Serving an iPod ® Nation Technology in Campus Environments

Serving an iPod® NationTechnology in Campus Environments Michael Elias Nicole Foster Jennifer Kopczynski Rose Sterling DePaul University

Are student affairs professionals prepared to deal with the complexities and issues associated with the growing development of technology? Providing technology training for student affairs professionals Ensuring student safety and confidentiality What about the impact it has on the delivery to traditional student affairs services and programs? Sacrificing personal interactions with students Proposing Questions

Purpose of this presentation • To address technology obstacles in the student affairs profession • To discuss an emerging student population embracing technology • To discuss the five “Hot Topics” in technology that the Student Affairs professionals need to be aware of in order to: • Foster stronger, more vibrant campus communities • Support students’ academic and personal growth • Increase student engagement in learning

Technology and Student Affairs • Obstacles: • Lack of educational preparation has made it difficult for some professionals to fully embrace electronic process use • Constant technological advances allow no time frame for professionals to adapt to already implemented and learned technology • Resistance to change from traditional approaches delay effectively learning technological systems • If Student Affairs professionals are to successfully meet the needs of today’s students (Millennial generation), we must stay abreast of technological innovations.

Characteristics of the Millennial generation (Coleman, Little, & Lester, 2006) : High comfort level with technology in all forms Described as the “connected” generation because technology has provided them with the capability of always staying connected with family, friends, and professors High expectations and demand for customer service since their needs are instantaneously gratified through technology In a Research Study on Student Technology Use at Penn State University (2001), students were asked to estimate the average number of hours per week they spent online doing class related work, using e-mail or instant messaging, in chat rooms, surfing the Internet,or communicating with faculty: Email: 4.91 Instant Messaging: 11.06 Chat rooms: 0.3 Surfing the Web: 6.35 Communicating with faculty: 1.03 Understanding the Millennial Generation and their Technology Usage

“Hot Topics” in Technology Online Counseling Web-Based College Admission Applications Videoconferencing Blogs Institutional Spam

Students’ Issues According to Gallagher’s annual survey of counseling centers (as cited in Brody, 2003) more than 80% of college campuses have noted significant increases in psychological problems, including severe stress, depression, anxiety and panic attacks. Kadison (2004) found that: 45% college students have experienced severe depression 10% have seriously considered suicide 64% have felt a sense of hopelessness 94% have felt overwhelmed at times Campus dilemma High need and demand for more mental health services; however, budget problems limit what institutions can provide. As a result: Not enough counselors for students to get quick attention Waiting list for counseling services have increased Quality of counseling services suffers Higher counselor burn-out rates “Hot Topic:” Online CounselingMental Health Crisis on College Campuses

“Hot Topic:” Online CounselingUsing Technology to Help Address Students’ Needs • Online Counseling, what is it? • A professional counselor or psychotherapist communicates with a client over the Internet to provide emotional support, mental health advice, or some other professional service. • Online counseling depends entirely on written (typed) out words. • Also known as: etherapy, ecounseling, cybertherapy, web counseling, and telecounseling.

“Hot Topic:” Online CounselingHow does Online Counseling Work? • The following are online tool options used to foster communication between counselor and client as part of the counseling process: • E-mail: • Typically used to initiate the online counseling process by completing an intake form, which includes the client’s presenting problem(s). This is known as the thoughtful process as it requires a lot of thought on what the client wants to express. • Instant Messaging (IM): • Allows counselor and client to conduct real-time chats without the wait of e-mail. • Chat Room: • Most popular use for online counseling. Similar to IM’ing, counselors and clients use the keyboard to type out their exchange in real time. • Videoconferencing: • Considered the wave of the future for online counseling. Allows the counselor and the client to see and hear one another in close to real time.

“Hot Topic:” Online CounselingWho would Online Counseling Work Best For? • A research study conducted by Leibert, Archer, Munson, York (2006) found that people who used online counseling tended to use the Internet for general purposes over 10 hours per week. Thus, online counseling could definitely benefit students as use of technology is part of today’s generation’s culture norm. • Also beneficial for: • Introverted people • Persons with disabilities • Individuals with anxiety disorders • Individuals with body image issues

“Hot Topic:” Online CounselingWhy Campuses should Embrace Online Counseling • To better serve an emerging generation for whom interaction via the Internet is a common practice. • To reach out to a student population that feasibly cannot or will not access traditional mental health services. • To provide a higher level of privacy or anonymity that will allow a greater level of client self-disclosure. • Convenient for both students and counselors • To better meet budget demands.

