Technology, Social Media, and Student Affairs Practice
Tia Chea
Shepherd University
Technology, Social Media, and Student Affairs Practice
• Introduction
• Tia’s social experiment:
Identity theories on the
world wide web
• Films, Photography, &
Graphic designs
• social media as a
marketing tool
• Tips and tricks on social
media
Introduction
• Name
• Title
• the college/university you’re representing
• What’s your favorite social media website and why?
Consumers and Producers
• Users are consumers and producers
o People are both viewers and creators of contents on social media
websites
• Ex: Myspace: users code HTMLs on their pages
• Facebook: updating statuses/curating the web via sharing links/pics
o “we curate the best of the webs”
• Youtube: homemade viral cat & baby videos
Question #1:
• How can we as student affairs practitioners or
professionals benefit from using social media
websites?
o Departmental “pages”
o “events” and invites on FB
o Welcome videos &
o Virtual campus tours on Youtube
o Academic research and discussion on Tumblr
• https://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=prCKZg5
ONG
Question
#1
Question
#2
• How can we as student • How can we use
technology and social
affairs practitioners or
media to talk about
professionals benefit
important ideas in the
from using social media
world of student
websites?
affairs?
o
For examples: social change
model, development theories,
social justice issues, academic
research?
Assumptions:
• Students wants to socialize on the web rather than learn about
complex theories
• Students are attracted to pictures, short videos, memes,
quizzes, and “clickable” links
• Students are interested in what my friends are doing and
what they are working on: social experience
Research Questions
• How invested are students in learning about identity
development theories on social media?
• Are photography and films considered as contributing factor
in students/users engagement on social media websites?
• Are friends and peers of users considered contributing factors
to engagement on social media websites?
• Are students learning and understanding the materials they
are viewing and consuming on social media websites?
Tia’s Social Experiment
• The Heart’s Native Tongue
o Film project: Discussion of identity development theories and how language,
power, and privilege contribute to own identity.
• Theory relating to Student Affairs practice: social identity theory
• Experiment
o Photography + short videos
o Get users invested in the project by allowing them to be the content creator
o Upload to FB + Youtube
• Methods
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Find a name for your brand
Make sure you brand name are available on all social media sites
Create a logo: Profile pic + banner
Make sure your brand is consistent on all sites for easy recognition
Youtube Channel: intro video
Write up a bio
Quotes to pair with pictures and videos to capture audience’s attention
Tips
• Make sure you are creating quality content – HD
pics/videos
• Use FB insights to check users level of engagement:
use as an assessment tool
• Let your project evolve and run its course
• Give people incentives: users are consumers &
producers
• Get diverse groups involved in your project. You'll
then get their diverse supporters/friends.
Reach out to local celebrities.
Don’t feel like you have to get
Beyonce or some other A-list star
in order to make your event
successful. Your local mayor or
local band can be a great draw.
Results
• How invested are students in learning about identity
development theories on social media?
o
We need to survey users to get this answer
• Are photography and films considered a contributing factor in
students/users engagement on social media websites?
o
Look at FB insight page
• Are friends and peers of users considered contributing factors
to engagement on social media websites?
o
Look at FB insight page
• Are students learning and understanding the materials they
are viewing and consuming on social media websites?
•
We need to survey users to get this answer
94 “Likes” on FB in 4 months, 500 total video view counts
DOs & DON’Ts
• Think about the user. You think tweeting 40 times in one hour
at an event is interesting, your followers might disagree.
Sometimes we get so lost in our organizational priorities that
we forget about the user. With each tweet , Facebook status
or video on YouTube, ask yourself “if I was the user, would I be
compelled to engage with this content?”
• Respect the medium. Follow the social etiquette of social
networks. Don’t get on Twitter and just push out your own
content all day; retweet, @reply other users, ask questions.
Respecting the medium within Twitter means engaging with
the network. Use Facebook as a platform for discussion; don’t
just link out to content. Respecting the medium in Facebook
means mostly keeping people within network, that’s where
they want to be.
DOs & DON’Ts
• Establish an online persona. Establish yourself as a leader in
your space and make sure you have a distinct online voice.
The more you can break through the crowded social space,
the more likely you are to build an active online following.
• Fresh content. Think about it, the most successful websites or
blogs are the ones that are updated daily or hourly. A week is
too long to wait for new content in this new world. Keep your
social presences active so your fans continue to check in for
updates.
• Channel Specific content. Create content that is network
specific. If you push out the exact same content on Twitter
and Facebook, what’s the reason to follow or like both?
Q&A
with
Tia Chea