Presentation for CPAK 2010 by Ryan Sallee and Christopher Rice.

1. Unbridled Possibilities:
Utilizing Social Media to Engage
Students and Enhance Retention
Ryan Sallee, University of Kentucky
&
Dr. Christopher S. Rice, University of Kentucky

2. This slideshow can be found
at:
http://academicadvisorsallee.pbworks.com/

3. Presentation Hashtag:
#sallee

4. What is Social
Media and why is
it important?

5. Social Media
Media which leverages Web 2.0
internet technologies to build
participation and connectedness
around a topic, product or cause.

7. Social Media is...
• Participatory
• Open
• Conversational
• Communitarian
• Connected

8. Big Blue Network

9. Research Support for Use of Social
Media by Campus Personnel
• Millennials are an “online generation” and are
“highly connected to web-based
applications” (Krieglstein, 2007; Esposito, 2008)
• 95% of college students use social networking
sites; 64% more than once on a daily basis
(USA Today, 2009)
• Theyʼre “always on”, so their education needs to
be as well (Jonas-Dwyer and Pospisil, 2004)

10. Research Support for Use of Social
Media by Campus Personnel
• They gather information online when it is
convenient for them (Papp, 2009)
• Itʼs what they want: “Technology” noted as being
more important than “rigor” or “reputation” to HS
students (Bugeja, 2006)
• Why not just use e-mail then?
• Students as “spam filters” (Esposito, 2008)

11. Which begs the question…
Okay, I get it…Millennials like to use
technology. But why do we want to use it
as well?

12. Research Support for Use of Social
Media by Campus Personnel
• Astin (1985): The more active students are in
college life, the more they will develop during
that time period.
• “The greater the quantity and quality of
involvement, the more likely the student will
succeed in college.” (Upcraft, 1995)
• Recent retention study (education-portal.com)

13. Research Support for Use of Social
Media by Campus Personnel
• SNS as the “common denominator” in engaged
students (Harris, 2008)
• Social aspect of SNS=increased retention and
achievement (Harris, 2008)
• More use of SNS for academic reasons=
Increased engagement (USA Today, 2009)

14. The Birth of
The Big Blue
Network
Photo (cc) 2009 Flickr User Chealion

15. GOAL:
Increase student retention &
success rates by:

16. Harnessing the power of social media to build
community around issues
(cc) 2007 Flickr User Code Poet

17. Engaging Digital Natives where they already are
(cc) 2007 Flickr User kcolwell

18. Student Leadership is the Key
© 2009 Michael Speaks

19. ~3300

20. Why do we have
The Big Blue Network?
(PS, I’m already on Facebook!)

21. (cc) 2007 Flickr user uncleboatshoes

22. engaging Students

23. engaging Faculty

24. engaging Staff

25. NetworkBlue (Ning) Tools
• Activity streams
• Blogs • Groups
• Threaded
• Chatwalls Discussion
Forums
• Video (YouTube, • Ubiquitous Chat
Slideshare)
• .mp3
• Photos
(diagrams, Flickr)

26. (cc) 2009 Flickr user
Coffeeshopchat
Conversation
not
Broadcasting

27. Build an
Online HQ!
(cc) 2009 Flickr user cindy 47452

28. Using the Big Blue Network to
Engage Students
• Danita Turpin
-Undergraduate Studies
-Academic Advisor
-Pre-Med Advisor
-UK 101 Instructor

29. Danita Turpin, Academic Advisor
• Posted helpful tips for incoming students on BBN blog
• Maintains personal advising blog on BBN
• Coordinates Pre-Health, UK 101, DTʼs Advisees and
Undergraduate Studies BBN groups
• Replies to student queries on all groups and personal
page
• Used BBN to manage UK 101 course

30. Check Danita Out!
• Danita's BBN Profile
• UK 101 BBN Group
• Pre-Health Group
• Danita's Advisees Group
• Undergraduate Studies Group

31. Ryan and Social Media
• Big Blue Network profile and Sallee’s Advisees group
• Maintain “personal professional” Facebook profile: Ryan
P. Sallee
• Coordinate Undergraduate Studies Facebook fan page
• Post to US Twitter account
• Update Undergraduate Studies blog
• Developed (and keep up-to-date) academic advising wiki

32. Facebook and Advising
• Multiple ways in which Facebook is used in
academic advising:
-Appointment reminders
-Rescheduling appointments
-Answering quick, non-FERPA questions
-Getting students to come in for F2F appointments

33. Facebook and Advising
-Increased communication
-More contact points for students
-Helps advisees see us as more “human”
-Recognize when students are experiencing difficult
situations (academic and non-academic)
-Establish connection with advisees (see where common
interests are shared, wish “happy birthday”, etc.)

34. Why Facebook?
• More than 400 million active users (Facebook)
• Average user has 130 friends (again, increased
visibility!)
• Average user spends more than 55 minutes per
day on Facebook
• 76% of my advisees are my “friends” on
Facebook

35. Why Facebook?
• VCU data: 80% vs. 10%
• Not as representative of the institution as
e-mail, etc. (Esposito, 2008)
• Students never say “I didnʼt get your
message because I donʼt hardly ever
check my Facebook.” ;)

36. #1 Use of Social Media?
“Itʼs about getting students to choose to
interact with you!”--Art Esposito, VCU

37. Social Media &
the Future of
Higher Ed

38. (cc) 2008 Flickr user merezha