“Hot Topic:” Online CounselingTop 3 Disadvantages of Online Counseling • Confidentiality-- the possibility exists for breach of confidentiality of client information that is transmitted electronically over computer networks. • Lack of visual cues-- prevents counselor from picking up on important nonverbal behaviors. • Inability to intervene in crisis situations-- remote communication prevents immediate or emergency care in the event that a client tries to harm him/herself or others.

“Hot Topic:” Web-Based College Admission ApplicationsWeb-Based College Admission Applications • It is essential that colleges and universities recognize the technology trend of the Internet among our students. • The ultimate goal of any college’s Internet presence is to create a dialog with the prospective student (Hartman, 1998). • The College Bound Annual Admissions Trends Survey (2003) indicates that electronic applications have become major part of the admission process (Gifford, Perriott, & Mianzo, 2005). • In 2003, 98 percent of colleges surveyed accepted electronic applications. • Of these, 89 percent received more electronic applications than in 2002.

“Hot Topic:” Web-Based College Admission ApplicationsClick to Submit…. • Online applications are those in which the data is transmitted and stored electronically - a paperless system from student to institution. • Students complete admission application and click the computer mouse to submit versus completing paperwork required in traditional admission procedures. • Students are provided with an access code for an administrative site to check status of application. • The institution reviews the application and notifies applicant of decision. • Using the Internet for application submissions, puts the institution on the forefront of technological advancement. • Universities need to keep up with their constituents’ technological abilities. • Prospective students are familiar with the Internet and its functions, thus pushing the world of higher education into this technology trend to best serve the growth of both the students and institution.

“Hot Topic:” Web-Based College Admission ApplicationsBenefits of Web-Based College Admission Applications • Time-effective for students and institution. • Students pressed with deadlines have opportunity to bypass snail-mail and submit their application with the click of a button. • Institutions are able to receive, review, and decide on application minus the paperwork, keeping the process functioning on a higher level of organization. • Resource management (budgets, personnel). • Online applications do not replace Student Affairs personnel, but provide opportunities for technological development among staff members. • Takes institution into the Web-based technology trends commonly used by prospective students. • Creating an Internet Action Plan to help create funds and build campaigns around this concept enables the institution to keep up with technological advancements within higher education.

Availability of Web technology among prospective students. Socioeconomic status impacts accessibility to computers and latest technologies. Minority and ethnic groups may not have easy access. Possibility that students will submit a lesser-quality application when completed online (Gifford, Perriott, & Mianzo, 2005). With paper applications, counselors and parents serve as resources, which can be diminished with online applications. Security and privacy concerns about the process. Who reviews my application? How will I know it was received and processed? Student Affairs professionals may hesitate when moving towards Web-based technology for fear it will sacrifice personal interactions with students. Online applications will take the place of the student making the effort to contact the institution and request information or even visit the campus. Cost of training and implementation to provide service of Web-based applications. “Hot Topic:” Web-Based College Admission ApplicationsChallenges of Web-Based College Admission Applications

“Hot Topic:” VideoconferencingVideoconferencing Defined • Webopedia (2007e) stated that videoconferencing involves conducting a conference between two or more participants at different sites by using computer networks to transmit audio and video data. • Allows people to share ideas and information via document sharing and white-boarding (an electronic version of a blackboard). • Advanced technology in video compression has made videoconferencing affordable and usable. • Web cameras or Web cams are inexpensive and easy to install on any home or office computer. • Instead of purchasing a Web camera to videoconference, students or Student Affairs staff may be able to hook up a digital camera. • Free videoconferencing software is provided by Yahoo!

Student populations today expect campus-wide access to information technology. Students want electronic access to faculty and staff. Distance education students need access to the same services, education, and Student Affairs staff as on- campus students. Provides a medium for students to communicate with others who share their interests and experience the same challenges. Telecommunications provide expanded opportunities for the delivery of education and training. “Hot Topic:” VideoconferencingWhy Use Videoconferencing?“Two hundred heads are better than one.”

