Joe Sabado – Higher Education & Technology Leadership

Social media, specifically Twitter and blogs, have become key components of my personal learning environment (PLN). For as many books I read, social media provides me information and, more importantly, access to a variety of experts/up-and-coming thinkers and their ideas that none of the books provide. While books may provide thoroughly examined and edited concepts, theories, and even real-life case studies, I find it refreshing to read the experiences and ideas of my contemporaries in student affairs and technology fields. These are folks whose ideas may not have been heard if they were not through social media. One of my core beliefs is that everyone has something to contribute. Specifically, in our field of student affairs, I value the insights of students and new professionals. Their voices need to be heard more regarding the current and future states of student affairs and higher education. I also value folks who are not afraid to challenge conventional thinking. Here are just some of the folks I’ve come to follow:

– Josie Ahlquist (@josieahlquist). Brilliant writer as she can present academic concepts about digital leadership and student development theories that are enjoyable and easy to understand. She is one of the few folks I know researching digital leadership and the use of social media in student affairs. Check out her blog at http://josieahlquist.com/.

– Trina Tan (@trinastan). It’s refreshing to read Trina’s adventures as a Filipina-American graduate student. She shares some of her personal and career challenges and lessons learned along the way. Check out her blog at http://trinastan.com/.

– J Chase (@JChase_). Do you want to follow someone who’s not afraid to call things the way we all should? Follow this guy. He makes a lot of sense, too. From assessment to critically looking at the principles/practices of student affairs, his commentaries provide different perspectives. Check out his blog at http://jchaseblog.tumblr.com/ .

– Josh Kohnert (@joshkohnert). Josh is one of the emerging leaders in using social media for digital identity development amongst students and staff. I like the fact that not only is he writing about his ideas, but he is also actively sharing his knowledge through his presentations and his work as well. Check out his blog at http://www.joshkohnert.com/.

– Joe Ginese (@joeginese). Joe is full of ideas and innovative ideas. What I respect about Joe is that he is a thinker and a doer. He will provide some ideas when he identifies an issue, like how conferences can be improved. Too many folks, I think, can say “here’s the problem” and stop there. Joe will present some possible solutions. Check out his blog at: http://joeginese.com/.

I could add so many more folks to the list above, and the ones I mention represent the folks I enjoy reading for their unique and fresh perspectives.

Who are the folks you follow who bring new ideas and even challenge you?

Technology can be scary for some. The prospect of technology potentially replacing one’s position in an organization is even scarier. This is one of the reasons why advances brought upon by technology are not always embraced by all. From my experience working in student affairs IT for more than fifteen years, obstacles to implementing new systems are not always about the shortcomings of the technology themselves but rather, the bigger challenge lies with the resistance of those impacted by the new systems based on fear, unwillingness to embrace change, refusal to learn new skills, or the belief their current practices are superior to what technology can offer. When implementing new systems, as a project manager, a few of the questions from the staff I know I have to address are “what’s in it for me?”, “Will it replace me?” and “how do I fit in?” The reality is that technology has changed manual processes that may have existed in the past. Technology has made certain processes more efficient through automation. In some cases, this has led to eliminating positions that used to perform these manual operations. For folks in these positions had to learn and adapt to the new ways of doing things, move to new positions, or leave.

One of the concerns about using technology in student affairs, particularly when dealing with students/customers, is that certain services requiring face-to-face communication should not be replaced with technology. I generally agree with this sentiment. Not every process can be replaced with technology. If that is the case, there would be no need for staff. However, consider that technology may provide staff with more operational efficiency and effectiveness so they can devote more face-to-face interaction and provide more time to students who need extra attention. Given our students’ global nature and increasing online presence in higher education, physical face-to-face may not be an option. Here are some examples of how technology complements and improves our work:

– Knowledge base systems like Intelliresponse that can answer most commonly asked questions can minimize the number of phone calls and emails to staff, thereby providing more time to deal with special scenarios.

– Electronic medical records and case management systems provide student affairs practitioners with relevant student information from different parts of the campus they can use to assist students. Institutions without these systems probably still need to gather information on paper from different places. Imagine students having to wait during an appointment as the counselor must wade through files, which may contain outdated information, and synthesize the information in front of them.

