Leslie Dare, Ed.D. Introduction Keeping pace with innovations in technology could be a full-time job for those organizations with the resources to fund such a position. It would be a dream job for some, and a nightmare for others. Even for those who fully embrace technology, understanding the full realm of technology tools used in higher education is overwhelming. Not only is the scope unbelievably wide (from classroom tools to communication tools to data management tools, just to identify a few), but also the depth in each area seems bottomless (how many instant message programs can you name?) and the pace of change leaves one breathless (think iPod). Add all the related issues – privacy, security, accessibility, plagiarism, copyright, harassment – and you have got a recipe for a full-time technology position. Now imagine that you work in the field of student affairs, and none of your colleagues would ever call you an “early adopter” of technology. How in the world does the average student affairs professional stay up-to-date with technology? Even if such an individual does not use current technologies on a day to day basis, a case can made that we should all at least understand what technologies are becoming mainstream, and most importantly, are being used by students. There are ten technologies that I believe are worth learning and experiencing when possible. Many of them have specific implications for student affairs, and others are just appealing new technologies. If you are the person who wears the technology “hat” (whether as a full-time position or as one of many duties), this may give you a starting point for educating others. If you are a RONG-P (regular ol’ non-geeky person) then hopefully this list provides a straightforward introduction to what is new in the world of technology. The Top Ten 1. Mozilla Firefox The Basics: Have you been plagued with unwanted pop-up ads? Has your web browser been hijacked? Then try Mozilla Firefox. It is a great web browser, and is being adopted by many folks as an alternative to Microsoft Internet Explorer. Not only is this browser more secure and thus less vulnerable to spyware, it has some great features. For example, you will get addicted to tabbed browsing. Don’t worry if you don’t know what tabbed browsing is…just download Firefox and give it a try. You will quickly see how this feature works and fall in love with it. You also get an integrated search bar at the top that includes Google, Dictionary, Yahoo, eBay, and others in a dropdown menu. The built-in pop-up blocker is easy to use. The Geeky Stuff: This is an open source browser, and it prevents ActiveX controls from loading. It also includes an integrated RSS reader (more on RSS in number 3 below). Thunderbird is the Mozilla email package, and the two work well together. Favorites, passwords and other settings from IE and other browsers get migrated in with a few clicks. This browser works great on both the PC and Mac platforms. The Student Affairs Connection: NC State University’s Help Desk (which provides IT support to students and employees) shares anecdotally that the majority of students are still using Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. However, that majority is shrinking, and shrinking quickly. Those who have heard about or stumbled across Firefox seem to greatly prefer it and stick with it. The Help Desk also routinely suggests the Firefox as an alternative for those plagued with spyware issues. The point here is that more and more students are migrating to Firefox, and you should consider doing the same. Not only will you better understand what software students are using, but it will be an improvement for your web browsing as well. Learn More: http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/4520-3000_16-5561073-1.html 2. Blogs Yes, that is a word. A blog (short for “web log”) is a series of essays (or articles) that appear on the web. It can be as simple as a personal diary that an individual has put out on the web for the world to see, or as complex as a series of writings by many collaborators on any given topic. Blogs are used by corporations for publicity, by politicians for campaigning, by grassroots activists for raising awareness, by sportsfans to discuss their favorite teams, and by students to create communities of common interest. Blogs can be wildly interesting to read, especially those written by individuals who just want to get their opinions out in cyberspace. They can also give you insight into your students. The Geeky Stuff: Many bloggers publish their blogs as RSS feed. The Student Affairs Connection: Many student affairs professionals have concerns about the impact of blogging. Students with personal blogs often disclose a tremendous amount of personal (and sometimes exaggerated) information that leaves them vulnerable to all sorts of problems (see the studentaffairs.com article link below for some great information on this topic). There are also concerns about how blogs (and technology in general) have impacted the social development of today’s college students. On the other hand, blogs are a great way to express one’s thoughts on a variety of issues, and have created communities of students that may not have otherwise connected. Like any new technology, blogging is yet another new tool that have both positive and negative impacts, depending on how it is used. Learn More: http://www.mchron.net/site/edublog.php http://studentaffairs.com/ejournal/Summer_2004/AttackoftheBlogs.html 3. RSS The Basics: This may be the most complicated technology to explain without a live demonstration. But it is worth the time to set it up and give it a whirl. RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication" and can be best described as a simplified web page with just the highlights. It is used by news websites to show just the headlines, and by blogs to show the latest updates. If you