“Hot Topic:” VideoconferencingBenefits of Offering Videoconferencing Capabilities toStudents and Student Affairs Professionals • Conduct virtual meetings with students to enhance relationships with them. This could be especially useful when working with part-time and evening students, commuter students and students who are differently-abled. • Collaborate with other Student Affairs professionals, faculty and students at the national and international level. Minority student groups could communicate directly with each other across universities to collaborate efforts, build workshops, and promote awareness. • Professional Development seminars and key note speakers could be videoconferenced to multiple universities, student groups, and campus departments while saving time and travel costs. • Communicate directly with parents and other involved parties when handling issues on campus. • Verifies student identity when not able to communicate face to face. • Provide videoconferencing to enhance the university’s career center by allowing employers and students to conduct interviews. This will be especially helpful when students are looking to relocate after getting their degree. • Research on videoconferencing has shown that it can heighten motivation, improvecommunication, expand students connections with the outside world and increase depth of learning. • Expanded opportunities for community outreach and partnerships between the business community and the educational community.

“Hot Topic:” VideoconferencingThe Challenges of Videoconferencing • Issues with reliability, costs, compatibility, and ease of use. • Constantly having to manage technology so that it improves the environment and resources made available to students. • Small details such as eye movements and facial expressions are missed during videoconferencing. • Appropriate supervision is needed to ensure students, staff, and faculty are using technology for positive gains. • Could make establishing boundaries more difficult. • Research has shown that participants of a videoconferenced lecture or keynote speaker may lose interest more easily than if they were actually at the event. • Dependability of equipment (for example, small screens at a large lecture where not everyone has good visibility).

“Hot Topic:” VideoconferencingWhat’s the Bottom Line with Videoconferencing? • Videoconferencing could be used in residence halls, computer labs, libraries, and Student Affairs Offices. This capability can be seen as a selling point when recruiting students. • Among other areas mentioned, videoconferencing could be used in the Admissions Office to conduct initial interviews and with minority student groups to promote collaboration across universities. • Collect feedback from students and staff regarding their views on videoconferencing before implementation and after. • If used, protect students from the negative side of videoconferencing (example, pornography). • To stay abreast of the latest advancements, it is recommend that Student Affairs professionals attend at least one technology-focused seminar during conference to keep abreast of new videoconferencing capabilities and implementation strategies.

“Hot Topic:” BlogsWhat’s a Blog? • Blogs are online “journals” that allow people to write about personal and/or professional experiences and share them with others via an online Web site. • Blogs generally contain information in the forms of written text, pictures, links to other Web sites and/or blogs, and any other information related to the content of that specific blog entry. • Blogs allow other viewers to post their comments or remark on blog entries. • Though blogs are primarily used by individuals as an online “diary” for posting personal day-to-day events, many organizations, including college campuses, are using blogs as a form of outreach to communicate with students, faculty, and staff about university events and procedures.

“Hot Topic:” BlogsWhy are Blogs Important to the Campus Community? • Faculty, staff, and student affairs professionals can connect with students via online blogs with information regarding advising, career opportunities, clubs/organizations, and campus events. • Students are accustomed to searching for university information and aid online – blogs provide and accessible outlet for student outreach. • Blogs are easy to implement, navigate, and use. • Using blogs will send a message to students that faculty and staff care about technological advances and will take notice of the university’s assimilation to online tools and connections.

“Hot Topic:” BlogsHow are Blogs Used Effectively in the Campus Community? • Professors can post classroom discussion questions, homework assignments, participation and extra credit opportunities online via blogs. • Unlike other technological discussion boards most commonly used (i.e., Blackboard), blogs are more informal, less intimidating, and more familiar to students, therefore aiding in ease and satisfaction of use. • Blogs can be used by faculty to provide links to journals, online articles, pictures, and lectures materials, saving both professors and students the time and money of printing and/or making copies of classroom materials. • Students can use blogs to comment, evaluate, and make suggestions about academic, housing, or student life concerns.

