Yesterday’s Foundations, Tomorrow’s Technology:

Applying the Student Personnel Point of View to Technology at McApple College

Team Leader: Laura CorryTeam Members: Tabatha Sarco

Lisa ScottLesa Shouse

Bowling Green State University

Letter from Dr. Terry Braeburn

My fellow student affairs administrators:

Technology is fast becoming inescapable in the lives of our students, and McApple College has proven itself time and time again as a major competitor in the areas of progress and advancement. As a medium-sized institution in the Boston suburbs, MAC has a national reputation for technological innovation, and for that I commend you. As you know, President Grannysmith has declared this year as “The Year of the Personal Computer,” and I have personally charged Ms Corry, Ms Sarco, Ms Scott , and Ms Shouse to bring to your attention today the many ways in which MAC incorporates technology into the workings of our institution that we may better serve the ever-changing needs of our residential campus. They will also be reminding the committee of the foundations that our profession was built upon and how technology can be used to enhance our work with students.

Dr. Zenobia Hikes, Vice President for Student Affairs at Virginia Tech, said that “The technological revolution is part of every college student’s life…from microwaves to Nintendo, gaming online to cell phones and hand-helds, everything has been driven around the technological revolution.” As we look to find better ways to do our jobs, serve our students, and sustain our mission, technology and innovation must always remain at the forefront. Yesterday’s foundations are vital in understanding tomorrow’s technology.

Thank you for your commitment to the MAC mission,

Dr. Terry BraeburnVice President for Student AffairsMcApple College

Presentation Outcomes

• Address importance of technological advances

• Identify and describe five student needs outlined in the Student Personnel Point of View (1937)

• Understand ways technology has advanced the way student affair professionals address those needs

• Future staff development trainings to help build skills

Importance of Technology

“Changing technologies have affected nearly every aspect of society today, and higher education is no exception” (Shier,

2005).

Importance of Technology

Student Affairs Staffing

• Information technology specialists

• Staff communication

• Virtual Seminars

• “The First 90 Days”

Then Now

We use “Then” to describe the time prior to implementation of technology in regard to the need being addressed

We Use “Now” to describe how technology is utilized and has changed how we address that need at McApple College

“The student succeeds in his [sic] studies.”

American Council on Education (1937)

Then Now• Learning takes place in the

classroom• Hard copies of admissions

application• Postcards and letters to

prospective students• Advising and class

registration only available during office hours

• Professors can only hear answers from a few students

• Students have to get lecture material during classtime

• Distance education and asynchronous courses (Kretovics2008)

• On-line access to admissions materials

• Text message prospective and incoming students (Beyond E-mail, 2006)

• Online registration and assistance available 24 hours a day

• Clickers in the classroom

• Podcasts of class lectures

“The student learns to live with others” & “finds satisfactory living facilities”

American Council on Education (1937)

Then Now

• Hard copies of room inspections

• Hard copies of roommate preference forms reviewed by staff members

• Calls made to facility maintenance crews

• Electronic key and equipment check out in resident halls

• Electronic room inspection information uploaded to central database (Moneta, 2005)

• Electronic roommate preference forms sorted by room assignment software (Moneta, 2005)

• Facility service requests submitted via web-based processing

“The student achieves a sense of belonging to the college”

American Council on Education (1937)

Then Now

• Students had to physically attend campus socials events to build relationships

• Voting for student government officials was done via paper ballots

• Letters sent and calls made to orientation leaders prospective students by

• Greek chapter matching done by hand

• Students connect to campus via social networking websites (Facebook, MyMcApple)

• Voting for student government officials voting takes place via online ballot (Shier, 2005)

• Social networking websites used to connect students with their orientation groups

• Online Greek bid matching

“The student understands and uses his [sic] emotions”

American Council on Education (1937)

Then Now

• Students visit counseling center during business hours

• Students visit doctors and pharmacy during business hours

• Students have 24/7 access to counseling materials via the web

• Students can access health center information and refill prescriptions online 24/7

• Online nutrition calculator and digital weight-loss community

“The student progresses toward appropriate vocational goals”

American Council on Education (1937)

Then Now

• Career services information only available during business hours

• Programs offered on how to interview for jobs

• Job and internship fairs

• Online vocational inventories available via the web

• Programs offered on appropriate use of social networking sites when applying for jobs (i.e. censuring photos, personal information, etc) (Beyond E-mail, 2006)

• Access to web-based recruiting systems where students can search for jobs, internships, and on-campus employment

Pros Cons

• Faster service • More efficient

service• Environmentally

friendly• Availability (24/7)• Accessibility (easier

to find info)

• Loss of personal contact with students

• Costly and complicated applications (Moneta, 2005)

• Additional training for staff

Upcoming Staff Development Topics

• Facebooking Your Students: Learning the ins and outs of the Facebook world

• YouTube Informational Strategies: Ways to use video to recruit, inform, and advertise to students

• Second Life: The next big thing!

• Student Development: Can it happen virtually?

Resources

American Council on Education. (1937) The student personnel point of view. American Council on Education Studies, No. 3. Washington, D. C.: American Council on Education, 1937.

Association of Fraternity Advisors. Retrieved February 16, 2008, from http://www.fraternityadvisors.org

Astin, A. W. (1999). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Development, 40(5), 518-529.

Astin, A.W. (1993). What matters in college: Four critical years revisited. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Beyond E-mail: New ways to stay in touch with students. (cover story).(2006). Student Affairs Leader, 34(9), 1-6.

Classroom clickers make the grade. (2005). Wired, Retrieved February 16, 2008, from http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2005/07/68086

Resources

Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Kretovics, M. (2008)The role of student affairs in distance education: Cyber-services for virtual communities. The University of West Georgia, Retrieved February, 12, 2008, from http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall63/kretovics63.html

Gemmill, E. & Person, M. (2006). Technology use among college students: Implications for student affairs professionals. NASPA Journal, 43, 280-300.

Montena, L. (2005). Technology and student affairs: Redux. New Directions for Student Services. 112. 3-14.

Powers, Elia. (2007). Forget friending- Roommate me. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved October 20, 2007, from http://www.insidehighered.com/news/ 2007/08/24/roommate

Shier, M. T. (2005). The way technology changes how we do what we do. New Directions for Student Services. 112. 77-87.