have ever been to the CNN.com website, you know that it can be quite confusing to the eye. There are many graphics and links, some going to news stories, others going to ads. Now imagine getting a web page with just the headlines, a paragraph summary of that headline, and a link to the full story. Sounds retro, doesn’t it! Go to one of the RSS feeds in the links below and you’ll see the little orange RSS icon. Any webpage with that icon has an RSS version for you to view. The Geeky Stuff: RSS feeds can be viewed one at a time by just clicking on the RSS link on any newspage. For more efficiency, use a RSS reader, such as Pluck. You may also want to explore Google desktop, which includes a “web clips” tool for displaying RSS feeds. RSS can be considered both a “push” and “pull” technology; the user subscribes to the feed (pull) and the author determines message and content (push). The Student Affairs Connection: This technology has some great potential for providing up-to-date information for students. Learn More: http://chronicle.com/news/rss.xml http://rss.cnn.com/rss/cnn_topstories.rss http://www.apple.com/main/rss/hotnews/hotnews.rss http://www.xml.com/pub/a/2002/12/18/dive-into-xml.html 4. The Facebook The Basics: According to the Facebook website, “The Facebook is an online directory that connects people through social networks at schools. You can use Facebook to look up people at your school; see how people know each other; find people in your classes and groups.” A recent report by the Associated Press (2005) calls “Facebook an Internet Sensation on Campus.” Students who want to participate create an online profile, sharing as little or much information as they wish. The Geeky Stuff: The Facebook does allow you to block specific people and/or specific information. However, they do share your information with third parties. The Facebook can be considered a place to keep a blog. The Student Affairs Connection: This is probably the most important item to really learn about on this list, from a student affairs perspective. Facebook has truly taken on a life of its own, and the implications are significant. The Facebook was used on our campus for a (successful) student government campaign. It has also been used to pursue violations of our code of student conduct based on photographs posted by students. See the studentaffairs.com article noted below for more information; Will Barratt and his students do a great job of describing its use, and potential misuse. Learn More: http://studentaffairs.com/ejournal/Winter_2005/thefacebook.html http://massis.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/TELECOM_Digest_Online/0158.html 5. Podcasting The Basics: Podcasting is fairly new spin on existing technology. The ability to put an audio file on the web and make it available for others to listen or download has been around for awhile. Podcasting takes it one step farther by letting you subscribe to a series of audio files and automatically download them onto a digital audio player (like an iPod, hence the name). A good example is radio. Many popular radio shows are available as podcasts. Anytime you connect your player to your computer and crank up the music softare (like iTunes) the latest broadcast of that show is downloaded to your player, ready to enjoy at your convenience. The Geeky Stuff: Podcasting is a generic term and iPods are not required; any digital audio player will work. Apple’s iTunes is a great place to find podcasts; some institutions already have their own podcasting initiatives. To create a podcast, you need a digital voice recorder (adding a mic to a computer will work, or use the iTalk attachment for newer iPods) and recording software (available free from the Internet, or use Apple’s Garageband). The Student Affairs Connection: Podcasting has already hit the news in higher education. Faculty are podcasting lectures, and administrators are podcasting speeches. There are many potential applications for delivering student services and development programs via podcasting. At NC State, our University Career Center has just started a CareerTalk podcast. There is concern that students are more “plugged up” than they are “plugged in” but like many technology tools, podcasting is here to stay. Learn More: http://wolfcast.ncsu.edu/careertalk/ 6. Flash Drives The Basics: The greatest thing since sliced bread! Flash drives are also called USB drives, thumb drives, and pen drives; I’ve even heard them referred to as “stick” drives. Basically, these are very small devices that provide digital storage space. Think floppy disk, except that it will fit on your keychain, and holds a heck of a lot more data. Carry your Powerpoint file in your pocket; take it to Kinko’s for printing. It is a great way to carry files between work, home, and conferences. The Geeky Stuff: Given the continual drop in prices, don’t buy anything less than one gigabyte. Also make sure you are getting a 2.0 USB device. Losing the little top can be a hassle, so consider Sandisk’s Titanium with its retractable end, or the Imation Swivel top. Flash drives are replacing floppy drives, which are no longer standard equipment on most new machines. Flash drives are also compatible with both the Windows and Mac platforms, and can be password protected. The Student Affairs Connection: Do not be surprised if you see students wearing these on lanyards around their necks. Students love flash drives and this portability is a clear example of the expectations of the “right here, right now” generation. Learn More: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/removable-storage.htm 7. Multipurpose Mobile Devices (cell/pda/mp3) The Basics: Finally, the load on our belts and purses may lessen! Increased functionality is the trend for all of these devices. There are a number of products that serve as phone, PDA and mp3 player, and even include voice recorder and wireless functionality. The Geeky Stuff: Prices for devices that do it all are still high, but coming down. Do not go for a mega-multi-device if you want full functionality for each and every feature because you will be less than satisfied. The Student Affairs Connection: Mobile computing, communication and entertainment are part of today’s student culture. As with the Internet, mobile technology may be a concern for development of time management and social skills. Benefits include enhanced time management and access to people and information whether across campus or across the world! Learn More: http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/Top_gadgets/4520-8900_16-1008327-1.html?tag=fs 8. