AcAdv, ACPA, ACPAdigital, Blended Learning, Higher Education, Learning, Learning Technologies, Online Learning, Professional Development

Academic Support In A Digital Age

September 7, 2016December 11, 2019 Laura Pasquini

Although you might not advise or support students in an online degree program, there are increasing efforts for teaching and learning technology. Learning delivery and design does impact how we support our students, and we mediate much of our work in higher education using digital tools and platforms. That being said, any adoption of technology should be led with informed decisions on modifying pedagogical methods (Bates, 2015), which is directly related to our advising models and programs we offer in the post-secondary.

Our students want the same flexibility, access, and online support they often receive from instruction and other services they use. When learning with technology, our students are accustomed to having access to student support or other features alongside their online/blended coursework; however, the digital student success side is frequently an afterthought for these technology determinations. We need to have more student success and academic advising programs consider the best technology to provide advising content and service delivery (Steele, 2015) for a more learner-centered approach.

Digital DNA by Adriana Varella and Nilton Malz

Whether you are leveraging technology to optimize your student support services or your campus is transitioning to either a blended or online learning model, there is both a need and desire to improve technology for academic advisors and student support practices in higher education (Pasquini & Steele, 2015). During your planning, it will be critical for your institution to ask the following questions before selecting technology-mediated environments for advising and learner support:

What technologies is your institution currently utilizing for academic advising or student support?
How does your division or unit on campus decide on the most appropriate mode of technology delivery? [Will this be a campus-wide decision?]
What factors should be determined when designing technology in advising program and/or student support functional area?
What other strategies and structural support might benefit your campus in preparing staff as they support learners digitally? (e.g. training, skill development, etc.)

Join me as I discuss this further next Wednesday, September 14th from 12-1 pm EDT for the ACPA Commission for Academic Support in Higher Education (CASHE) Presents Webinar: “Selecting Technology for Advising and Supporting Your Students.” During this online event, I will be sharing a few evidence-based ideas and practical resources to help your advising team address these questions. This webinar will introduce your campus planning group to a few strategies and structures as they select technology for advising and student support. Sign up for this FREE webinar sponsored by ACPA CASHE here: http://goo.gl/tR8THa

References

Bates, A. W., (2015). Chapter 9: Modes of delivery. In Guidelines for designing teaching and learning for a digital age. Open Text BC.

Pasquini, L. A., & Steele, G. (2016). Technology in academic advising: Perceptions and practices in higher education. figshare. Retrieved from https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3053569.v7

Steele, G. (2015). Using Technology for Intentional Student Evaluation and Program Assessment. NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources.

ACPA, ACPAdigital, StudentAffairs

#ACPA16 Presentation: Social and Digital Technology Competency Institute for College Student Educators

March 6, 2016March 6, 2016 Laura Pasquini

Today (March 6th) we will be facilitating the 1st Social and Digital Technology Competency Institute for College Student Educators (a.k.a. Half-Day Pre-Conference Colloquia H) at 2016 ACPA Convention on Sunday, March 6, 2016 from 1-4:30 pm EST (Palais des Congrès de Montréal, 513D). Here is the agenda for today, if you want to sign up for the event:

Agenda

Introductions and TECH Competency Orientation

Welcome Message & Pre-Institute Survey (http://bit.ly/TECHassess)

History of Tech in SA / Implementation Model

ACPA/NASPA Tech Competency Overview: Themes http://bit.ly/SAcompTECH
–#SAtech Competency Reflection: Your Perspective
–#SAtech Assessment at Your Campus
BREAK 2:30-2:45 pm

Short Attention Span #SAtech Theatre: Here are topics and highlights to #satech trends, topics & more!

