Communication Through Technology:
Innovative Approaches to
Creating Community
Florida International University
AJ Costa
Arianna Agramonte
Heidi Richards
Tara Warshaw
Students And Technology
While technology has changed the face of higher education through time, the
desire of college administrators has remained constant. Our passion to
provide students with the tools to develop as holistic, educated, and
prepared individuals is what drives us to make a commitment to the
evolving college learner.
College students from the early 1900’s to today’s students all possess a
common thread: the desire to succeed. Times have changed, but the zeal
of students pursuing a higher education has withstood the test of time.
Students of each generation thrive through the constant morphing
environment of technological advancements, while faculty and
administrators may feel ambushed by these changes.
Recent trends have exhibited an increase in the use of technology among
students as well as greater expectations that university staff be well
versed in the use of interactive technologies. This progressive technology
continuously alters our lines of communication with university students.
Since our finest moments of connection are when we successfully
communicate with our students it becomes our charge to familiarize
ourselves with these technologies.
Learning Outcomes

Understand how technological advances in higher education
institutions have the ability to both increase and decrease
student contact with the university

Examine the benefits and challenges of five technological points
of interest affecting higher education today:






Portals
Online Presentation of Course Materials
Blogs
Institutional Spam
Cellular Technology
Discuss suggestions for implementation at our university
Assessing Your
Technological Awareness
 We will begin by taking a few moments to complete a
pre-assessment about technological issues.
 This will provide a measure for you to gauge current
awareness of technology in higher education and present
an overview of information to be covered today.
 Please mark either true or false for each question.
 Once you are finished with the Pre-Assessment Test we
will begin with our examination of Portals.
Handout 1
Portals
“An emerging phenomenon that promises to revolutionize the ways
universities can communicate and create community”
(Eisler, Mehaffy & Gilbert, 2000)
University portals are an extension of an institution’s
online offering. Personalized portals, a growing annex
of the more traditional and basic portal, allows student
population to personalize their own university pages
with specific news feeds from departments, class
schedules, institutional updates, and much more.
Importance
 Personalized portals allow students to organize many facets of
their collegiate career in a central location. From paying campus
bills, to accessing course schedules, to communicating with
student organizations, students are able to feel as though the
majority of their responsibilities can be contained and monitored
in one place.
 The portals also provide a sense of mattering for students
because of their ability to alter their page to fit their own
personal needs. According to Schlossberg’s theory of marginality
and mattering, students flourish when provided with an
environment that gives them a feeling of identity.
 With current students able to communicate through their portals,
universities are given the opportunity to adapt their main
website to act as a recruitment and information tool. This site
would then act as a navigation piece for those interested in the
wide variety of offices, academic opportunities, areas of growth,
and programs that the university has to offer.
An example of a university portal. This portal allows for students to personalize
their “homepage” and receive information from chosen university departments.
Benefits
From the student perspective:
• A single place to access
information and communicate with
Student Affairs and Academic
Departments
• A standard set of tools (like webbased email and calendar access)
• Global access to their information
• Ability to personalize and
customize portal pages
• Offer distance learning
• Engage and build community
among students
From the university perspective:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Life-long connection to the university
Attract new students to the
university
Standardization of web services
Promotion of data sharing among
departments
Enhance/promote university image
Improve administrative efficiency
Issues
•
•
•
•
A more informal presentation of the university
Requires a front loaded investment by the institution
Could dramatically decrease the usage of the main university website
Identity theft was at one time a concern, however universities are altering
their portals to encourage the use of usernames and passwords for login
purposes rather than social security numbers and other identifying
information
Suggestions for Implementation
 When initiating a program designed for access by
certain groups (e.g. faculty, students, administration,
etc.) it is important to understand the needs of the
targeted groups at the start of conceptualization.
 Focus groups and surveys should be used in a mixed
methods approach to students’ needs assessment.
 Our suggestion is to approach University Technology
Services to design the portal.
 Students and staff should be provided with step-bystep online instructions to ease use of the Portal,
including tutorials and open programs at multiple
places, days, and times on campus.
Online Course Materials
“The real community of man ... is the community of those who
seek the truth, of the potential knowers.”
(Allan Bloom, 1987)
E-learning is an inclusive set of instructional resources
accessible over the internet. A variety of tools are available,
including audio and video files, threaded discussions, and email
and chat options.
Some programs commonly used to facilitate e-learning:
 Blackboard and WebCT
 Service that allows a teacher to host their own course while
incorporating learning materials including word, audio and video
presentation files
 Blackboard has also become a campus “hub” for distance learning
courses
 Recently merged with Blackboard, WebCT provides group project
organization, grade maintenance, and self-evaluation opportunities
 Colts (Complete Online Teaching System) and E-Education
 These programs allow professors to create a classroom homepage
with quizzes, exams, and the chance for instructor/student
collaboration on the same document
 MadDuck Technologies
 Faculty have the opportunity to create course syllabi, calendars,
schedules, and lessons
 MadDuck also has a section to access inactive and archived courses
 iTunes and other audio file sharing programs
 Audio and visual recordings of lectures can be made available to
students who have access to these programs
An example
from WebCT:
Students have their
assignments outlined
and can submit them
on the appropriate
due date.
Importance

Online classroom materials allow students to work on coursework and
attend class regularly. They also provide students with a way to access
course information and manage assignments in an individualized
format. Bulletin board posts allow students to communicate with each
other and the professor, forming an academically involved community.