“Hot Topic:” BlogsWhat Are the Negative Effects of Blog Use? • Loss of the human element – interacting with students, faculty and staff electronically forces people to keep an interpersonal distance from one another. • Legal Implications – without proper monitoring, students and faculty could open themselves up to libel or plagiarism cases if they are not careful with what they post online. • Easy access – anyone has access to online materials if blogs are not password protected or accessible by people outside of the university. • First Amendment Rights – as everyone has the right to free speech, it is difficult to implement rules about what can and cannot be said on university blogs and, more importantly, how to prevent inappropriate material from being posted on blogs.

“Hot Topic:” BlogsExamples of Blog Use on College Campuses • Jason Nolan, a professor at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada, uses his blog to both promote his work, and inform students: http://lemmingworks.org/weblog/ • Waynesburg University devotes a page of their Web site to blogs used across campus for academic and student life concerns: http://www.waynesburg.edu/students.asp?pi=1302&c1=5&c2=86&c3=1302 • A step-by-step guide for faculty and students about creating and using blogs at the University of Minnesota: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/ways.html#students

“Hot Topic:” Institutional SpamWhat is Institutional Spam? • Institutional Spam refers to the one or more mass e-mails that are sent out to numerous university populations, including faculty, staff and students. • Spam or mass e-mails are always sent to numerous recipients at once, which can include a cluster of students, faculty, staff, or all three. • Though sometimes welcome, “spam” generally has a negative connotation, associated with unwanted or repetitive e-mails. • Institutional spam may include both mass e-mails sent regarding internal functions and events within the university as well as information about events outside the campus environment.

“Hot Topic:” Institutional SpamWhy is Understanding Institutional Spam Important for College Campuses? • It is important to understand spam as a networking tool that connects faculty and students to campus functions (guest speakers, lectures) or updates to current campus systems (employee benefits, student registration). • As an efficient and convenient way to inform numerous people all at once, it is necessary to become familiar with how to send and receive institutional spam. • By understanding how spam works, faculty and students can become more technologically proficient and, therefore, differentiate between educational spam and unhelpful or repetitious spam. • Since unwanted spam is more prominent than education spam in the university e-mail system, it is not an issue that can be easily solved or avoided without understanding more completely how it works and who the recipients are.

“Hot Topic:” Institutional SpamHow is Institutional Spam Used Effectively in Campus Environments? • The best way to implement a policy for sending mass e-mails, or educational institutional spam, would be for the university’s information technology (IT) department to implement any of the following guidelines: • Educational spam should only include unsolicited electronic mail that pertains to events, functions, and policies relevant to the learning environment. • Educational spam may fall into any of the following categories that would be relevant to the university: Urgent Messages (class cancellations, safety concerns, emergency procedures), Formal Notice (commencement details, bereavement notices), or Informational (advising opportunities, registration dates/deadlines, campus events, etc). • Educational spam should be approved before submission by either a departmental chair, Executive Vice President or Vice President of University Relations.

“Hot Topic:” Institutional SpamWhat are the Negative Effects of Institutional Spam • The negative effects greatly outweigh the positive, unfortunately. They include: • A lot of spam includes pyramid schemes or online “hackers” who use other peoples’ passwords and credit card information to access their personal information. Uninformed students, faculty, and staff may unwittingly comply with these e-mails if they are not careful with their information. • Wasted time and money spent on learning how to best eliminate unwanted spam. • Many technological strategies implemented to “block” or prevent spam from getting into e-mail are not only costly but unreliable. • Anti-Spam laws, while in effect for 26 states, have proven to be difficult to implement and enforce (i.e., unwanted spam vs. the right to free speech). • It is cheaper for advertisers to send unwanted spam than it is for institutions to find new ways of blocking spam e-mail. • Free access to student, faculty, and staff e-mail addresses make it easier for people to send unwanted spam to university recipients.

Summary:Technology Decision MakingOnline Counseling, Electronic Application, Videoconferencing, Blogs & Institutional Spam Factors to consider: • What is the benefit to students? Do benefits outweigh drawbacks? -How can technology enhance and build upon the campus environment? • Feasibility -Considerations include ethical concerns, cost of equipment, training, policy implementation, and management of service. • Cultural Concerns -More and more students come from a technology, driven society. How can Student Affairs adapt?

