CSP 476 Technology and Student Affairs
Fall 2005
Wednesdays, 5:30 PM-8:20 PM
321 Macintosh Hall
A course designed by
Beth Evans,Teryn J. Robinson, Marci Hogan, and Linda Ellerman
of Illinois State University
Justification
• In an age of technology, when students use Microsoft
Office, email, and instant messaging daily, young student
affairs professionals have a broad understanding of
complex technology, but they often don’t have the in depth
knowledge a job will require. For example, Microsoft
Access provides valuable database technology that
students aren’t normally trained on. Many student affairs
offices make the assumption that students have the skills
on programs like Access that generally are underdeveloped
in a college student personnel graduate program. Taking a
technology course on the software that is vital for student
affairs professionals will save both new employees and
their employers valuable training time.
• As wonderful and as important as technology has become
in our daily lives, we often take technology for granted.
We haven’t always conducted the important aspects of our
work with students with the aid of technology. It’s
important for students, who have grown up using the
Internet as a resource to understand the history and
development of relevant technology.
Justification Con’t
• In addition to understanding the history and
importance of technology, it is important to have a
working understanding of the legal issues that
surround the use of technology. What is appropriate
use? What constitutes “free speech” with University
websites and email? These are a few of the
important issues to consider.
• Finally, in order to work effectively with diverse
student populations, it is important to have a
working understanding of adaptive technology.
Certain technologies make it possible for students
who struggle with various disabilities to achieve at
the same level as other students.
Involvement of the Course--Week 1
• History of Technology
 Look at the “new student” (Generation X,
Boomers, Millennials) and how each generation
learns differently and what importance technology
plays on these individuals
• Assigned reading:Read “Boomers, Gen-Xers, and
Millennials:: Understanding the “New Students.”
Source: Educause Review
 Look at how technology has impacted community
colleges
o Information provided from article, “ Challenges,
Advantages of Instructional Technology in the
Community College.” Source: Community
College Journal of Research and Practice.
Course Con’t--Week 1
• Portfolios
– Electronic Portfolios: History, types, and
how electronic portfolios will help student
affairs professionals
• Read: “Making a Commitment to Professional
Growth: Realizing the Potential of Professional
Portfolios” Source: NASPA Journal
Course Con’t--Week 2
•
Legal and ethical issues
– Class Discussion will include:
-Four questions to ask when creating a campus computer policy
-American Civil Liberties Union v. Reno
-Communications Decency Act of 1996
Group Activity:
After discussion the class will divide into groups of four students to
create a campus computer policy. Each group will have twenty minutes
for discussion and then present what they have to the rest of the class.
– Class Readings will include (to be completed before coming to class):
Hodges, M. W., & Worona, S. L. (1996). Legal underpinnings for
creating
campus computer policy. Cause/Effect, 19(4), 5-9.
Sources consulted:
Kaplin, W. A., & Lee, B. A. (1997). A legal guide for student affairs
professionals. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass
Course Con’t--Week 3
• Advanced Microsoft Word features and introduction
to Microsoft Excel
– Case study assignment
– Microsoft Excel assignment
• While the majority of graduate students in college
student personnel are familiar with Microsoft Word,
the more advanced features that could make your
work more effective are often overlooked and
underappreciated.
• Microsoft Excel is an important application for
tracking and analyzing multiple pieces of data about
various constituents. It is invaluable for tracking
data on students and student organizations.
Course Con’t--Week 4
• Conclude Microsoft Excel and Begin
Microsoft Access
• Built on the spreadsheet technology of
Excel, Microsoft Access is an effective
database program that allows you to design
tables, forms, queries, and reports to
accurately track your data and information.
Access databases can provide you with
endless capabilities for managing data on
student programs, student organizations,
and even budgets.
Course Con’t--Week 4-6
• Microsoft Access
– Microsoft Access assignment
Course Con’t--Week 7-8
• Microsoft Publisher and introduction to
Adobe PageMaker
– Newsletter assignment
• Newsletters and other desktop publishing
projects are part of promoting your office
and programs, so learning Microsoft
Publisher and Adobe PageMaker can
make your publishing projects more
effective.
Course Con’t--Week 9
• Microsoft FrontPage
• The web is arguably the most used resource
we have today. Learning how to get your
information onto the web to reach students
and other units at your university makes
you a more marketable student affairs
professional. Microsoft FrontPage offers
web technology for those familiar with other
Microsoft Office products, and Macromedia
Dreamweaver takes your web
development skills to the next level.
Course Con’t--Week 10-12
• Macromedia Dreamweaver
– web page assignment
Course Con’t--Week 13
• PeopleSoft and Banner data entry systems
• Products like PeopleSoft and Banner
make the tracking and sharing of
information seamless and numerous
universities, allowing registration offices,
among others, to ensure students have met
their requirements. You will likely
encounter this software or similar software
for managing data.
Course Con’t--Week 14
• Adaptive technologies
– portfolio assignment
• We often take for granted the ease with
which the average person can access
materials, so learning about adaptive
technologies will give you valuable
exposure to the range of services available
to students with disabilities. We will explore
technology that helps students with visual,
hearing, and learning disabilities gain equal
access to educational opportunities.
Course Assignments
•
•
Case Study:
After discussing legal and ethical issues during the second week of class, please
respond in 4-5 pages to the attached case study. Your response should be well
written in 10 or 12 point font on 8.5 X 11 paper with one inch margins. Responses
will be graded upon completeness, comprehensiveness, and use of the materials
discussed in class. Grammar will be a small portion of your grade as well. Due
during Week 3. (15 points).
•
•
Excel Diskette:
After discussing Microsoft Excel, manipulate the diskette that is given to you create a
mail merge document using Microsoft Word. This assignment will be graded upon
whether or not you are able to create a mail merge document. Print the mail merge
as a set of labels and turn this in as the portion to be graded. Due during Week 5. (5
points).
•
•
Access Diskette:
After discussing Microsoft Access, manipulate the diskette that is given to you to
create a query from the main table. The main table will include information about
first names, last names, e-mail addresses, mailing addresses, phone numbers,
student group participation, year in school, major, and T-shirt size. Create a query
that will elicit first names, last names, e-mail addresses, and T-shirt size. Make the
query able to sort the T-shirt size lists into small, medium, large, and extra large.
Generate a report based upon this query. This assignment will be graded upon the
ease of reading for the reports and ease of use for the queries. For the query
portion, return the diskettes, and for the report portion, turn in a printout. Due
during Week 7. (10 points).
Course Assignments Con’t
•
•
Newsletter:
Create a newsletter for the student organization of your choice following discussion of
Microsoft Publisher and PageMaker. The newsletter must be one 8.5 X 11 page front
and back in length. Newsletters will be graded upon conciseness of information
conveyed, use of graphics, grammar, and content. Students will turn in a printed
copy of their newsletter. Due during Week 9. (15 points)
•
•
Webpage:
Create the home page of a student affairs office of your choice utilizing Microsoft
FrontPage or Dreamweaver. Include links to other pages in the site, but you do not
have to develop those pages. The choice of which program to use is yours depending
upon which one you feel more comfortable using. Web pages will be graded upon
appearance, use of graphics, layout, and completeness. Students will turn in the
diskette of their web page or e-mail an attachment of it to the instructor. These web
sites do not need to be live or viewable on the Web. Due during Week 13. (15
points).
•
•
Portfolio:
Students are to create a portfolio utilizing the blackboard technology provided by
Illinois University. Once assignments are returned to the students, the students are
than expected to incorporate the feedback and improve their assignments for
submission onto the blackboard. Due during Week 14. (30 points).
What questions do have?