Technology in Higher Education

Technology in Higher Education Heather Allebach, Andrea Krukowski, Tricia Pearl O’Connor, and Elizabeth (Annie) Russell

Technology in Higher Education: Course Rationale • Students entering colleges and universities today have grown up with many aspects of technology. These students have become familiar with computer applications, email, and the Internet, as well as other forms of technology such as television and the media. These forms of technology have helped to shape the students we wish to reach and educate. In order to fully understand the students we will be working with, we must educate ourselves about the various aspects of technology.

Course Rationale Continued • Additionally, our positions as student affairs practitioners are being shaped by the level of expertise we have with technology. In order to effectively complete our job requirements, we must become proficient at handling the various aspects of technology, which includes but is not limited to: the Internet, computer applications, database systems, and communications. We must also become aware of the effect technology has on the laws and regulations we must abide by to keep our students and their privacy safe.

Course Rationale Continued • Despite these ever-evolving advances in technology, student affairs practitioners must remember that their jobs as educators are not obsolete. Komives and Peterson (1997) state that student affairs practitioners must become futurists. “As futurists, student affairs practitioners can be campus guides and pathfinders for those who are fearful of, overwhelmed by, or even overly enamored with technological innovation” (p. 83). We must be prepared to educate and serve our students on the topic of technology because it is becoming an inevitable aspect of our daily lives.

Course Rationale Continued • A course focusing on Technology in Higher Education is vital in any student personnel graduate program. Without this important information, future student affairs practitioners will not be adequately prepared to serve and educate their students. Norris and Dolence (1996) state that, “in order to provide effective leadership, the senior staff members must model the need to continually learn about new innovations...” (as cited in Ausiello and Wells, 1997, ¶ 23). This is true not only of senior staff members, but all professionals within student affairs. This course will provide students with the information necessary in effectively beginning and continuing their careers in student affairs.

Course Rationale Continued • References • Ausiello, K., and Wells, B. (1997). Information technology and student affairs: Planning for the twenty-first century. New Directions for Student Services, 78,71-81. • Komives, S.R., Peterson, R.J. (1997). Values and principles guiding technology decision making for the future. New Directions for Student Services, 78, 83-95.

Technology in Higher Education Syllabus • Course Overview • Technology is an important facet in nearly every occupation today. In the field of Higher Education, technology is constantly changing. Current professionals are at times finding it difficult to keep up with the dynamic aspects of technology. Future student affairs professionals need to be cognizant of technology in their field, how it affects their careers, and more importantly, how technology is affecting their students.

Syllabus Continued • Course Objectives • Upon completion of this course, students will have: • Expanded their knowledge on today’s incoming students, and how technology and technological communication is affecting them • Been introduced to the various technological facets currently affecting student affairs, including basic computer applications, the Internet, computer databases, and online surveys • Considered the lawful ramifications in regards to student privacy and technology via FERPA and other laws protecting students

Syllabus Continued • Course Objectives Continued: • Engaged in thoughtful dialogue concerning technological expectations of students and students who may fall short of those expectations • Applied their new-found knowledge to the future of student affairs and technology

Syllabus Continued • Course Requirements • Class Participation • Class attendance is very important in this course. The dialogue and in-class discussions are an integral part of this course, and students are expected to come to class with the assignments read and prepared to openly discuss. Students may have one excused absence throughout the course, provided that the student has contacted the professor ahead of time.

Syllabus Continued • Personal Reflection Paper • Personal reflection is important in any student affairs course. In order to understand incoming students, one must be prepared to reflect and understand one’s own experiences. Therefore, it is required that students write a concise 8-10 page paper regarding their own experiences with technology as an undergraduate. The personal reflection must address these key questions: • How do you define technology? • When were you first introduced to technology? • What influence has technology had on your life? • What fears do you have regarding technology?