What We’ve Learned…. • With new technology emerging every day, we must be prepared to “think outside the box” if we are to successfully compete with other technological forward colleges and most importantly, better serve our students’ needs. • Universities aim to inspire growth and promote the welfare of students and faculty. Creating an environment that fosters this concept comes with the need for technological advancement and development. • Technology is being embraced by students and we have to embrace it as well to create campus environments that foster a truly inclusive and cohesive community for all. • Technology is essential to student learning. If faculty and staff make the effort to accommodate and replicate these technological advances, students will respond positively to their colleagues, faculty, and the institution with appreciation and respect that their needs, and voices, are being heard.

References • Abrahamson, T. (2000). Life and death on the internet: to web or not to web is no longer a question. Journal of College Admission, 168, 6-11. • Berman, S. M., Strauss, S., & Verhage, N. (2000). Treating mental illness in students: A new strategy [Electronic version]. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved February 7,2007, from the ProQuest Education Journals database. • Crady, T. (2005). [Review of the book College of the overwhelmed: The campus mental health crisis and what to do about it]. Journal of College Student Development, 46, 556-558. • Elleven, R. K., & Allen, J. (2004). Applying technology to online suggestions for the beginning e-therapist. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 31, 223-225. • Field, K., (2007). What is online counseling? Retrieved February 7, 2007, from http://www.openmindcounseling.com/what_is_online_counseling.htm • Gifford, D., Perriott-Briceno, J., & Mianzo, F. (2005). Pen to mouse: Web-based technology’s impact on college admission applications. Journal of College Admission, 188, 16-21. • Hartman, K. E. (1998). The internet & college admissions. Change, 30(2), 54-55. • Havice, P. A., Havice, W. L., Isbell, C., Grimes, L. & Wilson, K. (2004). Bridging communities lifelong learning opportunities through distributed staff development. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 5(2), 111-116. • Jensen, M. (2003). Emerging Alternatives: A Brief History of Weblogs. Columbia Journalism Review, 5. Retrieved February 9, 2007, from http://www.cjr.org/issues/2003/5/blogjensen.asp • Kadison, R. D., (2004). The mental-health crisis: What colleges must do [Electronic version]. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved February 7, 2007, from the ProQuest Education Journals database. • Leibert, T., Archer, J., Munson, J., & York, G. (2006). An exploratory study of client perceptions of internet counseling and the therapeutic alliance. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 28, 69-83. • Lemmingworks: Jason Nolan on the Net. Retrieved February 11, 2007, from http://lemmingworks.org/weblog • University of North Dakota. (2005, August). Mass Email Policy. Retrieved February 12, 2007, from http://itss.und.edu/policies/POLICYMassEmail.html • Olsen, F. (2002). Fed Up With Spam. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved February 9, 2007, from http://chronicle.com/free/v49/i05/05a04701.htm

References • Origin of the Term “Spam” to Mean Net Abuse. Brad Templeton’s Home Page. Retrieved from the web February 11, 2007. http://www.templetons.com/brad • Waynesburg College.Other Campus Blogs: Waynesburg College Directory of Web Logs. Retrieved February 12, 2007, from http://www.waynesburg.edu/students.asp • Pitcher, N., Davidson, K., & Goldfinch, J. (2000). Videoconferencing in Higher Education. Innovations in Education and Training International, 37(3), 199-200. • Rochlen, A. B., Beretvas, S. N., & Zack, J. S. (2004). The online and face-to-face counseling attitudes scales: A validation study. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 37, 95-111. • Technology in the Classroom. (2007). The Toronto Star. Retrieved from the web February 12, 2007. http://thestar.blogs.com/education • Tyler, J. M., & Sabella, R. A. (2004). Using Technology to Improve Counseling Practice. A Primer for the 21st Century. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association. • University of Minnesota. (2004). UThink: Blogs at the University Libraries. Retrieved February 10, 2007, from http://blog.lib.umn.edu/ways.html#students • Webopedia. (2002). Videoconferencing. Retrieved February 11, 2007, from http://webopedia.com/TERM/v/videoconferencing.html • Wise, W. (2002). Videoconferencing Exposes Students to New Worlds. THE Journal, 29, 53-54.

Serving an iPod ® Nation Technology in Campus Environments