Comments on: How Academia is Embracing Social Media http://blog.catchfiremedia.com/2009/11/how-academia-is-embracing-social-media/ Discussing Social Media Strategies, Tactics, and Best Practices Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:56:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Dustin S. http://blog.catchfiremedia.com/2009/11/how-academia-is-embracing-social-media/#comment-69 Dustin S. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:03:58 +0000 http://blog.catchfiremedia.com/?p=377#comment-69 What must one have thought upon the invention of the typewriter, telephone, facsimile machine? I grew up in during the 90's along with the internet. I remember in 1992, my 4th grade teacher telling us about this new technology where we'd be able to to play video games and communicate with other students in far off lands like Japan. In 1995, 8th grade, I remember our school's first CD-ROM computer with an internet connection. I lived in rural Iowa at the time and perhaps we were behind the times, but these were big events. In 1996, my freshman year of high school, our family bought our first PC and signed up to AOL. Many a night were wasted Instant Messaging with friends. It was the coolest. Chat rooms, email, instant messaging, web-casts, video conferencing, social media. These are all advancements in our ability to communicate with one another. My days of staying up past my bedtime instant messaging are long gone. I have yet to sign up for a Twitter account, mostly because I fear the unknown, and addiction. But, I now spend my days building relationships in a corporate environment. While I agree with the 2 posts above, face to face human interaction and communication is always the highest quality of communication, virtual communication is still better than no communication. The fact is, techonology shrinks the world. Corporations are constantly looking for "easier ways to do business". In today's tough economic environment, it is especially tough to accomplish this face to face communication. While I could spend $500 to fly to New York, hold a 2 hour meeting, and fly back...I could accomplish just about everything I need to accomplish via Video Conferencing. So, to the extent that academic institutions are starting to use social media as another way to reach and communicate with their students, I think it's important to embrace technology and learn how to use it best. Those already using such technologies such as Facebook or Twitter are staying with the curve (they're not even ahead of it). Those that are not, will struggle to keep up with the demands of students. Which, at the end of the day, even an education is a consumer driven industry. It doesn't matter how fearful I am of Twitter. If students want Facebook and Twitter, they will get Facebook and Twitter eventually. And if using these technologies is another option for learning, then I say LEARN ON! PS - Professors should not require their students to be "friends" with them. That's just weird and creepy...and sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen. What must one have thought upon the invention of the typewriter, telephone, facsimile machine?

I grew up in during the 90’s along with the internet. I remember in 1992, my 4th grade teacher telling us about this new technology where we’d be able to to play video games and communicate with other students in far off lands like Japan. In 1995, 8th grade, I remember our school’s first CD-ROM computer with an internet connection. I lived in rural Iowa at the time and perhaps we were behind the times, but these were big events. In 1996, my freshman year of high school, our family bought our first PC and signed up to AOL. Many a night were wasted Instant Messaging with friends. It was the coolest. Chat rooms, email, instant messaging, web-casts, video conferencing, social media. These are all advancements in our ability to communicate with one another.

My days of staying up past my bedtime instant messaging are long gone. I have yet to sign up for a Twitter account, mostly because I fear the unknown, and addiction. But, I now spend my days building relationships in a corporate environment. While I agree with the 2 posts above, face to face human interaction and communication is always the highest quality of communication, virtual communication is still better than no communication. The fact is, techonology shrinks the world. Corporations are constantly looking for “easier ways to do business”. In today’s tough economic environment, it is especially tough to accomplish this face to face communication. While I could spend $500 to fly to New York, hold a 2 hour meeting, and fly back…I could accomplish just about everything I need to accomplish via Video Conferencing.

So, to the extent that academic institutions are starting to use social media as another way to reach and communicate with their students, I think it’s important to embrace technology and learn how to use it best. Those already using such technologies such as Facebook or Twitter are staying with the curve (they’re not even ahead of it). Those that are not, will struggle to keep up with the demands of students. Which, at the end of the day, even an education is a consumer driven industry.

It doesn’t matter how fearful I am of Twitter. If students want Facebook and Twitter, they will get Facebook and Twitter eventually. And if using these technologies is another option for learning, then I say LEARN ON!

PS – Professors should not require their students to be “friends” with them. That’s just weird and creepy…and sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

]]> By: Abby Harvey http://blog.catchfiremedia.com/2009/11/how-academia-is-embracing-social-media/#comment-67 Abby Harvey Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:29:55 +0000 http://blog.catchfiremedia.com/?p=377#comment-67 Thank you for the intelligent and thoughtful response. I understand your concern for face-to-face interaction between students and professors; to me, this will always remain the best form of communication. However, when I think back to my homework nights at The University of Iowa, in-person interaction was not always available when I needed it <strong>the most</strong>—specifically, the night before the test/paper was due. Sure, I took full advantage of clarifying and asking questions in class, but it seemed that when I actually sat down to write or study was when my most crucial questions emerged. I'm not promoting procrastination, but some people do their best work under pressure, aka, last minute. I would have loved to have the option to contact my professors with questions the night before via live Facebook chat or messages on Facebook/Twitter. It sure beats the awkward phone call or message to their work email that they never check at night anyway. Thank you for the intelligent and thoughtful response. I understand your concern for face-to-face interaction between students and professors; to me, this will always remain the best form of communication. However, when I think back to my homework nights at The University of Iowa, in-person interaction was not always available when I needed it the most—specifically, the night before the test/paper was due. Sure, I took full advantage of clarifying and asking questions in class, but it seemed that when I actually sat down to write or study was when my most crucial questions emerged.

I’m not promoting procrastination, but some people do their best work under pressure, aka, last minute. I would have loved to have the option to contact my professors with questions the night before via live Facebook chat or messages on Facebook/Twitter. It sure beats the awkward phone call or message to their work email that they never check at night anyway.

]]> By: Anonymous http://blog.catchfiremedia.com/2009/11/how-academia-is-embracing-social-media/#comment-64 Anonymous Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:44:20 +0000 http://blog.catchfiremedia.com/?p=377#comment-64 While I agree that social media is a great resource for the Y generation to keep in touch, I feel that Facebook and Twitter should not be used to communicate about coursework assignments with university professors. I feel that questions and comments between students and professors in higher learning institutions should be discussed face to face. The Y Generation is already too comfortable with hiding behind computer screens, and I'm afraid that if students continue this trend they may lose their ability to communicate effectively with their superiors in the classroom and their future employees. Social media is a useful tool, but too much of it, like anything else, might be a bad thing. While I agree that social media is a great resource for the Y generation to keep in touch, I feel that Facebook and Twitter should not be used to communicate about coursework assignments with university professors. I feel that questions and comments between students and professors in higher learning institutions should be discussed face to face. The Y Generation is already too comfortable with hiding behind computer screens, and I’m afraid that if students continue this trend they may lose their ability to communicate effectively with their superiors in the classroom and their future employees. Social media is a useful tool, but too much of it, like anything else, might be a bad thing.

]]>