The SHU Social Media Colab: Developing a Social Media Strategy Through Open Dialogue and Collaborative Guidance This poster shares how we have approached the education and guidance of staff and students in their use of social media. Our approach has a strong emphasis on collaborative relationships and includes the use of 'CoLab' sessions which involve a variety of colleagues across different areas of the institution.

1. Social media is not the sole
responsibility of any one team at our
university.
In order to avoid duplication of work we
watch out for other departments with an
active interest in SM. We raise awareness
of our work, and suggest collaboration
when an overlap or a common
interest is apparent.
We use our networks to
increase communication and
collaboration We are
interested in the
‘conversation’ and
believe that
collaboration ensures
high quality SM
guidance.
Helping colleagues and students
understand that the affordances of
new technology and in particular social
media is ‘not peripheral but
fundamental to all aspects of
scholarship’ (Weller 2011:173).
This works best where authentic
and contextualised
examples are shared.
Establish the boundaries of your
responsibility.
As three staff with TEL roles, our
primary concern is the effective use of
SM in LTA, however we saw the need
to informally extend our roles in order
to collaborate and have a
meaningful institution-wide
impact.
Students need to understand their responsibilities to
themselves and the institution, to develop sustainable strategies
for using social media (SM) to enhance their learning and to
develop their employability skills as future graduates. They
need to place value in the development of a professional online
presence, appreciate the difference between their personal and
professional uses of SM tools, and understand the impact that
one can have on the other.
Staff want to feel confident in the application of
authentic SM learning activities. They need to see
the value of SM competence in graduates within
their disciplines, and easily access shared practice
and guidance. To facilitate such learning activities they
also need to understand and consider aspects such as
online safety professional impact and configuration.
Prioritise
We believe that guidance should be
inclusive. Our approach should enable any
of our users to access or locate guidance
elsewhere, no matter what their starting point.
In the SM field the digital divide can be
stark, - those with confidence and a vision
may find it easy to develop a teaching approach with
embedded SM, while others need to know the
absolute basics before starting.
We identified the greatest need within our primary
scope, considered resources and potential impact.
Ongoing, we write guidance selectively, preferring to
utilise existing materials where possible, and use SHU
perspective sparingly, while be as complete as possible.
Listen
In addition to the CoLab sessions being a space for sharing
ideas and practice, we used them to listen to staff and students
as they explored their thoughts, concerns and ideas about SM.
Through this we could identify key themes and define priorities. We
shared these back with staff from other areas (IT support, Library services,
Secretariat) so that the conversations could be heard more widely.
We acknowledge that TEL and SM constantly evolve.
The ecosystem of connective media in a growing culture of connectivity
(van Dijck 2013) will continue to present new considerations, meaning that
guidance should be reviewed regularly for changes in trends, behaviours and
functionality. However, there is a ‘line’. We are only able to pay attention to the big
themes, and must develop an effective model of presenting guidance - while cultivating
users' skills in seeking and finding specific guidance.
Question
Promote Authenticity
Collaborate
Define scope
We aim to build shared understanding, and where there is
evidence, quash the myths behind SM in HE. Social and digital
media present the very tools to open a forum for discussion, but
should not be used exclusively. Encouraging questions is important
and so is looking to provide different approaches and spaces to do so.
The challenges include:
 Disparity in staff/student digital
literacies
 University departments looking at
SM from different angles
 Making sense of the breadth
of opportunity offered by SM
 The ever shifting TEL
and learning landscape
 University resources for
support vs. guidance
 Consideration of personal
and professional identities
 Challenging myths
Evolve
The SHU Social Media CoLab:
Developing a Social Media Strategy -Through Open Dialogue and Collaborative Guidance
Student Guidance promoting
responsible behaviour & awareness of the
(positive & negative) potential of SM
Staff Guidance on supporting students and
embedding SM in practice
Case studies illustrating Good practice
Social CoLab events for discovery & ideas
generation, and Hands-on sessions
A university-wide working group
This poster shares how we have approached the education and
guidance of staff and students in their use of social media.
Our approach has a strong emphasis on collaborative relationships
and includes the use of ‘CoLab’ sessions which involve a variety
of colleagues across different areas of the institution. We will
show how our work is informed by the needs and priorities of
our staff and students in order to be fit for purpose.
Be inclusive
Sue Beckingham, Alison Purvis, Helen Rodger.
Sheffield Hallam University 2014