Discussion: Q & A // Comments

Wrap Up: Resources & Follow Up

Follow our conversation on the backchannel using the hashtags #SAtech + #ACPA16, and read via Paul’s blog post.

tech-competency-institute-for-college-student-educators-1-638 Myself and a number of my colleagues from the ACPA Digital Task Force came together to propose a pre-conference session that is intended to help practitioners make sense of the new Technology competency area in the ACPA/NASPA Competencies for Student Affairs Educators. The following post gives a broad overview of the session as well as additional resources for participants and guests alike!

ABSTRACT

Today’s most progressive Student Affairs (SA) practitioners and faculty are recognizing the tremendous potential for technology as a core competency in administrative leadership and student learning. It’s crucial that SA educators understand digital technology in order to make informed decisions and model effective digital literacy and citizenship. Crisis management, student engagement, social media identity, and digital pedagogy are just a few areas explored in this fast-paced, interactive, and multimedia rich workshop. Guided by the new recommendations from the ACPA/NASPA Professional Competencies, presenters will also share the…

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ACPA, ACPAdigital, Professional Development, Reflections

Introducing the 2016 @ACPA Powered By PechaKucha Night at #ACPA16

March 1, 2016August 12, 2019 Laura Pasquini

With the 2016 ACPA Convention just around the corner, I am so excited about the upcoming events and happenings in Montreal. As a member of the #ACPA16 Technology Programming Team (Shout out to our awesome chair Brian and fantastic planning posse: Erica, Jason, Kristen, Amanda, and Idriss), we have been busy organizing a number of program events like the Genius Labs, High Tech Room, and the “PK Talks.” I am really looking forward to the stellar ACPA Powered By PechaKucha night happening on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 from 7-10 pm in Palais des Congrès de Montréal, 517 C & D and on the backchannel with our event hashtag: #ACPA16PK.

Join ACPA’s innovation movement and attend ACPA Powered by PechaKucha during the convention! PechaKucha is a simple, but innovative and challenging presentation format where presenters show 20 images, each for 20 seconds that cover a wide range of topics, ideas, perspectives and thoughts. Our goal is to create an exciting and uplifting atmosphere that is full of good thought and new ideas that will help advance the field of higher education. The event will include comfortable seating, coffeehouse lighting, a cash bar, and phenomenal presentations. A number of outstanding presenters who have had an impact on the association and higher education have been selected for this inspiring event will be welcomed by the co-hosts, Idriss Njike and moi! Here is the schedule line-up and a little bit “about the PechaKucha talk” for this year’s event ACPA Powered by PechaKucha™ event:

UPDATE 3/9/16 – All the TWEETS shared on the #ACPA16PK Hashtag

UPDATE 3/25/16 – Videos from the #ACPA16PK are embedded below… enjoy!

