Student Affairs and Technology:
A Case Study
Brittney Boone
Norm Cole
Brian Joyce
Curtis Tarver
University of South Florida
Justification for
Course Offering
 Societal Demand and the Student Affairs
Response
 Improve Cost Effectiveness of Education
 Meet High Demands and Expectations of
Today’s Student
 Wave of Technology Can Not be Ignored
EDF 4202
Log On to the Future:
Technology in Student Affairs
 Fall 2004

Wednesdays, 2-4:50pm, RAR 205
 Instructor: Brian Boone, Ph.D. (bboone@admin.usf.edu)
 Required Texts:
 Katz, Richard N. et al. Dancing with the Devil: Information
Technology and the New Competition in Higher Education. JosseyBass, San Francisco: 1999.
 Bates, A.W. Managing Technological Change: Strategies for College
and University Leaders. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco: 2000.
 The Syllabus: Technology in Higher Education. Online Magazine.
www.syllabus.com
Course Description
This course focuses on the use of technology in the
field of student affairs, as well as higher education
in general. It is designed to educate student
personnel administrators on current and future
topics in information technology. Participants will
be expected to become familiar with current
literature on the topic, interject thought and insight,
and will be given opportunities to utilize newly
acquired knowledge.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will:
 Understand technology’s impact on the
functional areas of student affairs.
 Be able to both communicate and facilitate
communication in online communities.
 Learn appropriate uses of technology.
Course Objectives
 Demonstrate knowledge of online academic
resources including distance learning, online
library resources, internet research, and
Blackboard technologies.
 Recognize inherent limitations of others’
level of technological knowledge and be able
to plan, program, and educate appropriately.
Course Objectives
 Be aware of ethical and legal issues and their
ramifications inside and outside of student
affairs.
 Be able to identify implications of the
technological impact on the future and be
committed to remaining a lifelong learner.
Projects/Written Assignments
 Weekly Reflective Journal
 University Website Critique
 Communication Reflection Paper
 Technology Article Critique and
Presentation
 Web Page Development Project
Mini-
Weekly Reflective Journal
Due: Weekly, posted to Blackboard
Respond to topics in class readings and
current articles from Syllabus magazine.
Responses should be approximately one page
in length and should focus on the relationship
to current course readings.
Website Critique
Due: September 1
Examine the use of technology, user
friendliness, services provided, and other
relevant topics on the website of a
college or university of your choosing.
Come to class prepared to discuss.
Communication Reflection
Paper
Due: September 22
2-3 pages, double-spaced reflecting on
challenges and benefits of communication
from your personal experience in the cyber
class conducted on September 15.
Technology Article Critique
and Mini-Presentation
Due: October 6
Critique an article from a refereed journal
on a topic related to technology in higher
education. This article is to be outside of
the assigned readings. Presentation shall
be a 5-7 minute PowerPoint incorporating
relevant course topics and creativity.
Web Page Development Project
Due: November 17
(Presentations on November 17 and December 1)
Design a website for a fictitious university. In building
your website, demonstrate a working knowledge of
technology’s importance to a school’s appeal. A 3-5
page paper must be submitted incorporating your
design method and analysis of technology.
Presentations should be 12-15 minutes in length.
Week 1: August 25 Introduction
and Relevance
 Assigned Readings

ACPA Task Force on Information Technology in
Student Affairs



Available at www.myacpa.org
Katz, Chapter 1: Can Colleges and Universities
Survive in the Information Age?
Bates, Chapter 1: Confronting the Technology
Challenge in Universities and Colleges
Discussion Topics
 Introduction

Review of Course Syllabus
 Discuss Bates’ need for change



The Need to Do More with Less
The Changing Learning Needs of Society
The Impact of New Technologies on Teaching and Learning
 Discuss University of Michigan IT school initiative
 New technologies and the Need to Adapt
Week 2: September 1
Student Services
 Assigned Readings




“Online Student Services: Where is your campus?”
Kruger, Kevin. NASPA Leadership Exchange Magazine.
Fall 2003 (available on e-reserve at library)
“New Technologies: Changing How we Work with
Students”About Campus. September/October 2000
(available on e-reserve at library)
Katz, Chapter 2: Competitive Strategies for Higher
Education in the Information Age
Bates, Chapter 2: Leadership, Vision, and Planning in a
Post-Fordist Organization
 Due: Website critique
Discussion Topics
 Discuss Website Critiques




Impact of Virtual Tours
Webcams
Online class registration, online financial aid
forms, online admissions applications, and other
student services
Overall appeal factors for university websites
Week 3: September 8
Student Services
 Assigned Readings






“The “E” is for Everything: E-commerce, E-business, and Elearning in the future of higher education.” Wallhaus, B. JosseyBass: San Francisco: 2000. (available on e-reserve at the library)
“Outsourcing the Technology Boss”. Arnone, Michael. The
Chronicle Review. (www.thechronicle.com)
“Bringing Technology to the Learning Enterprise”. Olsen,
Florence. The Chronicle Review. (www.thechronicle.com)
Bates, Chapter 3: Planning and Managing Courses and Programs
Bates, Chapter 4: Technology Infrastructure and Student Access
Katz, Chapter 3: Assessing the New Competitive Landscape
Discussion Topics
 Private corporations’ involvement in higher
education
 Technology as a marketing tool
 Student services online—to what extent?
 What appeals to whom?
Week 4: September 15
Online class
“Meet” at class time by logging into
Blackboard discussion forum
 Assigned Reading

Katz Chapter 4: The New Technologies and the
Future of Residential Undergraduate Education
Discussion Topics
 Introduce chat room norms (15 minutes)
 Discussion of Katz Chapter 4 (45 minutes)
 “brb” (15 minute break)
 Reflect on online forum, in online forum (45
minutes)
Week 5: September 22
Communication
 Assigned Reading

