Student Handbook: Best Practices 2013 – December 13, 2012 Student Handbooks: Technology, Apps & Social Media

1. Student Handbooks: Technology,
Apps & Social Media
Laura A. Pasquini
Academic Counselor &
Instructor
University of North Texas
Laura.Pasquini@unt.edu
Twitter: @laurapasquini
The opinions expressed during today’s event are not
necessarily those of PaperClip Communications

2. Resources
http://bit.ly/studenthandbooks

3. Where can I find YOUR
student handbook?

4. More importantly - can
YOUR students find it?

5. POLL:
1. Do you have your student handbook
online? [Yes, No or Not Sure]
2. On a scale of 1-10 where would you place
yourself in regards to your comfort and
ease with using technology?
3. Why kind of social media, apps or
technology is your office currently using for
sharing your student handbooks?

7. Pros: Student Handbooks as PDF
• Large amount of information
• Able to post to a website
• Simple web updates
• Send PDF as compressed files
• Save and convert file for edits

8. Cons: Student Handbooks as PDF
• Rarely shared on campus
• Static legal document
• Accessibility concerns
• Slow & trouble downloading
• Limited for mobile devices
• Most do NOT consider Usability

9. SMU Example - Access& Usability

10. • Consider your student population
• Performance Analysis
– Focus (Student View/Perception)
– Capability (Culture)
– Will (Change)

13. Cons: Student Handbooks as PDF
• Rarely utilized
as an ACTIVE
resource for
students, staff
& faculty on
campus
Let’s change that!

14. A Plan-Based Approach

15. Needs Assessment for
Technology Implementation
1. Determine Technology Goals
2. Determine Resources
3. Create, Design, and Edit
4. Pilot the Technology
5. Review and Evaluate
6. Updates and Continued
Development
Pasquini, L. A. (2010). Emerging Digital Resources: Easy and Accessible Online Tools. In
J. Voller, M.A. Miller, & S.L. Nest. (Eds.) Comprehensive advisor training and
development: Practices that deliver, (2nd Ed) (pp.123-129). Manhattan, KS:
NACADA Publishing.

16. 1) Determine Technology Goals
• What are the technology needs of the institution?
• What are the long-term goals?
• What are the objectives for students?
• Are there gaps and needs with current technology being used?
• Can these gaps and needs be addressed with technological
resources?

17. Current Assessment
• Intake/Follow up surveys
• Use of student handbook on campus
• Introduction in Orientation
• Applications or mobile apps
• Tracking on website or LMS (?)
• Common policy violations
• Social media metrics/measurement
• Campus partners to contribute
– police, parking, residence life, etc.
• Institutional research

18. What are your campus
needs?
Why do you need to
improve your student
handbook?

19. Bridgewater State U - Online

20. Start with the End:
Evaluation
Reaction:
Did they like it?
Usability:
Did they use it? How? Easy?
Behavior:
Is there a changed behavior?
Difference in service provision?
Student reaction?
Results:
Is there an overall advising benefit?
Adopted from Kirkpatrick’s Model for Training
Evaluation (1994)

21. Texas State - Online URLs

22. Syracuse U - Policy Search

23. 2) Determine Resources
• Who should be a member of the design/development team?
• What resources are available to support the technological
needs?
• How will online resources be researched?
• Who will experiment with these technology resources?

24. Who is sitting around your [planning] table?
• Internal Stakeholders
– Students
– Staff
– Faculty
– Other
• External Stakeholders
– Off Campus
– Legal Entities
– Regional legislation

25. Boston University - Lifebook

26. • Reach out to peers & colleagues
Research •
Ask other departments on campus
• Create planning & shared work groups
• Review similar institutions
• Leaders are readers - REVIEW!
• Affiliations off campus to consult
• Professional organizations

27. Athabasca U - Online Institutions

28. McGill U - Test Your Students

29. UBC Okanagan - Share Best Practices in
Social Media

30. Derby College - Mobile App

31. Innovation
Adoption
Lifecycle
Diffusion of Innovation (Rogers, 1962)

32. Websites, social
media, mobile,
apps… OH MY!
[Where to start?]

39. Assessment = a continual process
-Student needs & issues change
-Technology is transitional
-Campus environments evolve

40. Resources
http://bit.ly/studenthandbooks

41. Q/A
How Do I Call-in with a Question?
If you would like to ask a question of our panelist(s) please
press *1 and you will be put in a call queue
until it is your turn to ask your question.
OR
You can write in a question or comment anytime during the event by
clicking on the “Chat” Bubble in the left hand corner of your screen.
For Questions that Arise After the Conference
If you have a question that you were unable to ask of our presenter(s),
please feel free to email us at:
Info@paper-clip.com
…and we will be happy to forward it to our panelists!

42. BREAK – 2:20 – 2:30 PM ET
FREE Weekly Newswires
Sign up for any of the FREE weekly electronic newswires we offer.
To register go to www.paper-clip.com and sign-up by clicking on
link at the bottom of our homepage titled “Join Our Community!”
Upcoming Webinar Conferences:
• Campus IT Accessibility: What Do Campuses Need to Do to Comply? -
January 17, 2013
• Distance Learning: Regulations & Compliance - January 23, 2013
• Academic Advising: New Theory-Driven Approaches - January 24, 2013
• Direct Student Threat: Assessing Danger on Campus - January 24, 2013
• Undocumented Students: Regulations, Policies & Support - January 29,
2013
• Generating Revenue: Finding Campus Opportunities - January 30, 2013
• Residence Life 2013: 6 Key Issues - January 31, 2013
• Venue Security Management: Issues & Response Strategies - January 31,
2013