ERIC ED538092: Getting Connected: Harnessing the Power of Social Media to Enhance Community College Student Success. The Claremont Letter. Volume 6, Issue 3

2012·0.68 MB·English

by  ERIC

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 3 2012
The Claremont
Letter
Examining current issues in education that highlight the ongoing work of the
faculty of the School of Educational Studies at Claremont Graduate University.
Education
Getting Connected:
Harnessing the Power of Social Media to
Enhance Community College Student Success

Cecilia Rios-Aguilar
Associate Professor
Today’s college students Despite the widespread use of
have embraced social media/ social media among college students,
social networking sites. These little is known about the benefits
technologies are reshaping the of its use in diverse contexts (e.g.,
way students communicate community colleges) and for specific
generally and within their college purposes (e.g., social, academic, and
community. But more than utilizing professional engagement of students).
a new way of communication,
The most recent Community College
college students are using social
Survey of Student Engagement (2009)
media to connect, to create and
found that the more students use social
consume content, to use and
networking tools to communicate
generate applications, and thus
with other students, instructors, and
to experience college in both real
college staff regarding coursework
and virtual or on-line communities
and other academic purposes, the
(Rios-Aguilar, González Canché,
higher their levels of engagement.
Deil-Amen, & Davis, 2012).
There is no reason why postsecondary