Syllabus Continued • Portfolio • Students will be learning various computer applications throughout this course. A portfolio containing the student’s work is required by the end of this course. This portfolio not only will determine the student’s growth but will provide the student with the beginnings of a portfolio that can be used when applying for positions after graduate school. The portfolio must contain: • Exercises from basic computer applications • Printout of the website they create (3 pages) • Tables they create in NCES, PAS, and DAS • A 3-4 page synthesis paper regarding what they have learned and how it applies to student affairs

Syllabus Continued • Group Project • Groups will be determined by the instructor. Each group must choose a topic in regards to technology and Higher Education and present their findings to the class. In essence, they will be teaching the class. The topic must be chosen by Week 8 and must be approved by the instructor on that date. Additionally, groups must arrange a meeting with the instructor to discuss progress by Week 11. Groups must include a Powerpoint presentation when teaching the class, as well as some other handout to be provided to the class. Presentations will be approximately 40 minutes long for each group.

Syllabus Continued • Grading System • Class Participation 15% • Personal Reflection Paper 20% • Portfolio 35% • Group Project 30% • Readings • Many articles will be provided by the instructor, but the following text is required for the course: • Office XP Simplified (manual) by Ruth Maran of Maran Graphics Inc. (Review of this text prior to class will be required.)

Syllabus Continued

Lesson 1: Why This Course Is Important • Lesson Rationale • Students may feel that this course does not apply to them because they are not going into a technological field or that they know enough about technology to be successful at their careers. However, technology is rapidly changing and the information a person knows now may become obsolete. Additionally, today’s students are very computer savvy and may be deemed technologically dependent.

Lesson 1 Continued • Lesson Rationale Continued: • It is important that student affairs professionals keep up with technology in order to remain useful in their positions and understand their students. • Lesson Outcomes • By the end of this lesson, students will have an understanding of course expectations, goals and outcomes. They will also have a better understanding as to why this course is important to their future careers in higher education and how technology is affecting student affairs.

Lesson 1 Continued • Lesson Content • Materials: None • Introductions • Group discussion of how technology affects student affairs-what do you think student affairs professionals need to know in the area of technology? (Segue into course requirements) • Explanation of syllabus, course requirements, etc.

Lesson 1 Continued • Instructor-led discussion on Ausiello and Wells article • Student affairs staff as architects • Student affairs staff as facilitators of change • Student affairs staff as educations and learners • Student affairs staff as policymakers • This article was written in 1997-does it still apply? (Answer: yes!) How does it apply?

Lesson 2: Today’s Students and What they Know • Lesson Rationale • This discussion based lesson focuses on today’s college students, what they are like, what they know and do not know, as well as what effects growing up with technology, specifically computers, has had on the students. Because most college students have grown up with computers in their homes, and are not familiar with life before computers, this lesson is necessary in order to understand student knowledge and mindsets. This lesson covers both non-technology and technology based knowledge.

Lesson 2 Continued • Lesson Outcomes • By the end of this lesson students will have an understanding of what the current population of undergraduate students know, and are like, and what impact having a computer throughout their lives has had on them. Students will also have an understanding of why it is important for student affairs professionals to know what students know, and what students are like.

Lesson 2 Continued • Lesson Content • Materials: • O’Reilly, B. (2000). Millennial article. Fortune, Found February 15 2004 at http://www.youthintelligence.com/company/yiarticle_print.asp?yiArticleId=20 • Sax, L.J. (2003). Our incoming students: What are they like?. About Campus, 8(3), (15-20). • Jones, S. (2002). Internet goes to college. Retrieved February 13, 2004, from www.pewinternet.org/ • The Beloit College Mindset list, found at http://www.beloit.edu/~pubaff/releases/2003/03mindsetlist.html

Lesson 2 Continued • College students today are much different than they were only a few years ago because their experiences growing up are much different than those who were born before them. • Using the Millennial article, Sax article, and Beloit College Mindset List, discuss what the characteristics of incoming students are. Focus on their personalities, their stress levels, and attitude towards jobs as well as family and friends. Knowing what incoming students are like is important when trying to find common ground with them, and trying to understand how best to reach them. • Discuss with the class what they see to be different between themselves and the current undergraduate students, and why they believe these differences to exist, and how it could affect their communication with the students.