– Web-based self-service systems can delegate some of the tasks to students themselves. For example, disabled students could register for services provided by disabled students programs by providing their health information and requesting services (proctoring, notetaking, etc.) online. Given some business validation to ensure all required documentation is provided, these self-service systems save students and staff unnecessary steps and time going over required documents.

– Virtual conferencing tools such as Adobe Connect to provide webinars to incoming students who may not be able to visit the campus (international students, out-of-state, etc.) are saving institutions time and money for travel. They can also accommodate the different time zones when students are available. I know colleagues who have held web conferences at 2 am for students in China.

– Digital x-ray systems in student health centers have significantly reduced the time required to diagnose a patient. In the past, the process would have involved sending these x-rays to facilities outside the university for a couple of days. Student health centers with digital x-ray capabilities can now do the same process in minutes.

– Automated degree audit systems can assist students and advisors with information to monitor academic progress. The efficiency and accuracy provided by these systems are tremendous compared to manual processes, which require staff to enter and process volumes of student academic records.

With the topics I introduced above, including staff’s attitude to change and looking at technology as a tool for efficiency and effectiveness, we must also look at the subject of technology competency. What does technology competency mean? As I wrote in this blog post, I define student affairs technology competency as:

“Technology competency includes the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to use, design, evaluate and implement technology to support the goals of functional units and towards one’s work.”

Competency is not solely about the mechanics of using the technology itself but how technology is applied intentionally. Technology competency involves technical and business aptitudes as well as the right attitudes. In analogy, one does not develop competency with money but rather how money is used.

How do we then develop staff’s technology competency? Graduate programs must include technology as part of their curriculum, either as a component in other courses offered or as a course on its own. Not all student affairs professionals have a degree in student affairs, so opportunities to develop technology competency must be available to all staff. One such opportunity, which is also applicable to graduate programs, is a course on technology in student affairs. This would be in addition to any training provided by institutions such as lynda.com and sites available to individuals, including codecademy and Smarterer.com. I also think our profession could encourage and promote discussions about effective technology use in student affairs by bringing the topic to the forefront and not just as an underlying component of other competencies. Perhaps, the next version of Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Professionals by NASPA/ACPA could include technology as a competency area and not as a thread.

Anyone to deny the idea that technology is an integral component of student affairs today has not worked in student affairs, and/or they have not spent the time reflecting on how technology impacts our work and our students. The question is no longer about whether technology should be a part of how we perform our jobs but how we best use technology in whatever capacity we contribute towards our mission of supporting student success. Student affairs professionals do not have the choice of accepting technology as part of their job.  This article, “You 3.0: The Most Important Evolving Technology“, says it quite aptly:

“The focus will be on the relationship between the evolving technology and the user—that is, on You 3.0.”

To be successful at what we do in providing service requires our willingness to adapt, not react, to the realities of the world of our students.

What are your thoughts on how we should frame technology in student affairs? Do you agree/disagree with my assertion that technology is a critical component of student affairs?

Note: Products mentioned in this post should be considered references only and not an endorsement by the author.

Thinking about the future of student affairs and exploring ways to “predict” what the next few years hold for my profession -are two topics that have occupied some of my thoughts lately. As a student affairs professional, I’m anxious/excited about how higher education and student affairs will be, even a couple of years from now. The technological advances over the last few years, including social media, cloud,  mobile, and wearable computing, have changed the landscape of higher education. Rising student debt and tuition costs lead to questions about the value of college degrees and affordability/access and accountability. The changing demographics bring new expectations and needs. Newer forms of instructional delivery, including blended and distance learning, specifically MOOC, introduce debates about the role of technology and the faculty. As more higher education institutions offer online courses,  the role of student affairs professionals in providing student services must also be explored. Given all the different factors driving changes in higher education, I am intrigued as to what the next few years hold.