School of Educational Studies at Claremont Graduate University
For more than 80 years, the School of Educational Studies (SES) at Claremont Graduate
University (CGU) has been a leader in providing graduate education. Many of our more than
5,700 alumni have held positions as college presidents, superintendents, principals, award-
winning teachers, and tenured professors at colleges and universities around the world.
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educators in general, and community universities on Facebook and YouTube
colleges in particular, should not begin (Mansfield, 2010).
to explore the potential to intentionally
Slowly, though, institutions of
and strategically harness the power of
higher education have recently begun
this revolutionary transformation to ENGAGEMENT
to embrace social media. Currently,
better serve the needs of students to
presence in social media for colleges
enhance their success. As we imagine
and universities is now commonplace.
the “community” in community
Indeed, colleges around the country are
colleges today, the potential of an
increasingly viewing social media as
on-line community in a social media
valuable channels to communicate with
platform is perhaps even more
students, potential students, alumni,
applicable. Community colleges enroll
and the community in general.
SOCIAL JUSTICE
under-represented, commuting, non-
residential students whose busy lives The most frequently stated benefits
are often filled with family and work of using social media in higher education
obligations. They therefore tend to include: (1) being where your “target”
lack participation in the “campus is, (2) increasing cost-effectiveness
community” of more traditional and and time-efficiency, and (3) building
elite students (Deil-Amen, 2011). relationships (Mansfield, 2010).
How can social media fill that void,
While higher education institutions ACCOUNTABILITY
and how can it be deliberately used
seem to be utilizing social media more
by community colleges as a tool to
and more, there still exist enormous
engage students with each other, with
challenges in trying to understand
the college, and with the college’s
the new dynamics generated by social
faculty and staff to create more of
media in higher education, particularly
a “community” within a community
for the context of community colleges.
college? Traditional frameworks used
For instance, very little is known about:
in higher education research emphasize
(1) how effectively community colleges
processes of integration (Tinto,
use social media to accomplish their
1993), involvement (Astin, 1984), and
mission; (2) how community colleges
engagement (Kuh, 2001) as central
find and allocate resources to develop
to reinforcing the “glue” that binds
coherent institutional strategies around
students to their college of enrollment
social media; (3) how community
thereby enhancing the likelihood of
colleges train staff and faculty to use
persistence. Most of these theories
these tools on the job; (4) the challenges
were developed prior to the emergence
social media pose for the operation of
of social media as a central player in
these institutions; (5) the value of social
the lives of students. Therefore, the rise
media; and (6) the potential benefits of ““TThhee ffaaccuullttyy ooff tthhee SScchhooooll
of such platforms and students’ use of
social media use or specific purposes ooff EEdduuccaattiioonnaall SSttuuddiieess
them offer opportunities to explore how (e.g., marketing, recruitment, and social bbeelliieevveess aa ssoocciiaallllyy jjuusstt nnaattiioonn
social media may support such student eedduuccaatteess aallll iittss ddiivveerrssee
and academic engagement of students).
engagement and involvement. cciittiizzeennrryy tthhrroouugghh nneettwwoorrkkss
ooff eeffffeeccttiivvee aanndd aaccccoouunnttaabbllee
Simultaneously, the use of social oorrggaanniizzaattiioonnss tthhaatt iinntteerraacctt
media for business and organizational Why is Existing Research Limited? rreessppoonnssiibbllyy wwiitthh ffaammiilliieess aanndd
purposes has exploded in recent ccoommmmuunniittiieess……””
First, the few empirical studies of
years. Institutions of higher education,
social media that exist have examined
FFrroomm oouurr vviissiioonn ssttaatteemmeenntt
nevertheless, had a very slow start
“traditional” college students rather than
in social media in comparison to
community college student populations.
the nonprofit and business sectors.
Second, very few of the studies used
Colleges and universities were afraid of
data actually generated from social
losing control of their online messaging,
media sites rather than self-reported
and while they were not participating,
data on the use of social media. Third,
students and alumni were creating
those studies that have used actual data
communities for their colleges and
generated from a social media platform
have examined only one dimension of
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students’ networks – racial/ethnic ties shape their educational and career students are being created through the
with peers. This excludes a variety pathways. Therefore, our research on-line communities. However, we also
of other components relevant to how project is timely, innovative, and found that the on-line networks formed
college students form and benefit promises to close important knowledge through the Schools App are low-dense
from their social networks. Finally, gaps. Furthermore, we expect that the networks. This concretely means that
prior research has failed to engage findings of our 3-year research study not all students are connected to the
the content and meaning of students’ will offer solutions for institutional entire network. With respect to the
interactions and exchanges on-line. policy, practice, or interventions that content of students’ exchanges in the
While some educational institutions are address the unmet needs of our most on-line community, we found that the
creatively finding ways to use social vulnerable student populations. most frequent use of the app among
media to reach out to students and students was posting on their wall or
strengthen their ties to the institution, in a “community” for the purpose of:
there is a need to know how to skillfully Preliminary Findings (1) soliciting friendships, (2) finding
negotiate these technologies to develop other students with common interests
As of May 2012, we have
learning networks that can help college and placed off-campus to pursue
accomplished the following objectives.
students succeed. these interests, (3) arranging events/
First, we published a literature review
activities or arranging to do things with
on social media in higher education
those who share, and (4) connecting
(available at: http://www.league.org/
Our Research Project: Getting with others taking the same classes or
league/projects/gettingconnected/
Connected classes at the same campus location.