Tinto says that, “membership in at least one college community is a
minimum condition for persistence” in the university community and
also cites access to academic communities and services as imperative for
students staying in college. Even minimal involvement with these
communities can help students recognize and utilize the support
available.

Availability of online course materials is necessary for higher education
institutions to stay competitive with bringing in faculty as well as
students. It also allows the university to better serve its commuter and
long-distance learners. Thus, allowing for greater retention of nontraditional students.
Benefits
From the student perspective:
•
•
•
•
Recorded video or audio files, called
podcasts, allow students to access
class lectures on their own schedule
Those who are quiet in class
demonstrate increased involvement
online
Provision of written record for further
study is available for future use
Threaded discussions urge students to
read and write each other’s ideas
which develop critical thinking and
writing skills
From the university perspective:
•
•
•
•
Be more competitive with other
universities
Allow faculty to view class materials
from any location
Lower costs associated with paper
waste
Podcasts and online materials
allow cost-effective provision of
services to students with disabilities
Issues
•
•
•
•
The lack of technical skills and time among faculty to convert courses into online
format
Not all student have access to computers due to the digital divide between the
rich and the poor, the north and the south
The argument that online courses are impersonal and do not facilitate student
development
Lack of visual cues such as nonverbal communication present in the classroom
Suggestions for Implementation
 Administrators should:
 Research various types of online learning communities in
order to select the best program for the university’s needs
 Implement usage guidelines for student organizations,
faculty, and staff
 Provide training for students and all instructors to utilize the
program effectively
 Instructors should:
 Participate in the online community through feedback and
comments
 Require class participation through threaded discussions
 Provide encouragement and appreciation online
Blogs
“Education is a kind of continuing dialogue, and a dialogue assumes
… different points of view.”
(Robert M Hutchins, 1952)
Weblogs, or blogs, began as an online journal to express personal
thoughts and opinions. Quickly they evolved to include
information about the news or other topics of interest. Once a
blog is created informational text, hyperlinks, pictures, and audio
segments can be added. Visitors can post to these blogs creating
an online community.
Importance

On personal blogs students can share university experiences for their friends
and family to read. In the classroom they give students an opportunity to
share practical knowledge. More importantly reading and interacting with
blogs at home helps students reflect on material outside the classroom.

Such active discussion enhances cognitive development. Perry states that
throughout their college careers students progress through several stages of
cognitive development. Blogs can help facilitate this development by creating
a forum for introduction of diverse thoughts. Such conversation helps
students move from dualism to appreciating the value of multiple
perspectives.

There are several levels of importance for the university:
 Student and faculty personal blogs provide insight into everyday campus
experiences. Prospective students can use blogs to research the university
which provides candid-free publicity.
 Blogs among faculty and administrators create a supportive resource
community to share best practices and current progress with their
research.
 Blogs promote active engagement in class material and afford instructors
an opportunity to track student progress in an informal way.
One student has used this blog to share his thoughts on a
sporting event with another university. You can see there are
two comments where other students have responded to his post.
Another option is to write a “Kudos” expressing agreement with
what the writer has posted.
Benefits
From the student perspective:
• Connect with distant friends and
family
• Build relationships with classmates
• Receive coursework assistance from
classmates
• Affordable forum for creative and
intellectual expression
From the university perspective:
•
•
•
•
Increased student participation in
course content
Daily reflection for instructors and
administrators on best practices for
the university
Research can be published on a blog
to multiple audiences of various sizes
and levels of interest
Little technical knowledge is
required
Issues
•
•
•
•
Content of blogs is unpredictable and potentially offensive or threatening
Reputations of institutions can be damaged by uncensored comments by students,
faculty, and staff
Faculty, administrators, and presidents have lost their positions due to their own
personal blogs as well the blogs of the community they serve
It can be difficult to use effectively in the classroom.
Suggestions for Implementation

Administrators should
 Determine institutional guidelines for the use of blogs
 Design how the university will respond to student and faculty conduct on blogs
 Provide educational training to students and faculty on the use and dangers of
personal blogs
 Discover what blog program fits the needs of the students, administration, and
faculty. Some possible options for free educational blogging are: tBlog; Blogger;
BlogEasy; and MyBlogSite.

