc.

As I wrote in The Emergence of The Relationship Economy, "The Internet has served to circumvent (or reinvent) these imbalanced, power-based relationships by removing the restrictions and leveling the playing field for those who seek information." The piece of the Internet on which social media stakes its claim has uprooted the decades-long practice of information hoarding. Those in Higher Education who base their sense of authority on the control of information will see a rapid degradation of their power base. Those who intentionally and regularly share their knowledge (and happen to be compensated for it) will see an increase in the number of those listening and a duplication and multiplication of their power base.

What issues should Universities have covered in a social media policy?

I think that University policymakers need to examine their current policies and adapt them for this new location. For many, there will be a period of growth and the ongoing adjustment that will require allowing staff and faculty to make mistakes and learn from them.

Do all Universities have a need to address social media?

No, only those that plan to be in business past 2015. Ironically, the style and substance of social media is very similar to the interactive learning environment that online learning requires. This type of learning is growing, especially among non-traditional learners, and the for-profit and private institutions of higher education seem to be the thought leaders in this area. Those who don't plan to have a social media presence will be restricted to the old methods of communication and relationship building. That may work for a few who cater to the older Gen-X and some Baby Boomers, but for those who want to provide a real learning environment to the here and growing Gen-Y (also known as Millenials), yesterday was the right time to get it together.

Connections outside of our field

I've long been an advocate of reaching outside our own little world to 1) make connections and 2) see how many of those connections become friends. In my never ending quest for learning and, more recently, learning about learning, I am reading a book recommended to me by someone who 1) became a connection in my primary field (the criminal justice discipline) and 2) has since become a colleague and friend.

The book is entitled "Toward Improving PhD Programs." I must say that I avoided reading for some time as I have an all-consuming nature (at least that's what I call the obsessive character trait that causes me to read a book to its conclusion, especially one on a topic I am interested in).

Of interest to me was the passage (p. 124) that says:

. . . graduate students usually associate only with those who are working in their field . . . it would be very beneficial if they could be brought into contact with graduate students who are working in totally different subjects.

What do you think?

Hollis, E. V. (1945). Toward improving Ph.D. programs. Washington, D. C.: American Council on Education.

So, how did you get started... and what difference has it made?

The road to wherever here is . . .

So I was on my Google Reader, minding my own business in the passive reading mode, when I was provoked . . . in a good way.

Tony Karrer did a pass-along inquiry for Karyn Romeis and I just had to respond. The reason I am answering here is three-fold. First, posting on a blog allows links and that makes the post less cluttered (and, ultimately, shorter). Second, I have two blogs that relate to this topic and maneuvering between them would make me (and probably you, the reader) dizzy. Third, I noticed it's been a while since I posted here (though my other blog has been pretty active lately), so I figured I'd kill 3 birds with 1 stone.

And the ability to spread link-love helped push me over the edge . . .

Hi Karyn,

Here's my answers to your basic questions:

* How did you get started with social media?

I started this adventure for very basic reasons, which I detailed a while back in a post entitled How I got started on Social Networking (MySpace, LinkedIn, and Facebook edition. The short version is that I had teen sons & college students in the space and I wanted to know more about it. The exposure to (or increased use of) YouTube and Google Video, Twitter, and Skype seemed to come naturally.

* What was your introduction, and how did the journey unfold?

I started out slow, focusing more on LinkedIn for professional reasons. If it wasn't for the brilliance of the embedded follow-up, I think that sight might have lost me. As you see from the previous answer, I felt that a MySpace presence was required, and Facebook seemed like a great way to get to know my students.

I began getting a feel for how these sites were fitting into my life here, and began thinking about how business could be done in this new market - documented initially here. I documented other parts of the journey in my initial thoughts regarding a police-only networking site here.
I once (well, maybe more than once) got a little overzealous while growing my network and got a serious warning from the friend police at Facebook. I have since matured, and shared my findings in two organized academic presentations (in 2007, and 2008), and on LinkedIn.

I've gotten more creative in my "thinking out loud" and posted a couple of quasi-fables (actually recreations - here and here - the first is my favorite, but it's a bit longer than average). Some of my thoughts on how social media can enhance business are here.