Can anyone truly predict the future of student affairs? I certainly can’t, but it’s fun to think about the possibilities. While the services we will need and how we will provide them will change, the needs of students outside the classroom will not go away. The questions we should ask are “what is our preferred future of student affairs?” and “what are the possible scenarios we must prepare for, and how can we prepare ourselves?”. How can we use information like Pew Research, ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, and the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to inform us about current and future issues/trends? What prevailing beliefs/ideologies, if any, do we need to change? At this point, I don’t know the answers to these questions, but I do know that as we think about our future, we must not be confined by our past and how it’s been done. As much as we would like to reminisce about how wonderful our college experiences may have been way back in the day, we are not designing/providing services for ourselves. As we think about our future, it’s probably a good idea to expand our local campus perspectives by having conversations with colleagues outside our institutions and including those who will ultimately lead us in the future – our current students and new professionals.

What are your thoughts about the future of student affairs?

This MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) entitled “Exploring the Student Affairs in Higher Education Profession” may just be the closest experience to being in a formal student affairs course for those who have not taken a course in student affairs and higher education. This is one of the reasons why I chose to enroll in this MOOC. While I have more than a decade of student affairs professional experience in my formal role as IT staff. Through volunteer positions (FYE discussion leader, summer bridge program instructor, org advisor), it is only through self-directed learning that I have been able to learn about some of the fundamental principles/theories and history of student affairs. I’ve always believed that to be an effective student affairs IT professional; I need to have the practical experience and theoretical knowledge to be able to contribute to the mission of my university and the purpose of student affairs, which I understand as creating the environment and providing support towards holistic student development and learning.

There are other reasons why I am in this MOOC, which include the following:

• A better understanding of MOOC. I need to experience MOOCs firsthand to determine the values and pitfalls of this form of online learning. I read enough articles about the merit and shortcomings of MOOCs, and it’s personally intriguing. As a higher ed professional, online learning (including MOOC) is an area I need to be more knowledgeable about to better prepare myself and my department to provide infrastructure and services to support online learners, instructors, and student service staff. In addition, I am interested in learning theories, computer-mediate communication, and how technologies factor in/impact learning and communication processes.

• Continue my free education in student affairs. I believe in the power of self-directed learning through the use of social media, mobile, and other free resources. While I may not receive formal credits towards a degree (not yet) through this course, I find great value in having access to resources and getting introduced to topics I may/may not have studied before. As much as I read about student affairs and higher education, I have much to learn.

• Create connections with other students. Much of my “alternative professional development” has been through social media, mobile, and e-books, as well as my virtual Professional Learning Network (PLN)  consisting of folks I met through Twitter. These folks share my professional interest in student affairs/higher ed, technology, and leadership. Beyond the resources (videos, documents, web pages, etc.) provided by the course,  I expect that the biggest value I will receive from this MOOC is the new connections and interactions I will have formed during this course is over. I can’t think of any other venue that provides me with a platform to discuss with many aspiring and current student affairs professionals. Tap into their mindsets would be one of the biggest values from this experience.

I completed the first module (out of eight) this evening, and since students can go through the course at their own pace, I hope to complete it in the next few weeks. Given that this is my first MOOC, I am excited about this experience and to be able to learn about student affairs in a topic I am comfortable with.

What’s your experience with MOOCs? What’s your take on it?

A student saw my Google Glass the other day and asked me, “Is it worth it?” It’s no secret the price of the device is $1500. My short response was – “yes, I consider it an investment.” I’m not rich enough to have bought Google Glass to show off and to have a new toy. I have several reasons for committing my money to this device. It’s the same reason I spend so much time on social media and mobile devices. They are integral to my work and my life-long learning. I believe wearable computing and the internet of things (pervasive/ubiquitous computing) will be part of the next wave of technologies that I will need to be ready for as a higher education technology professional. I bought Google Glass as part of my preparation and learned more about these technologies that will become more common sooner than we think. These technologies will bring new opportunities and challenges in higher education in how we conduct our business and provide support and an environment for student learning. Privacy, ethics, and confidentiality issues must be considered, and policies must be adjusted. I don’t know what to expect as I learn how Google Glass works. I know that part of learning involves encountering new ideas that will lead me to questions that will (re)-direct me to new topics I may not have considered before. Google Glass provides me with hands-on experience to help me in the learning process.

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