PechaKuka Speakers	ACPA Powered by PechaKucha™ Talks
Paul Brown	Your Professional Network is Powered by Bacon Many people have said that student affairs is a small profession. In this PechaKucha, the concept of “six degrees of separation” will be explored as it relates to professionals’ historical lineage and connection back to some of the founding members of the field.
Jacqueline Mac	“Where Are You From?”: A Complicated Question Through exploring the concept of “home” and where “home” is for a group of displaced people for generations, this PechaKucha will attempt to answer the question, “where are you from?” This talk highlights storytelling as a tool for liberation, where voice and perspective is at the center.
Michael Goodman	Honoring Parentless Students The landscape of families is changing, and “Mom’s Weekend,” “Dad’s Day,” and, “The Office of Parent Programs,” are no longer relevant to all students. Let this PechaKucha serve as a charge to you and your campus, with hope that we’ll adjust our practice to truly support all students.
Sarah Molitoris	Making the Impossible Possible: Lessons from Cirque du Soleil Explore lessons from the whimsical world of Cirque du Soleil as they connect to student affairs work. Applying creativity to our work allows us to seek new ways to connect, create innovative environments and inspire ourselves, and those around us, to reach for the possibilities.
Hamza Khan	The Stress Paradox Student affairs professionals are working longer and harder than ever before, and are at the risk of burning out (if we haven’t already burned out). It’s time to re-think stress, develop resilience, and make the transition from overachiever to high performer.
David Ip Yam	Supporting Francophone Students beyond the Classroom The government of Ontario has made significant investments to increase access to French-language postsecondary programs. Learn about the imperatives and challenges of supporting Franco-Ontarian student life and success in minority settings.
Stacey Pearson-Wharton	Failing to Succeed: A Guide for Falling and Getting Back Up Everyone has slipped fell down, failed, made a mistake..this is your chance to get back up again and thrive!
Kristen Perry	The Little Red Bird Sexual assault is a scary and uncomfortable subject. This talk will walk you down a path of recovery, highlighting how a little red bird made a difference. This talk will give a voice to the stories that need to be told, and focus on the importance of empowering and supporting survivors.
	PECHAKUCHA INTERMISSION BREAK
Bailey Parnell	“Dark Side of Social Media”: Social Media’s Impact on Mental Health Yes it can be fun, but what else is happening out in the world of social media? How is it affecting our mental health and the mental health of our students? “The Dark Side of Social Media” will examine the current social media landscape, highlight the undesired effects it has on us every day and provide next steps for how to improve this situation.
Josué “JQ” Quiñones	Touch For Success The sense of touch is a simple, yet powerful form of communication that can transform campus cultures and lead to more success.
Josie Ahlquist	What the Class of 2020 Doesn’t Know about Social Media There is a difference between use of social media and leadership on social media, both for the incoming class of 2020 and student affairs professionals.
Tricia Seifert	Success isn’t Linear: It’s Geometric Popular media cheats students out of the richness of college in its obsessive focus on defining success as a degree that leads to a high-paying career. “Success isn’t Linear, It’s Geometric” will introduce a success in all of its wonderful complexity.
Brittany Williams	Moving Beyond Identity Development: Why #DigitalActivismMatters Digital activism empowers students and practitioners alike to address issues of social injustice and create multi-media platforms to acknowledge and celebrate their individual, cultural, and political identities. Session attendees will gain contextual understanding of the historical and social environments that inform digital activism, and its implications for campus and popular culture.
Keith Edwards	“Putting My Man Face On” How do college men understand what it means to be a man? How do they construct their gender identity and manage their gender performance? What consequences does the performance have for others and themselves? What can we learn from their voices?
Stephanie Muehlethaler	Home and Abroad: Global Citizenship Identity Development Through Service Learning Global Citizen. The term is everywhere in higher education. What does it even mean? Can any student develop and identify as a global citizen? This talk will explore one researcher’s questions around what constitutes a global citizen and whether or not all students have access to this identity.
Craig Bidiman	Revolution on Canvas: Art Therapy, Mental Health & the Job Search This talk focuses on the often unspoken mental health aspects of the initial post-grad job searching in higher education. I will bring in my experiences with depression and anxiety and how I used art to not only cope with those issues, but also create a powerful networking tool!

ACPA, ACPAdigital

The #ACPA16 Genius Labs Wants YOU!

November 23, 2015November 23, 2015 Laura Pasquini

Are you going to the 2016 ACPA Convention in Montreal (#ACPA16)? Are you interested in getting involved in #ACPA16? Consider contributing to a quick demonstration presentation at the #ACPA16 Genius Labs! With the ACPA/NASPA Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Educators latest edition, which includes Technology as one of the competencies, I think it is a critical time to educate and support our profession. The Technology Competency description:

“Focuses on the use of digital tools, resources, and technologies for the advancement of student learning, development, and success as well as the improved performance of student affairs professionals. Included within this area are knowledge, skills, and dispositions that lead to the generation of digital literacy and digital citizenship within communities of students, student affairs professionals, faculty members, and colleges and universities as a whole (pp.33-35).”

