If you are just beginning to learn about the possibilities of Web 2.0 I highly recommend a blog that outlines work which helped expand my vision.

Getting Started with Web 2.0

The work of Mike Wesch at Kansas State has informed the higher education community over the last few years and helped us to think about the prospect of change in a digital age. But Wesch and his students have also permeated the web with their original work.

Listen to NACADA Tech faculty member, Karen Thurmond, talk about what attendees can expect at the 2009 NACADA Technology Seminar

Tags: Audio

Karen recently posted about Google maps and Google Earth over on her blog - Thurmond’s Thoughts. The neat thing about Google Maps is that anyone can click on the “Link” option (it’s to the right of “Print” and “Send”) and copy code which can then be used to embed a map on a blog or website.

For example, check out this satellite view of Clearwater, Florida:

View Larger Map

Early registration for the NACADA Technology Seminar is currently underway.

Tags: "google maps"

Looking for more information about the technology seminar? Here are some of the questions I got today.

Are we simply hearing about new technologies?

Some of what you may hear will be new, especially if this is your initial foray into social networking and other web based applications for communication, assessment, and administration. But just hearing about it is not the focus of our seminar…read on.

Will there be an opportunity to apply some things we learn so that we might relatively master these concepts while at the Institute?

Absolutely…we hope you will take away several hands on experiences with web based applications that are free and open to all. We will get you started, and certainly be glad to help. Before the seminar, you might want to talk to as many students as possible to find out what they use. As my web master says, “you might as well go where they are!”

Because we will focus on getting your hands on the tools, we are asking that every participants bring a laptop with wireless capability to the seminar. We are working very hard to make wireless internet available to the participants of the seminar, so come prepared to use it!

Are you aware of what technologies or software we might delve into?

There are a few that we know college students are using in larger numbers than some others…facebook, blogger and other google applications, twitter to name just a few. As mentioned above, do some research with your students. If you want to meet them where they are, find out where they are.

What are the possible uses for Web 2.0 to enhance academic advising?

Web based social networking applications, such as wikis, enhance the work that advisors do. The continuing development of advisors may be enhanced by the use of web tools for “handbooks,” advising “courses.” Communication among advisors in an office or across a campus can be transformed by tools that make discussion and information readily available. Administrators and advisors alike should begin thinking about the type of information available through social networking and web based tools. Surveys, data, and information can enhance and inform the effective practice of academic advising.

Social networking tools may enhance communication with your students and colleagues. Every day new tools are available, but there are a few that enjoy high levels of usership among college students. What students use may differ by state, region, country, and age of the student. Talk to your students before you come to the seminar so that you use your time effectively. And remember…”email is for old people.”

Will we learn how to incorporate technology into our advising?

As an advisor you have skills and abilities that make you a good advisor. The focus of the seminar is not to teach you how to advise, but rather to help you discover what uses of technology might enhance your advising.

Tags: Advising 2.0

Thanks so much for considering the seminar, “Advising 2.0: Utilizing Technology Effectively for Campus-wide Advising.” The curriculum committee for this seminar is a group appointed by the Advisory Board for the Winter Meetings, chaired by Pamela Marsh-Williams. Our members for the planning process have been George Steele, Ohio Learning Network; Joshua Barron, Texas Tech University; Art Esposito, Virginia Commonwealth University; Eric Stoller, Oregon State University; and me, Karen Thurmond, The University of Memphis. We have been hard at work considering new ways to explore the idea that academic advising might be enhanced by the use and awareness of social networking technologies of all types. One of the results is this site…

We hope what we do here as we lead up to the February 12, 2009 beginning of the seminar will emphasize some of the possibilities of academic advising enhanced by technology tools and resources. We invite your comments and questions.
Karen Thurmond