Telnet College
Version 2.0
“Information technology is
an integral and
indispensable component
of education and research
in the 21st century.”
Where are we?
Institutional Characteristics
We are REACTIVE
 Mission Statement
 Vision Statement
 Academically sound
 Increased diversity
 Historic Facilities
Faculty/Staff Characteristics
 Collaborative environment—Academia
versus Student Affairs
 Accommodation of technology—faculty
and staff did not grow up with it
 Traditional Programming
 Technology has neither been embraced
nor rejected
 We are REACTIVE; we simply are not
keeping up with our students
Student Characteristics
We must be PROACTIVE
 “Traditional student” is anything
but!
 Assimilation—of technology,
resistance is futile! Students have
grown up with it in their daily lives.
The Millenials/NetGeneration—10 Themes
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emotional and intellectual openness
inclusion
fierce independence
free expression and strong views
innovation
preoccupation with maturity
investigation
immediacy
sensitivity to corporate interest
authentication and trust
Transition from
Faculty-centered
to Student-centered
 Millennial students learn differently
 The academy is traditionally designed
and manipulated by faculty
 Bring student into the equation—
assimilate technology into the student
development model, use as a tool to
ENHANCE rather than IMPEDE
Task Force: Objectives
•Will develop policy and programming to deal with
the impact of technology on campus
•Develop and enforce a strategic plan based on the
strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for the
future.
•Utilize findings of Assessment Committee to guide
planning and implement suggestions of other
committees
•Evaluate the proposed programs/ideas to fit with
the mission and core values of the institution
Task Force
 Issues Committees report to the Task
Force—Task Force provides a basic setup
for each committee and has identified
vital issues that must be addressed.
 Members include: Dean of Student Life;
Director of Computer Services; 2
Students; 2 Faculty; Legal Counsel;
Community Representative; Alumni
Representative; Parent Representative
Issues Committees
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Assessment
Digital Divide
Web-based Student Services
Building Community
Online Harassment
Dealing with Technology Savvy Parents
Staffing
Distance Learning
Assessment
Why it’s an issue
 “Providing baseline data so that
student programs and policies can
respond appropriately to students’
needs”
 Points to key components that must
be modified in order to achieve
specific goals
Assessment
“Assessment is the systematic
collection, review, and use of
information about educational
programs undertaken for the
purpose of improving student
learning and development.”
Assessment
Astin: 3 Parts to Assessing Student
Learning
1) Beginning knowledge, skills, and
experiences
2) Experiences which enhance
learning and development
3) Outcomes
Assessment
 Purpose: “Understand how
educational programs are working
(or will work) and determine
whether they are contributing to
student growth and development”
Assessment
Must consider Telnet College’s
Values
Goals
Vision
Mission
Assessment
 Design and implement a thoughtful
approach to assessment planning
 Invite other members of the college
community (faculty, students,
professional staff, alumni, employers,
and community members) to assist in
assessment
 Assist outside members to see the value
of assessment and recognize them for
contributions
Assessment
What Needs to Be Done
 Evaluate the campus community’s
ability to utilize multimedia
 Assess the committees’ proposed
programs and recommendations in
regards to the potential for student
learning and development
Assessment
What Needs to Be Done
 Examine the attitudes of the campus
community towards the proposed move
towards multimedia
 Examine the current status of the campus
in regards to the current technology
provided, as well as limitations of the
older buildings
 Research various campuses that are
similar to determine the technology
offered
Digital Divide
Why it’s an issue
 Haves versus Have-Nots—while technology is
largely “-ism” free, a disparity in technological
access
 54% of Americans are online, the majority in
middle and upper class levels
 Web use is growing among underprivileged
groups—increasing by 25% per month in
households below poverty level!
 Students who have computers in their secondary
schools are more likely to be technologically
savvy
Digital Divide
What needs to be done
 Investigate and propose computer lab
expansions
 Expand grant writing proposals for
assistive technology for students with
identified disabilities
 Add e-learning basics to freshman
orientation classes
 Develop partnerships with local schools
to enhance e-learning at that level
 Work with foundation to raise funds for
computer scholarships
Web-based Student Services
Why it’s an issue
 Students are demanding easy, real
time access to their information
 Immediacy is strong theme with our
students
 Interest in “Virtual Campus”
 Budget
Web-based Student Services
What needs to be done
 Research compatible, developer- and
student-friendly web clients and select
best fit for web student information
system
 Begin initial investigation into technology
for virtual campus tours, chat clients, and
interactive web components for various
student affairs areas
Web-based Student Services
What needs to be done
 Determine timeline for installation
and testing of web SIS
 Collaborate with Assessment
Committee to develop Electronic
Communications Policies and
Procedures
 Goal—Live with web registration
within 6 months
Building Community
Why It’s an Issue
 Undergraduates are spending a large amount of
time in chat rooms, downloading music, etc.
