Where is Clearwater, Florida?

November 30th, 2008 by Eric Stoller | 1 Comment | Filed in Getting Started, How to..., Web 2.0

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.

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The Technology Seminar Survey is Coming Your Way!

November 25th, 2008 by Karen Thurmond | No Comments | Filed in Research & News, Web-based Surveys

Registration for the NACADA Technology Seminar, “Advising 2.0: Utilizing Technology Effectively for Campus-wide Advising” is underway! We are excited that so many of you will be able to join us in Clearwater Beach Florida February 12-13, 2009.

In order to help the faculty for the seminar better prepare for this hands on seminar, we will be sending you an online survey. Please take a few moments to fill out this survey. I did it myself this morning in about 5 minutes, so it won’t take up a lot of your time. But the information you will provide is extremely valuable to the faculty and seminar planners.

Look forward to seeing you in Florida in February…oh, doesn’t that sound wonderful?

Karen

More about the seminar content

October 21st, 2008 by Karen Thurmond | No Comments | Filed in Getting Started

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.

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What is Twitter?

October 11th, 2008 by Eric Stoller | 1 Comment | Filed in Blogs/Microblogs, Web 2.0

What is Twitter? Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?

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What’s a back channel?

September 25th, 2008 by Karen Thurmond | 1 Comment | Filed in Web 2.0

Practice is a big part of learning, so we will give you a chance to really practice. This site (nacadatech.net) will be used as a “back channel” to the seminar. This means that we ALL will practice what we are learning by posting reflections, pictures, videos, comments here!  The back channel will constitute the seminar within the seminar. Don’t know how?  Get ready to learn!

Bring your laptop!

September 25th, 2008 by Karen Thurmond | No Comments | Filed in News

Considering the technology seminar? Plan to bring your laptop! You will have multiple opportunities to get your hands on a new tool, or perhaps to learn more about a tool that you have already used just a little. Though we will not endorse any particular web based tool, we will show you a few that we have used. Then we want you to “get your hands on” as many as you can. That’s why you need the laptop.

We are working hard to provide wireless internet access, some come ready to get started.

Karen

How did this get started?

September 2nd, 2008 by Karen Thurmond | No Comments | Filed in Getting Started

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

Advising 2.0: Utilizing Technology Effectively for Campus-wide Advising

August 30th, 2008 by Eric Stoller | 1 Comment | Filed in News

NACADA Technology Seminar

Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort
Clearwater, Florida
February 12-13, 2009

Technology of all kinds has become an important aspect of our cultural and educational experience. We bank, buy, and learn online. Many of us are creating, rediscovering, and maintaining relationships online. This seminar provides an opportunity for academic advisors to get hands on experience with Web 2.0 technologies. Each participant will have the opportunity to plan for the use of new technologies in their work, and get feedback on their plans.

Let us explore the following questions together:

  • How can I learn new ways to use technology in academic advising?
  • What is Web 2.0 and what does it have to do with facebook, Ning, YouTube, Google, Yahoo! and other things I have heard about?
  • Where can I find out more about social networking?
  • How can I use technology to get better data for assessment of student learning outcomes?
  • How can I learn to select, use, and manage technology in my advising office?

Why you should attend:

* To understand the use of social networking technologies as academic advising tools
* To learn how to use technology tools in academic advising assessment
* To explore how communication with students in advising can be enhanced by technology tools
* To get a perspective on how academic advising technologies can help advisors at your institution

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