Student Affairs and Technology

Let's begin with a hypothetical scenario*: When an individual Twitter account increases from having 3,000 followers to more than 20,000, one might think that that particular account was benefiting from some sort of notoriety. However, in this hypothetical situation, let's say that said Twitter account "magically" grows its following daily like clockwork.

When Cara Rousseau, social media manager for Duke University, emailed me about the new Duke University Admissions website, I was immediately intrigued. With a stated goal of wanting to "create a true-to-life Duke experience within the digital space" that focused on the "student voice and student-to-student interactions, the new site is mobile-ready and built upon quality storytelling.

Social media increases student engagement. How do I know this? Well, let's try an analogy. Let's say that you are a carpenter in the early 1900s. You have a certain toolkit that you use to go about your work. You build houses with said toolkit. Now, let's hop in a DeLorean to 2012. Carpentry is a totally different gig. The tools have changed…a lot. Big box stores provide ample selections of tools and all sorts of gadgets. Carpentry has evolved, in part, because the tools have made increases in efficiencies possible. In the sense that Student Affairs practitioners are like carpenters - instead of building houses - we build community, increase student engagement, and foster opportunities for student development.

2012 has been a confabulous year. Sure, that's a made up word, but you can get past that, right? Here's the deal, our "traditional" conference structures are bending. In between the usual annual conferences and regional events, some atypical meet-ups are taking place. Sometimes we call them "confabs" and/or "unconferences," but they are different…and I think that's a good thing.

Social media have been a frequent topic on this blog. With ample angles to cover, social media provide an endless supply of questions, ideas, and conversations. Recently, while consulting with a school about their Student Affairs social media strategy, I wrote down a list of words that popped up during our conversations.

There are moments with this blog that feel an awful lot like that scene in The Matrix where Neo experiences deja vu. While I can't do a proper "whoa" like Keanu Reeves, I should at least acknowledge the endless thread that I am always thinking about: "Where does Student Affairs learn about technology…at least from the formal sense?" Having been through a Student Affairs masters-level graduate program, and chatted with countless other SA grads, I am uncertain as to where our knowledge of technology springs forth.

During the extravaganza known as Blackboard World, I was asked to share "the best piece of advice that a teacher ever gave me." Pondering the question for a moment, my thoughts turned to someone who I've always thought of as my favorite teacher. To most people, his name was Clyde. For me, he'll always be known as Grandpa. My grandfather didn't go to a fancy college. His traditional education was limited in that he didn't graduate from high school. However, as the son of German immigrants who farmed land in Iowa, his learning was largely experiential. His financial acumen, knowledge of machinery, and wisdom were generated via decades of hands-on experience.

The big news (thanks Kayvon Beykpour!) from Wednesday's multi-speaker keynote at BbWorld (#BbW12) is that in September, students will have the capability of taking their mobile learning destiny into their own hands. Presently, mobile options for students who wish to use Mobile Learn exist at the institutional level.