Instructors should
 Decide the specific purpose of the blog for their class
 Determin who will be the author of the blog (professor, entire class, etc)
 Give structure to the blog assignments
 Decide if the blog will be made public or by invitation only
 Teach students blog etiquette
 Adapt the blog as needed
Institutional Spam
“Gentlemen do not read each other’s mail.”
(Stimson and McGeorge Bundy, 1948)
Messages sent to students via email to alert them of important
information pertaining to the university. This can include
billing, school closing and other important information, at the
discretion of the university and dependent upon university
policy regarding dissemination of such information.
Importance

Institutional spam provides students with an easy way to find out what
is happening on their campus. They can receive information and news
about their university, residence hall, and student organizations.

By providing students with as much information as possible about what
is happening on campus, we give them the option of sifting through it to
find the bits that are important to them. This will facilitate students’
ability to find communities to belong in. Chickering identifies this as a
positive environmental influence, as it facilitates development through
the seven vectors of psychosocial development.

As university communities grow, it is necessary to find more financially
viable ways to disseminate information to everyone. Institutional spam
allows the university to reach a broad audience of community members
at extremely low cost.
Our university labels institutional spam as University Announcements in the subject
line of the email. Quantity of messages sent is controlled by providing links to each
announcement in one easy to manage email. Every person a part of the university
receives these messages every business day.
Benefits
From the student perspective:
• Present information in a way that
technology savvy students can easily
access
• Can keep abreast of university
events and situations
From the university perspective:
• Low-cost communication
• Decrease in paper waste caused by
regular mailings
• Near instant mechanism for getting
news to the university community
Issues
•
Students receive a lot of email every day. E-mails may get lost in the
midst of other items in students’ inboxes, or if mass emails are used too
frequently students may underestimate the importance of the message.
•
In 2004, the federal Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited
Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) act went into effect. This act
set requirements for commercial use of mass emails. E-mails advertising
sporting events, cultural/arts performances, publications, etc may need
to heed the regulations in CAN-SPAM, as they support commercial
“products” or “services” offered by the university. (University of
California site)
Suggestions for Implementation

Develop an appropriate use policy to dictate correct
use of email lists - see University of Wisconsin and
University of California policies for suggestions.

Discuss how to limit who is able to use the lists. Some
universities have password or position requirements
that restrict who is able to post to email lists.

Make certain all faculty/staff are aware of these
policies, including confidentiality and decorum
considerations.
Cellular Technology
"Communicating with students on a regular basis has become a challenge, and
schools are looking for ways to address that issue as well as safety."
(Patricia Scott, 2006)
A mobile or cellular telephone is a portable electronic device
designed for long distance communication. Current phones have
a variety of functions including text messaging, watching
television, games and music, receiving information from news
and entertainment sources, calculations for simple math,
photographic capabilities, audio and visual recording, and
tracking appointments and tasks.
Importance
• Cellular phones are a popular form of communication for college students.
Students want instant information. Cell phone communication helps
students feel connected to both academic and student affairs departments.
One university even sends an acceptance response to students via text
message. “Text messaging is really popular with my friends. So the fact
that a college would do that is really cool.”
• Going to college is a transition, defined by Schlossberg as “any event, or
non-event, that results in changed relationships, routines, assumptions,
and roles.” Receiving important information from their university in a
familiar method can make transition easier.
• Supporting students through transition increases retention rates.
Administrators and faculty have an effective way to communicate with
their students. Important messages can be relayed in a timely manner
such as campus activities and programs.
Benefits
From the student perspective:
• Students are constantly connected to
staff and each other
• Instant communication from the
university
• Prepare for a mobile work force
• Stay in touch with friends and family
• Use internet enable phones to conduct
research
• Maintain time commitments and
appointments
From the university perspective:
• Improve communication with the
students
• Removing land lines from the residence
halls is cost effective
• Instant messages such as school
closures can be relayed to students
effectively
• An addition of an emergency phone on
the cell phone can increase overall
campus safety
• Remain competitive with technological
savvy institutions
Issues
•
•
•
•
Internet enabled cell phones and text messaging is a new source for academic
dishonesty on coursework and examinations.
Since it is difficult to truly erase the memory of a cell phone, there is a concern
that private information is unprotected.
Students may become annoyed by unsolicited cellular advertising, SPIM.
Cell phones ringing in class can be a distraction to faculty and peers.
Suggestions for Implementation
 Administrators should:
 Define what information can be sent through a text message
 Determine who will be in charge of monitoring internal
communication
 Receive permission from the students to send them mass
messages in order to avoid the legal issues of SPIM
 Consider the inclusion of cell phones in tuition or contact a
cell phone provider to create a student plan
 Instructors should:
 Explicitly state their disciplinary policy for receiving or
answering cell phone calls or text messages during class
 Teach their students about academic dishonestly, and how it
relates to cell phone usage
Review of Pre-Test
 Let’s take a quick look back at our Pre- Test from the
beginning of the presentation and see how much you
have learned.
 The correct responses to each section are available on
Handout 2. An overview of the information has been
provided on Handout 3.
 We will answer any questions you may have and hope
this presentation has been beneficial to understanding
the college students we are working with today.
Handout 2
Handout 3
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