Lesson 2 Continued • College students today have grown up in an entirely different environment than past college students and most were fortunate enough to have a computer in their home from the time they were in kindergarten. • Use the Jones article to discuss current students’ relationship with technology and how the availability of technology has affected undergraduate students’ lives. Review the statistics found in the summary of findings in the Jones article and discuss whether or not the class agrees with the statistics based on what they have observed in college students. Pay particular attention to the statistics on when students began using computers, how many use the computer to search for information, and how use of the internet has affected college social life. Discuss how internet use has affected communication between students and what impact that could have on future generations.

Lesson 2 Continued • Open dialogue about why it is important for student affairs professionals to understand how current students were raised, how they use technology, and some of the challenges current professionals may face when trying to understand current students. It is important to mention that many current student affairs professionals did not grow up with computers, and because of this, many of them do not like to communicate via computer. This can pose a communication challenge between students and professionals.

Lesson 2 Continued • Also important to discuss in the open dialogue is how to come to a common ground when communicating with students, especially since the experiences of both student and professional are different, and may be difficult to understand.

Lesson 3: Media Types and Their Effects on Students • Lesson Rationale • This lesson focuses on the different types of media that currently exist in society and how those media affect students. Because most incoming and current students have grown up with a variety of media at their fingertips, this lesson is necessary in order to understand student culture and perceptions. The lesson covers television and film, primarily, with some attention called to radio and the vast availability of information.

Lesson 3 Continued • Lesson Outcomes • By the end of this lesson, students will be able to identify various media and the contexts of those media. Students will also be able to discuss how media affects our current students, as well as the role that media continues to play in our students lives. Finally, students will be able to understand the role that a student affairs practitioner plays in educating students, given the effects of media.

Lesson 3 Continued • Lesson Content • Materials: • Wood, J.T. (2000). Communication Theories in Action. Chapter 11. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thompson Learning. • Types of media that affect our students are television, film, radio, newspaper, magazines, and the Internet. • Television is a medium that students are often very familiar with. Students’ perceptions of the world are affected by television and the images that they view on television.

Lesson 3 Continued • Explanation of Cultivation Theory by George Gerbner. Students view images on television and base their assumptions about and expectations of the world on those images. • Similarly, students’ perceptions are also greatly affected by popular media through film. • Discussion of representations of different cultural groups and norms in film, with particular emphasis on the representation of college students and the college environment.

Lesson 3 Continued • Show clips from Animal House and Road Trip. • Radio, newspaper, magazines, and the enormous availability of information in general also play a role in our students’ lives. Students have not grown up in a world without these media, as students once had. Additionally, because information is so readily available, students’ ability to learn at a different level and in different contexts is an important notion to recognize. • Reference to Technological Determinism theory.

Lesson 3 Continued • Open dialogue about how these representations in the media affect the development of our students and change their perceptions of life as they enter college. We have to be aware that the affects of media on students’ lives changes the students’ perceptions of world issues, multiculturalism and diversity, gender norms and behaviors, and methods for learning. We also have to be cognizant of the expectations of students concerning media, especially when it comes to programming for student populations.

Lesson 4: Basic Applications of Technology Lesson Rationale • This class will provide a basic overview of all Office XP programs (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access). Students will be given the opportunity to gain hands on experience using these programs, performing tasks from each program. Computer jargon will also be defined. By defining computer terms, students will better understand the language involved in the use of technology and it will help the students to better communicate when using technology.

Lesson 4 Continued Lesson Outcomes • By the end of this lesson, students will have used each of the Office XP programs and learned how they can be implemented in their everyday work as each exercise and description of the specific computer program will be tied to a specific use within one’s work of student affairs. Students will better understand the language of technology and will be able to use it in their conversations when describing technology.

Lesson 4 Continued • Lesson Content • Materials: • Maran, R. (2001). Office XP simplified. New York City: Hungry Minds. • Computers in the computer lab will be used for the entire class period.

Lesson 4 Continued • For an Access exercise, the instructor will give students an Access database that has been completed prior. They will then proceed through a number of exercises, demonstrating the different functions of Access. Excel will be similar to the exercises listed in the above description of Access. • Debriefing will then take place, answering any questions the students may have and possibly repeat exercises for those students that need the practice.