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth The Basics: These two wireless technologies are growing. (They are combined here because a Top Eleven list is not as much fun.) Wi-Fi is mostly used as a wireless connection to the Internet. Bluetooth is a wireless connection between devices, such as a headset connected wirelessly to a mobile phone. The Geeky Stuff: Wi-Fi can also be used for connecting to LANs and VoIP (See #9 below). Any new purchases of laptops should include an integrated Wi-Fi card, and Wi-Fi is suggested for higher end handheld devices (you will have buyer’s remorse if you do not include it). Any new Bluetooth devices should be version 2.0. The Student Affairs Connection: Wireless connections to the Internet are viewed as a “must have” by many students. Investigate what wireless connectivity is available on your campus. You may want to investigate adding wireless to your office if you have a lot of student traffic; just make sure you are following campus guidelines for installation. A Bluetooth printer might be a handy device to have available for students as well. Learn More: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/wireless-network.htm http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/bluetooth.htm 9. Voice-Over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) The Basics: Telephone conversations over the Internet. You can even do it without the telephone. That is what VoIP is all about. It is not yet a mainstream technology, but expect to hear much more about it in the coming year, as new telephones with an Internet port become more common. The Geeky Stuff: Watch for voice and data services to converge by 2010, making communications more streamlined. The industry is still developing workarounds for 911 compatibility and power supply issues. Look for Wi-Fi phones to enter the market. Currently, you can attach a standard PBX phone to a VoIP adapter box, which then connects to broadband. You can also use a headset with a personal computer. The Student Affairs Connection: Students love a bargain. And Skype is free VoIP; if you have Skype and your friend has Skype, then you and your friend can talk over the Internet for free. Vonage is a for-fee VoIP service, but still very popular with students, and with parents who like lower-than-cell prices. Learn More: http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/voip/colleges-and-voip.asp 10. Instant Messaging The Basics: You may think this one is old hat, but it is still worthy of a mention. Instant messaging is like talking on the phone, except you are typing on the computer. This type of real-time communication is often more casual than email communication. The Geeky Stuff: There are many IM clients to choose from. If you want multiple IM accounts, choose software that will let you see both buddy lists simultaneously. For example, I have IM accounts through AOL and Yahoo and use Trillian to manage both at the same time. Use preference settings to limit/block other users. The Student Affairs Connection: Instant messaging causes many of my colleagues to shudder. While I love it personally as a way to communicate with colleagues, I do recognize that there are legitimate concerns regarding students’ stunted communication skills (not to mention bad habits with grammar, spelling and punctuation). Most of us have heard anecdotes of two roommates who communicate via IM, even when they are in their room at the same time. See the studentaffairs.com article below for a more in-depth analysis of the impact of instant messaging on students and student affairs. On the plus side, students find IM-ing a very popular means of communicating, so this is a tool that student affairs offices and individuals should exploit. Instant messaging technology can be a great tool for online student services. Learn More: http://studentaffairs.com/ejournal/Fall_2004/InstantMessaging.html Conclusion In summary, there is one theme that transcends. Technology, like any other tool, can have great uses and great misuses. One could even argue that, even when used as intended, some technologies have negative outcomes for college students. The key for student affairs professionals is to understand emerging technologies and how students are using them. Here are some technologies that did not make the cut for this article but are worth investigating: learning management systems (WebCT, Blackboard), email and calendar software, enterprise portals (Banner, PeopleSoft), and gaming gadgets (Xbox, Playstation). Also, here are some websites that might help you stay on top of technology trends. http://studentaffairs.com/ejournal/ (should be a regular read) http://www.zdnet.com/ (check out the reviews) http://www.howstuffworks.com/ (see the “computer” and “electronics” sections) http://www.gartner.com/ (your institution might have a subscription) http://chronicle.com/infotech/ (great info specific to higher education) http://wiredcampus.chronicle.com/ (different from the IT section of the Chronicle link above)
Director, Distance Education & Technology Services
Division of Student Affairs
NC State University
ladare@ncsu.edu
Posted: November 2005 Student Affairs Online, vol. 6 no. 4 - Summer 2005