Does Technology Make It Easier To Be Bad

North Carolina State University

College of Education ~ Department of Adult & Higher Education

EAC 595C Technology in Student Affairs

Fall 2006 Semester

Week 5

Notes

Part I – Impact of Technology on Students

¨  Does technology make it easier to be bad?

¨  Does technology make it harder to be good?

¨  What is worse? Painting the Free Expression Tunnel or posting on the internet?

¨  We can deal in this new environment until we understand the impact on students.

¨  Is neutral a) an equal mix of positive and negative; or b) truly no impact?

¨  Managing Expectations - some expectations reasonable, some unreasonable

¨  Current backlash (“turn it off”) due to: SA Administrators don’t know how to deal with this new environment; lack of knowledge of the technology itself; lack of knowledge of how technology impacts our students

Group 1 – Organization of Impacts Submitted by Classmates

Impact / Social / Personal / Educational
Positive / ¨  Cell phone
¨  Facebook/MySpace / ¨  Ethical decision making
¨  How they think
¨  Development within institution / ¨  E portfolios
¨  Distance Ed
¨  Communication with Faculty
Neutral / ¨  Communication
¨  Facebook/MySpace
¨  Pre-college social links / ¨  Online purchasing
¨  Economic
¨  Multitasking / ¨  Distance Education
¨  Expectations regarding services
Negative / ¨  Lack of personal interaction
¨  Privacy
¨  Less approachable / ¨  Addiction
¨  Sense of security
¨  Lack of patience / ¨  Delay in school work
¨  Inaccurate info obtained online
¨  Internet plagiarism

Group 2 – Organization of Impacts Submitted by Classmates

Academic / Social
Academic
Affairs / Student Affairs
Classroom Experience / Cognitive / Communication / Relationships
Community
Building

Part I I– Impact of Technology on Student Affairs Profession

In other words, given what we know (? – do we really know?) about how technology impacts students, how should student affairs professionals, and student affairs units, and the student affairs profession, respond? Think logistically and strategically and philosophically.

Positive

Set reasonable expectations

Counseling IM, other virtual interactions

Defining professionalism

You have to ask the question: Why or why not using technology

Why is F2F so important?

¨  Making connections with people, especially large university

¨  Non-verbals are critical

¨  Retention – feeling lost without F2F connection

¨  Clarity of the message

Neutral

Boundaries

Legal

Modeling (chancellor have a Facebook account)

Embrace

Plan to be reactive

Accountability

Ownership of how they make their choices

Modeling or coddling?

Negative

Increase in personal info shared – security issues –

Campus programs to education

New student orientation

Increase frequency and awareness

Understand liabilities and consequences

Internet addiction

Diagnosing

Recognizing symptoms

Provide ways to help students

Alternative activities

Researching what is excessive internet use

What needs are getting filled

Lack of Personal Interaction

Don’t rely totally on online resources

Quality of interactions

Determine appropriate balance of F2F or online