* What difference has it made in your professional practice?

I consider things differently. Never before did I (in the middle of a conversation) say, and think, "That would make a great blog post!."

I hadn't yet written a book (paper here, free e-book here), I hadn't created a global police cross-platform network, and I didn't blog before social networking enticed me (and now I can't quit). I also wasn't previously involved with a global collaborative project like Link To Your World, and I hadn't yet figured out the need to assist those in business with understanding social media, so Link To Your Education wasn't even a thought . . .

And I've met and conversed with some really great people!

I, am in the beginning phases of my dissertation, as well, and intend to post it for access wherever, whenever. I haven't yet decided whether blog or wiki is the better media . . .

What do you think?

time to process, unpack, and apply!

Just finished @itconference08, now to make sure all that learning doesn't get wasted.

Things I learned before, during and after (not necessarily in order of priority or importance):

- you can claim your Twitter account on Technorati

- I take notes better with a laptop

- Twitter Vision is cool to watch -- like a game of ping pong

- what many in education 2.0 (two-way communication) are doing is really education 3.0 (collaborative group communication)

- the world really is flat.

- wireless mobile devices (WMD) are just something I think will take over the learning environment

- PowerPoint slideshows are not teleprompters

- we need to shift the locus of learning (.pdf link)

- FirstMonday.org moved to the U of I-C

- Facebook has 25 Apps That Are Perfect for Online Education

- there are simple ways to add friends on Twitter

- CrunchBase is a new (free) directory of technology companies, people, and investors that anyone can edit.

- digital ethnography is powerful



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g

What do you think?

Hi-tech Mid-South educators

OK, so I'm at the13th Annual Instructional Technology conference here in Nashville and the featured speaker is about to begin and I see an @itconference08 on the screen. Hey -- that looks like a Twitter address, I think silently (in case I'm the only one that speaks Twitter). Right after that was instructions on how to get on the WLAN, so I slide out my PPC phone and hit the site and they have (now that I'm following them) 5 followers. Not good, I think.

And then I see that they aren't following anyone back. And then I see that the last 4 (actually first four, as well) posts were April 6, March 19, March 18, and March 18. And there are hundreds of people here -- on April 7th!!!

OK, so I am not in Silicon Valley . . . but shouldn't we have like some fairly regular posts just to see if someone responds. There admittedly are only a few Twitterers within 20 miles of Murfreesboro (the home of MTSU) according to TwitterLocal, but . . .

Help me out -- there's still tomorrow -- check out http://twitter.com/itconference08 and follow them!

If you'd like to make sure they get the message - @itconference08 and @carterfsmith and I'll make sure to pass it on.

What do you think?

21st Century Roman video

Just now getting this finished -- sometimes the to-do list gets overwhelming.

This is the video of the recorded presentation of When in Rome - teaching 21st century students using 21st century tools, posted previously, complete with interaction (the only way to present).



It's from the 12th Annual Instructional Technology conference last April. The 13th starts tomorrow -- so I figured it was time to get this completed (since I just figured out how).

What do you think?

LinkedIn Questions & Answers -- Higher Education

I was crafting another LinkedIn question and happened across some previous answers I posted to a recurring theme (and corresponding position). I first got involved in the LinkedIn Questions and Answers when a student of mine asked if there was "this much" interaction outside the walls of academia (my courses, both face-to-face and online, are very interactive).

I'll post only the most recent response, but both questions. There's a link to each if you want to follow up. IN either case, check out my LinkedIn profile, and connect with me if I can assist you in your professional endeavors.

Outstanding classroom spaces

What are, in your opinion, some of the best classroom and training facility spaces you have seen? What constitutes a condusive learning space for you, in terms of space, layout, presentation utilities (boards, projectors), integration of technology, etc. Do you have examples of colleges or corporations with outstanding classroom facilities? Please share.

My favorite conducive learning space is one where a facilitator (instructor, professor, teacher, etc.) and participants (students, scholars, etc.) are able to engage, in an environment that encourages learning and is unrestricted by man-made boundaries. The best learning spaces are actually hybrids - with a live and online interface.

