Keeping up with the Jones'

I will freely admit, I am as millennial as they come. I send thousands of texts a month and my iphone has a place securely next to my pillow when I sleep. I eat, breath and (literally) sleep social media. If it’s not on facebook, in my world, it’s not official. My own characteristics fit very well with those of my students because, as I’m sure we’re all aware, the Millennials are here in full force. Knowing all that we, as professionals know, about the way my generation operates, it shocks me to see how we, as professionals, can be toward Web 2.0.


Now I’m not a ‘technology for the sake of technology’ person. I believe that adding technology just for the sake of using it can confuddle ( that’s a word) a situation and make things more confusing for both the student and the professional. However when technology can add utility and be a benefit to increasing student engagement, why not? We know where are student are, and we need to be there. Web 2.0 is based largely on user generated content, where the web is used more as a platform for the user to launch their own ideas and interact with other internet users across the globe. Web 2.0 by its very nature engages, facilitates and empowers it’s user to interact.



I write about this topic today because I recently visited the US for their Annual NASPA conference, where I was quick to discover that it’s not only the students who can be engaged by this shift in the way we communicate. I’m an avid twitterer, or tweeter, or twit... (whatever noun you wish to give to a person who sends tweets via twitter) (What’s Twitter?) . Unlike any conferences I had previously attended within my profession, this conference really embraced all that social media had to offer them. The most notable of which was the tweet. NASPA had developed its own hashtag. ( what are hashtags?) so that folks who were tweeting throughout the conference could keep up with what others were experiencing, and interpreting things that may be happening in real time. Although I was unable to keep up to date my phone (roaming charges, sigh) when I was able to check in with the twitterverse I was able to see hundreds, if not thousands of tweets from folks all over the world sharing information about the conference. People were plugging presentations, noting interesting facts and making dinner plans with people who were interested in the same topics as they were – all using this one hashtag ( #NASPA10 , if you’re interested). Now that the conference is over, a whole conversation is continuing, and professionals are networking with one another via the #StudentAffairs hashtag. I have managed to connect with several international colleagues via this tool on topics that we were mutually interested in, and have now exchanged all sorts of useful tips and tricks to use social media to the same advantage with our students.



So my question is, why aren’t we Canadians keeping up with the Jones’? Our neighbours to the south have used this fabulous technology to connect and communicate with each other, whether right across the street or right across the country or the world. The annual Canadian Association for College and University Student Services (CACUSS) conference is fast approaching – the Canadian equivalent to the conference I just attended. I’d like to encourage everyone with a twitter account who will be ( or wish they were) attending to tweet about your experiences both at the conference and before and after as well. Let’s make #CACUSS10 one that embraces social media and allows professionals to connect on multiple levels! Let’s make that jump from fear to utility and make these technologies work for us!



Until next time!



PS. Want to follow me on twitter? www.twitter.com/rhondapittman