“Remember the Human: The First Rule of
Netiquette, Librarians and the Internet”. Sturges,
Paul. Emerald Publishing, 2002. (available on ereserve at the library)
 Due: Communication Reflection Paper
Discussion Topics







Were norms clearly established and followed?
Understanding of online jargon
Did you “remember the human”?
Comfort level/Online vs. face-to-face interaction
Distractions/multitasking
Keeping up with the speed of conversation
Online personalities
Week 6: September 29
Distance Learning
 Assigned Readings




“Professors Should Embrace Technology in Courses”.
Lynch, Dianne. The Chronicle Review.
(www.thechronicle.com)
“Many Students’ Favorite Professors Shun Distance
Education”. Arnone, Michael. The Chronicle of Higher
Education: May 10, 2002. (www.thechronicle.com)
“The 24 Hour Professor”. Young, Jeffrey. The Chronicle
of Higher Education: May 31, 2002.
(www.thechronicle.com)
Review Katz, Chapter 4
Discussion
 University of Phoenix—Replacing the Ivy
Leagues?
 The Role of Professor vs. Consultant
 Student Interaction and “The College Experience”
 Experiences with Online Courses
 Ethics in Distance Learning
 Student Affairs’ Obligations to Distance Learners
Week 7: October 6
Online Resources
 Assigned Reading

“Higher Education in the Information Age.”
Sellers, Jennifer. August 16, 2001.
(www.blackboard.com)
 Due: Technology Article Critique and
Mini-Presentation
Discussion Topics
 Libraries—reserves, role of librarian
 Electronic databases, online journals
 Credibility of online sources
 Online citations
 Mini-Presentations (5-7 minutes each to
discuss article, thoughts, implications)
Week 8: October 13
Webpage Design
 Assigned Readings



“Accessible Websites: Why They’re Important and
Where to Begin”. About Campus. March/April 2002.
(available on e-reserve at the library)
Katz, Chapter 5: Developing and Using Technology as a
Strategic Asset
Bates, Chapter 8: Organizing for the Management of
Educational Technologies
 Guest Speaker

Brian Schulte, Marketing Coordinator for the Phyllis P.
Marshall Center Student Union, University of South
Florida
Discussion Topics
 Guest Speaker: Presentation, Q&A
 Applications used in Website Design
 Effective Marketing Techniques
 Marketing: Online vs. Real-life
 Web Page Appeal
Week 9: October 20
The Digital Divide
 Assigned Reading




“Campuses at the Digital Divide”. Gregor, Rebecca.
About Campus. January/February 2001. (available on ereserve at the library)
“Technology and Diversity: An Impending Collision on
the Information Superhighway?”. Hirt, Joan. NASPA
Journal, Volume 38: Issue 1, Fall 2000. (available on ereserve at the library)
“Do you Blog?” Krueger, Kevin. NASPA Leadership
Exchange Magazine. Fall 2003. (available on e-reserve at
the library)
Katz, Chapter 6: Tying Things Together: Advice for the
Practitioner
Discussion Topics
 Who is on which side of the Divide?
 Differences in diversity, faculty vs. students
 What messages do we send to students on the
disadvantaged side of the Divide?
 Bridging the Divide
Week 10: October 27
Ethical Issues

Assigned Reading



“Tending the Net”. Carlson, Scott. The Chronicle of
Higher Education. June 7, 2002.
(www.thechronicle.com)
“Delaware Student Allegedly Changed Her Grades
Online.” Read, Brock. The Chronicle of Higher
Education. August 2, 2002. (www.thechronicle.com)
Guest Panel



Chris Martinez, Residence Services Network
Rob Server, Marshall Center Information Technologies
David Armstrong, Student Government Business
Office
Discussion Topics
 Panel discussion/presentation
 Censorship
 Plagiarism
 Implications with student groups
 University case studies of ethical issues

North Carolina School of Science and
Mathematics Censorship
Week 11: November 3
Legal Issues
 Assigned Readings



“Computer Use and the Campus Community: Rights,
Responsibilities and Expectations”. Legal Issues in Higher
Education, 9th Annual Conference (Section E 2). Burlington, VT.
University of Vermont (available on e-reserve at the library)
“California Student Will Spend Weekends in Jail for Tampering With
Online Election”. Olsen, Florence. The Chronicle of Higher
Education. September 19, 2003. (www.thechronicle.com)
“Recording Industry Says It Will Sue Hundreds, Including Students,
Starting This Month”. Foster, Andrea. The Chronicle of Higher
Education. September 12, 2003. (www.thechronicle.com)
 Guest Speaker

Jason Spratt, Student Judicial Services, University of
South Florida
Discussion Topics
 Guest presentation
 Hacking and TOS violations
 RIAA and music piracy
 Student handbook format—CD ROM vs.
paper copy
 ADA compliance issues
Week 12: November 10
Implication for the Future
 Assigned Readings


Bates, Chapter 10: Avoiding the Faustian
Contract and Meeting the Technology Challenge
Review Katz, Chapter 6
Discussion Topics
 Timeline of Recent Technological Advances
 Who knows what lies ahead?
 The Future of Student Affairs
 Affordability of Changing Technology
 Staying ahead vs. lagging behind
Week 13: November 17
Presentations
 Due: All Group A and B websites
 Group A presentations of designed websites,
15 minutes each in length
 Brief questions on presentations
 No class the following week due to holiday
Week 14: December 1
Presentations
 Group B presentations of designed websites,
15 minutes each in length
 Brief questions on presentations
 Final thoughts
 Course evaluations