Undergraduates are withdrawing to their rooms
and disconnecting themselves from the campus
 Integrating students into campus community
influences academic success, because involved
students tend to perform better academically
 Schlossberg stipulates the necessity of
Marginality & Mattering:
– Creating an environment, via building a community, in
which students feel as though they matter will reduce
withdrawal and feelings of marginality
Building Community
What needs to be done
Residence Life
 Residential learning communities may be a good way
to integrate students into the broader campus
community and therefore impact academic
performance
 Pascarella (1985) found that college residence has an
indirect influence on students’ academic selfconfidence
 In a study of non-classroom experiences, Twale and
Sanders (1999) found that time discussing current
issues with peers outside of the class was the only
non-classroom variable that significantly influenced
critical thinking
Building Community
What needs to be done
 Design residence life programs around areas
that involve technology and appeal to
students
 Teach Web Design in the residence halls
 Facilitate interactive discussions around
cable television programs such as MTV’s
Real World and Flipped
Building Community
What needs to be done
Admissions & Orientation
 Engage active involvement from members of campus
clubs/organizations during the entire Week of
Welcome for new students; representatives from
each campus club/organization present at Week of
Welcome activities and events
 Foster Involvement Early
 Conclude Week of Welcome activities with a Campus
Clubs & Organizations fair
Building Community
What needs to be done
 First Year Orientation Class
 Design semester long first-year orientation classes that
will increase students’ active involvement on campus
 First Year Orientation programs can include the
requirement of students participating in at least one
program or activity from:
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Fine Arts
Social Science
Residence Life
Intramural Sports/Recreational Activity
Student clubs/organizations
Healthy Lifestyles/Health Education
Online Harassment
Why It’s an Issue
 As the use of technology increases
so does the possibility of harassing
emails, websites, computer fraud,
computer viruses, and spamming
 There are few policies in the Student
Conduct Code for such offenses
Online Harassment
What needs to be done
 Review and establish a policy for
potential technology issues such as,
harassing emails, computer viruses,
computer fraud, defamatory
websites, etc.
Dealing With Tech Savvy Parents
Why it’s an issue
 Parents of the millennial student are
more involved with their students lives
 Increased contact with parents with
regards to their child’s needs at the
institution
 The increased time spent dealing with
emails and other forms of media are
substantial amounts of time out of the
workday
Dealing With Tech Savvy Parents
What needs to be done
 Provide a space on each department’s web site for
“parents”
 Departments should make a list of their own
questions that are most frequently asked of their
department
 Place these questions on their web site for the
department
 All departments should utilize this format both with
in academia and student affairs
 Ask the Parents’ Association of Telnet College to
provide support and recommendations to
departments
Staffing Issues
Why it’s an issue
“Now with the information explosion
faculty, staff and administrators must
also be technically skilled in integrating
information into the curriculum, possess
the ‘techno’ skills needed to secure the
information, and skilled in addressing
technophobia and the various learning
styles of today’s learners.”
Staffing Issues
Why it’s an issue
 “Many faculty, staff and professionals feel
threatened by technology and fear losing
their role as possessor and purveyor of
knowledge.”
 Concerns that the applicants pool many
not hold the same technology values and
knowledge as the population they may
serve
Staffing Issues
What needs to be done
 Identifying and recruiting technology
savvy faculty, administration and staff
 Developing the necessary technology
skills with current employees through
professional development
 Educate faculty, staff and professionals
on the benefits to student learning and
development through the use of
multimedia
Staffing Issues
What needs to be done
 Educate the faculty, staff, and
administration on the vision of the
task force and the technological
strategic plan
 Allow outside training opportunities
for faculty, staff and professionals
Distance Learning
Why it’s an issue
 As students knowledge of technology
increases so should that of the campus
community
 Creates a broader base class schedule
and arrangement
 Definite enhancer of the institution, its
mission and its service to students
Distance Learning
What needs to be done
 Define which classes are web friendly
 Establish a relationship with local areas to fulfill
the onsite location
 Work in collaboration with the Continuing
Education Office as well as Alumni Relations to
provide a solid group for development of
services
 Develop online Admissions Applications
 Explore membership in distance learning
association
 Provide on-line advisement counselor
Implementation of
Recommendations
 Assessment Committee will review
recommendations of other committees
and present findings to Task Force
 If necessary, Task Force will obtain
higher level approval for projects
 Task Force will set up timeline for
implementation of short and long term
goals
Outcomes and Evaluation
So What?
 Successfully incorporate technology into
all aspects of our campus community
 Encourage student development through
the perception that technology can
ENHANCE rather than IMPEDE
 Task Force will develop assessment tools
based on student development theory to
evaluate student learning and
development
Thank You!