Here's why this is so powerful. In the "normal" class, we break up on a Thursday, having had several stimulating discussions during class. On Friday, one of the students sees a news article (or re-reads the chapter or article we were discussing, or talks with a co-worker), and the light bulb goes on over their head regarding the topic discussed the previous afternoon/evening (meaning they "got it"). By Tuesday, he or she has forgotten the original point made during class, and nothing in that (Tuesday) class discussion seems to be an appropriate place to bring it up, so he or she doesn't. Note that in this scenario, the learning opportunities are limited.

In the unlimited learning environment, or "hybrid" (live teaching supplemented with online interactivity) class, the same student reads the same information on Friday. He or she logs in to the Virtual Classroom, and posts the website of the news article, the page/paragraph number of what he read, etc., and says something like, "when we were discussing the possibility that terrorists were funding their operations with drug money, is this what you were talking about?" Another student then responds with a clarification, "not all funding is from drug money," and another, "and not all terrorist organizations have access to drug money." Another posts another link with an explanation, and a fifth posts a counter-position.

Do you see the difference?

This all happens before the weekend even begins, and every student that logs on (even if they don't post) is reminded of what we discussed in the previous class. The professor shows up for class on Tuesday and begins to set up while everyone else has already started reviewing the material from the last class! Honestly, how likely is that with the traditional classroom?

Another reason I feel this is an excellent tool is that there are some students (often referred to as triple type A personalities) who need no encouragement to participate in class. Others (perhaps more introverted) feel more comfortable thinking about their response before they "go public." The discussion board allows for quality participation by both -- kind of like the Answers section here at LinkedIn.

Does that make sense?

see also E-learning and taking courses online...Like it? Love it? Hate it? Why? If you don't like it - could anything be done to make it better?

And, related to the previous post . . . see this question:

Best advice about networking to students?

Dear all,

In a few weeks I will be speaking to a class of students at the University of Applied Sciences in Krems, Austria. I have been given 2 hours to present the ins and outs of networking. I see this as a very limited time, and ask for your help: If you were to give just one piece of advice about networking what would it be?

I recently presented to faculty my thoughts on the use of Social Networking in the education process, which I think most of the students may already be engaged in, making your presentation a logical extension of their current application. Here are some excerpts, and the link to the paper and presentation (the references are listed there,as well). Let me know if it helps.

Social networks are a powerful foundation from which to develop group identity and cohesion. Social networks are often examined in the context of the small world phenomenon – everyone in the world is accessible through a “short chain of social acquaintances” (Milgram, S., 1967, as cited in Finin, et al., 2005, p. 422)

Many in higher education are using, or to some extent evaluating the use of, contemporary social networking technology such as MySpace or Facebook (Carnevale, 2006; Lamb & Johnson, 2006; Lindenberger, 2006).

Social networking sites allow a personal form of regularly-used communication, much like a mobile phone number or personal email address. With social networking sites, meeting and getting to know people
with whom one shares interests or contacts is not limited by time and space. These sites provide the ability to build a trusted community, which becomes useful to facilitate the introductions of others without being present, share one’s opinions about specific items and events, and share news and information with a pre-screened and pre-selected group of people – simultaneously. The technology allows groups with similar interests to form and share information and ideas in both synchronous and asynchronous communication.

Social networking sites for professionals are a likely extension into the professional world for use by faculty and alumni to maintain contact. Implementing the use of social networks while students attend college would allow faculty to maintain contact with those students as they go
out into the community following graduation. Using social networks to stay in contact with graduates would increase the value of the faculty-student relationship, and might lead to a more loyal cadre of alumni. The perceived value to alumni could be reflected in their loyalty to the university, as demonstrated by a partnership in areas like employment of later graduates, support for athletic organizations, and financial contributions.

Carter
http://www.linkedin.com/in/carterfsmith

I have enough material myself to fill closer to 3hrs, so it's not knowledge I'm lacking, but I thought your advice might help me to prioritise right.

When in Rome - teaching 21st century students using 21st century tools

Here's a link to the ERIC site where my presentation and paper "When in Rome - teaching 21st century students using 21st century tools" is stored.

ED496202 - Engaging the Learner. Annual Instructional Technology Conference (12th, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, April 1-3, 2007)

The slideshow is here.

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