The #acpa16 Technology Program team are looking for 30-minute technology-based presentations related to the general themes from the Technology Competencies for our profession. This may include (but not limited to):

Applied and/or soft skills for using technology (i.e. “how to” ____)
Digital literacy and identity development
Assessment of technology in student affairs
Training and learning approaches for professional development using technology
Communication and marketing strategies
Implementation of an online/blended student affairs program, course, etc.
Trends and research for technology in higher education
Leadership, organization, and infrastructure for planning with technology
Information and data management

The Genius Labs sessions will be presented in the Palais Convention Center on Level 5 near Room 510 & the Westin Hotel entrance. Here is the schedule for Genius Labs at #ACPA16:

Sunday, March 6th: 12 pm – 3:00 pm
Monday, March 7th: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Tuesday, March 8th: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Our team is gathering the best and brightest ideas, examples, and resources around emerging technologies to share with other Student Affairs Educators in Montreal. The convention’s Genius Labs are 20-minute skill-building workshops in the main thoroughfare of the Convention Center offers a prime location with great visibility! Workshops will be highlighting a number of practical technology-based activities designed for participants to learn about, experiment with, and implement immediately. You can select any technology topic or resource to share, with the intention to have meaningful conversation directed at all skill levels. Think about a digital tool you can present in 15-20 minutes, and then offer an applied experience for attendees to get hands-on, tinker, and/or discuss for your Genius Labs session. We are also accepting ONLINE Genius Lab session presentations for those individuals who might not be able to make it; however they have an excellent idea/concept they want to share. We would like to offer a select number of web-based sessions via an online conference platform and co-facilitated on-site by a member of our volunteer team.

Do you have an idea? What sort of technology resource can you share? If you are interested in presenting a Genius Labs session please SIGN UP HERE:

For further questions, please feel free to reach out to the Genius Lab Coordinator, Erica Thompson (@EricaKThompson). Thanks!

ACPA, ACPAdigital, StudentAffairs

A Conversation with @ACPAPrez @GavinHenning: The Future of Organizational Learning in Higher Ed #ACPAlearning

September 11, 2015August 12, 2019 Laura Pasquini

As we look to the future trends of training and development, it will be critical for professional organizations and trade associations to consider how to meet the training and development needs of their constituents. Considering the nature of how we work, the evolution of how it’s changing, and the demands that lie ahead, more organizations are considering new ways to optimize learning and development.

ACPA-College Student Educators International is one of the professional associations I have been a member of and been working with to consider new ways of delivering learning. ACPA is interested in understanding more about how to support organizational learning, with regards to its membership needs. Being involved in the ACPA Digital Task Force and program planning for the #ACPA16 Convention, I know the ACPA International Office, the Board, and its members are interested and working on dynamic ways to learn.

What does training and development look like among student affairs educators today? What do you want your professional development to look like? How can ACPA support organizational learning to meet your needs, issues, and challenges on campus? Let’s find out more what the ACPA President has to say about: The Future of Organizational Learning in Higher Ed

As ACPA considers the needs of their current members, I plan to chat with Gavin more about how the association plans to support student educators for their own training and growth in the field. We’ll talk about initiatives and ways ACPA is innovating for organizational learning, but also discuss the challenges and considerations, including:

What does professional development look like today for student educators or in the field of student affairs?
What are the current workplace learning and performance needs for higher education staff/faculty in relation to the new ACPA/NASPA Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Educators, specifically the newly added Technology Competency?
What’s on the horizon for #ACPAlearning? How will the ACPA organization support learning and development in the future? Thoughts, predictions, and “ponderings.”

Join me for a conversation with @ACPA President Gavin Henning on Monday (9/14) from 12-1 pm Central Time on Google+ Hangouts On Air as we discuss more about how ACPA learns and supports the professional development of college and university student educators. Feel free to post your comments, questions, or thoughts you have for the ACPAprez here in advance. Then tune in for the LIVE conversation here and/or join the banter on the Twitter backchannel using the hashtag #ACPAlearning

Notes from the conversation: View the story “#ACPAlearning: A Conversation with @ACPAprez @GavinHenning on Learning & Development in Student Affairs” on Storify