You can use Facebook for that? Research-supported strategies to engage your students.

Research-supported strategies to engage your students. Reynol Junco Greg Heiberger Associate Professor Coordinator and Advisor for Department of Academic Pre-Health Professionals Development and Counseling South Dakota State University Lock Haven University of PA http://www.reyjunco.com

References   Send email to Rey Junco for list of references   Reference for this presentation: Junco, R. & Heiberger, G. (2009, March). You can use Facebook for that? Research-supported strategies to engage your students. Presentation at the National American College Personnel Association Meeting, Washington, DC.

Presentation Outline   Generations on campus   Introduction to technology used by students   Using Facebook to increase student engagement and retention   Astin   Tinto   Research on Facebook and student engagement

Generations on Campus Silent Boomers! Generation X! Net Generation! Generation! Generation! (1943-1960)! (1961-1981)! (1982-Now)! (1925-1942)! Loyal! Optimistic! Independent! Special! Peer Collaborative! Competitive! Skeptical! Sheltered! Personality! Personal Individualistic! Latchkey Kids! Confident! Sacrifice! Reject Authority! Shun Traditional Conventional! Patriotic! Values! Return to Team-Oriented! Conformity! Nihilism! religious values! Achieving! Respect for Pressured! authority! Civic Pride! WWI & II! Vietnam War! Challenger Columbine Defining Accident! Shootings! Great Depression! Watergate! Events! MTV! September 11 New Deal! Women’s Rights! Attacks! Computers! Reagan recession! Oklahoma City Video Games! Civil Rights Bombing! Persian Gulf War! Movement! Television! 1943-1960! 1961-1978! 1979-1999! 2000-Now! Attended College!

Technologies used by students

Student Technology Use Today’s College Internet     Students Use Facebook   Instant Messenger   Wikipedia   Blogs   More than people   P2P File Sharing   from other generations

Use   >175 Million Active Users   Users over 35 are the fastest growing demographic   3 billion minutes spent per day   35 languages (60 in development)   850 million photos uploaded every month   95% of users have at least one of the 52,000 applications

Nielsen March 2009 Report 67% of global online community visit blogs and   social networking sites Global active reach is greater than email   Facebook is visited monthly by 3 in every 10 people   Audience is becoming more diverse     Largest growth in 35-49 year olds in 2008 Increase of 156% from 2007 in use of cell phones   to access social networking in the US

Increase in global use of Facebook since 2007

Facebook Growth by age since 2007

Audience is becoming older since 2007

Facebook Penetration on College Campuses 92% use Facebook daily (Heiberger) 94% use Facebook weekly 7th most visited site in US (HERI) 86% had Facebook accounts (Mastrodicasa & Kepic) 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 69% had Facebook account Faecbook founded (Junco & Mastrodicasa) 99% use Facebook (Matney & Borland) Facebook open to everyone

Changing Perceptions of Facebook

Astin’s (1984) theory of student engagement   Involvement requires the investment of psychological and physical energy   Students will invest varying amounts of energy in different areas   Involvement occurs along a continuum   Student development is proportional to quantity and quality of involvement   Educational effectiveness is related to capacity to increase involvement

Tinto’s model of departure

Research on Facebook and Student Engagement   Few studies examining link   HERI (2007)   Heiberger (2007)   How is engagement related to technology use?

HERI (2007) & Heiberger (2007) HERI HEIBERGER n 31,500 via YFCY 375 Participants 114 Colleges and 1 Midsize Midwestern Universities U. Social Network All Social Networks Facebook only 94% use weekly 92% use daily No less time studying

The Bad… Data from HERI (2007) show that:   94% of first year students spend at least some time on SNW each week.   Majority of first year students (60%) spend between 1-5 hours a week on SNW.   High users (> 6 hours/week) reported more problems with time management and study skills.

The Good…   Time spent on SNW was less than on academic activities and socializing in the real world.

Friends Social networks Interact Daily w/ close friends >6hrs per week 84% <1hr per week 69% HERI, 2007 Facebook Feeling of connection to friends (VH/H) >1hr per day 92.2% <1hr per day 73.4% Heiberger, 2007

Student Organizations Social networks Spend 6 hrs per week in student clubs and groups >6hrs per week 15% <1hr per week 7% HERI, 2007 Facebook Participation in 1+ student organization >1hr per day 78.1% <1hr per day 63.3% Heiberger, 2007

Connection and Satisfaction Social networks Very Satisfied with social life >6hrs per week 33% <1hr per week 20% HERI, 2007 Facebook Connection to University (VH/H) >1hr per day 63.4% <1hr per day 43.4% Heiberger, 2007

Social Networking and Engagement

Bridging the Gap   Hesitationby student affairs professionals to use emerging technologies   Increased experience with Facebook   Meeting students where they are

Opportunities for Student Affairs Professionals   Shift to older population on Facebook   Familiarity with the technology   Mainstreaming   Capitalizing on engaging aspects of the technology   Using applications   Working with student attitudes

Student Attitudes   Information posted on social networking sites is private   You shouldn’t be looking at my social networking site unless, of course, I want you to   What is a privacy statement?   The job search

CareerBuilder.com Survey (2008)   22% of Hiring Managers use Social Networking websites to research candidates.   33% reported they found information to disqualify potential employee:   41% posted information about them drinking or using drugs   40% posted inappropriate photographs or information   29% had poor communication skills   28% badmouthed their previous company or fellow employee   22% used discriminatory remarks   21% were linked to criminal behavior

Helping Students   Explaining the concept of online privacy   Implications of information posted online   Judicial sanctions   Staying safe

Five Ways to use Facebook to increase engagement Help peer leaders and mentors develop 1.  and maintain connection with program students. Help students connect to each other and to 2.  faculty and staff members. Help students connect to groups and 3.  activities on campus. Increase engagement of non-traditional 4.  students. Enhancing pre-enrollment orientation 5.  efforts.

Engaging uses of Facebook Presidential election and Inauguration   FraternityLive   Careerbuilder.com Application   Courses Application   College News Application   Fantasy Stock Exchange Application   Causes Application   Groups – study/orgs/classes/majors   RedRover   Social networking     Students and employers hooking up (Newhouse News, 2007) Maintaining Relationships  

Maintaining appropriate boundaries   Five ideas to consider: 1.  Not friending students unless they request the connection Never pressuring students to friend you 2.  Use Facebook to help students learn about you 3.  Exercising appropriate discretion when using 4.  Facebook for personal communications Keep in mind that your behavior on Facebook will 5.  be used as a model by our students

Effects of faculty self- disclosure on Facebook Three themes discovered by Mazer, Murphy, and Simonds (2007):   Concern about faculty professionalism   Students like to learn about a professor’s personality   Students concerned that faculty would “spy” on them

Ideas for future research   Longitudinal study   Experimental design   RedRover as IV   Engagement, Retention as DV’s

Questions and Discussion