Lesson 5: Online Websites and Resources for Student Affairs Practitioners Lesson Rationale • In order to become familiar with trends in institutions and the contexts of them, student affairs practitioners must also be knowledgeable concerning online resources that may aid them in their field. In an effort to use resources that already exist rather than duplicate resources, a session concerning online databases and websites is a necessity.

Lesson 5 Continued • Lesson Outcomes • By the end of this lesson, students will be able to identify a variety of resources that provide information that is valuable for student affairs practitioners. Students will also be able to use these resources to their advantage. Students will be able to develop tables of data for analysis, as well.

Lesson 5 Continued • Lesson Content • Materials: Prior to class, students will have visited the websites listed below and browsed through them at leisure. • NCES – www.nces.ed.gov • PAS – http://nces.ed.gov/ipedspas/firstTime.asp • DAS – http://nces.ed.gov/dasol/ • ACPA – www.myacpa.org • NASPA – www.naspa.org

Lesson 5 Continued • Have students visit the following websites: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Peer Analysis System (PAS), Data Analysis System (DAS), American College Personnel Association (ACPA), and National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). • *On the NCES website, take students through the various components of NCES and discuss the various data that the organization arranges. Finally, have students look at data from various resources and discuss how its content could be useful in the student affairs profession.

Lesson 5 Continued • Have students run through how to find information on PAS and DAS. Take students through the procedure for developing tables with DAS. • Explain the importance of national organizations and how to join. • On the ACPA and NASPA websites, have students browse through their purposes and various components, as well as how to become a member.

Lesson 6: Databases and FERPA Agreements • Lesson Rationale: • Student affairs practitioners must be aware of the individual student rights to privacy. This becomes more complicated with the implication of online and computer database systems. Moreover, practitioners must be able to maneuver skillfully through the institution’s own system in order to properly assist students. This lesson is necessary to understand the various laws and agreements that practitioners must abide by, and to become cognizant of the ways in which this area is constantly evolving.

Lesson 6 Continued • Lesson Outcomes • By the end of this lesson, students will have a basic understanding of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and be able to apply this information to their particular college or university. Students will also be able to look beyond FERPA and speculate what may come next with educational technology constantly changing.

Lesson 6 Continued • Lesson Content • Materials: • FERPA website: http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html • O’Donnell, M. L. (2003). FERPA: Only a piece of the privacy puzzle. Journal of College and University Law, 29(3), 679-717.

Lesson 6 Continued • Discussion of the basics of FERPA-the law itself. • Who does FERPA affect? (i.e. what places on campus would need to be aware of this?) • Discussion of current database system at the university-bring in speaker from registrar or comparable department that is an “expert” on the particular system. He or she should address these questions (apx. 30 min.): • how does it work? • who gets to see it? • who gets to change things on the system?

Lesson 6 Continued • O’Donnell article-“only a piece of the privacy puzzle”-what does she mean by this? • Gonzaga University V. Doe Supreme Court case-summarize and discuss the implications. Does FERPA limit schools too much? • Where do we go from here? What does the article say about technological databases and a change in FERPA?

Lesson 7: Technology and the Law • Lesson Rationale • This lesson focuses on the different ways in which students have been known to use technology, specifically the internet, illegally, and the effect this has on them, as well as the institutions. Because many students do not understand the implications of downloading songs illegally, hacking into others computers, and spreading internet viruses can have, this lesson is a necessary component to inform student affairs professionals of these laws and ways in which they can inform their students about these laws.

Lesson 7 Continued • Lesson Rationale Continued: • Also important is teaching students affairs professionals how they can protect themselves and their students from hackers and internet viruses, and understanding how universities are already trying to protect those who use their internet services.

Lesson 7 Continued • Lesson Outcomes • By the end of this lesson, students will be able to identify various ways in which current college students may be at risk for breaking the law while using the internet. Students will also understand the legal issues that are facing many universities with the growth of the internet, and have knowledge of some legal cases that have been brought against students for using the internet illegally. Students will also have an understanding of what the Patriot Act is, and why it is important to both themselves, and undergraduate students. Finally, students will know what measures universities are taking to protect themselves and students from lawsuits, and how all these legal issues affect student affairs professionals.

Technology in Higher Education