index.cfm). In this report we review the
Students’ posts also frequently included
In March 2011, my colleague Dr. existing research on social media, in
broadcasting positive feelings about the
Regina Deil-Amen (Associate Professor addition, we provide specific directions
college, their college experiences, and
at the Center for the Study of Higher for future research on this important
to wish other students happy holidays.
Education at the University of Arizona)
Taken together, such posts displayed
and I received a grant from the Bill and
“Our preliminary results suggest
how these commuter students used
Melinda Gates Foundation to collaborate
that networks of individual affiliation
the on-line app to access traditional
with the League for Innovation in the
and interaction within the social
forms of involvement (Astin, 1984)
Community College, Inigral, Inc. (the
media space may be sufficient to
and social and academic integration
developers of the Schools App) and 9
create the feelings of belonging
(Tinto, 1993) with their peers in ways
community colleges across the U.S. to:
and connection community college
that students in residential institutions
(1) explore the relevance of social media
students desire and the procedural,
have the routine opportunity to do.
and its use across a wide spectrum of
social-capital rich information
Our preliminary results suggest that
community colleges across the U.S.,
exchange they seek. ”
networks of individual affiliation and
and (2) examine if and how commuter-
interaction within the social media
based community colleges attempt
space may be sufficient to create the
to use social media as a mechanism topic. Second, throughout the Spring
feelings of belonging and connection
to increase students’ connection to 2012, we conducted over 350 interviews
community college students desire
college. and over 20 focus groups with students,
and the procedural, social-capital
faculty, and staff in the 9 participating
As stated earlier, existing research
rich information exchange they seek.
community colleges.
suggests that a student’s ability to
However, the content of the interactions
connect academically and socially to Third, we are currently conducting further suggest a desire to connect
college is a key component of success. social network analyses and qualitative with other college students to actually
However, we do not yet understand data analyses to examine the patterns get together socially to do things with
whether social media might function of interaction in the School App, as similar others beyond their home and
as a community college alternative to well as the content and meaning of the community networks.
the more traditional opportunities for interactions on-line. Our preliminary
Finally, we published a report
student engagement that have been findings indicate that approximately
that examined college leaders’
shown to benefit residential students. 15% of community college students
perspectives on the role of social
Existing research suggests that colleges have joined the Schools App in their
media in community colleges (available
are important venues for the formation respective colleges. The data also
at: http://www.league.org/league/
of social networks, and the resulting suggests that community college
projects/gettingconnected/index.cfm).
social contacts can have far-reaching students are creating new friendships
Some of the most important findings of
impacts. Nevertheless, we do not know through the Schools App. On average,
the report include the following:
how community college students form 18% of “new friendships” among
social networks and how these networks
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• A relatively low proportion of Given the findings of this report, desired “connection-forming” outcomes
community college leaders report we provide community college leaders and academic attainment outcomes.
that they never use social media with some recommendations as they
A major aim of our research project
for personal (8%) or professional continue to think of purposeful ways
is to understand, implement, and
(11%) purposes. Surprisingly,
to integrate social media into the fabric
among those leaders who use assess how social media can be used
of their educational institutions. These
social media daily, a higher in new and unique ways to encourage
recommendations include: (a) have
proportion of them use it for efforts to improve persistence and
a strategic plan, (b) get buy-in from
personal (40%) rather than for degree completion for a population
executive leadership, faculty, and staff
professional (24%) purposes. of students that has historically had
about the importance of social media,
lower rates of completion – community
• As reported by leaders, with
(c) think about your resources, (d) add
some exceptions, 3 social media college students. Therefore, this project
value by using social media applications
platforms emerged as the most encourages the innovative use of
and other social media platforms, (e)
widely used among community technology to meet the needs of a less
maintain privacy and confidentiality,
colleges: Facebook, Twitter, and traditional population of postsecondary
and (f) define your metrics to assess the
YouTube. students in particular need for such
effectiveness of social media.
• Community college leaders efforts. Studying the utilization of
think of social media as having The tipping point has passed, social media in community colleges
a moderate to great value for and almost every community college provides a unique opportunity to merge
delivering information to current leader now knows that the social media varied strands of prior research and
students. revolution is here to stay. Technology theory. By applying multiple lenses,
has introduced new forms of connecting we can perhaps better understand
• Community college leaders think
that social media has minimal to and networking through social media issues relevant to social media and its
moderate value for improving platforms. We must collaborate to ability to connect students to others,
students’ outcomes. provide community college leaders and to information, to institutional sources,
practitioners with good research and and to ultimately impact student
• The more frequently college
with examples of effective practices retention, and other related outcomes.
leaders use social media for
that can inform their social media What we know now is that both
personal purposes, the more
they think it has value for (1) strategies, successful implementation, institutions and students are relying on
building campus community, (2) and timely and on-going evaluation. these technologies to communicate and
student and faculty interactions, to connect with others. Unfortunately,
In the next stages of our study,
and (3) delivering information what leaders, educators, researchers,
we will combine social network
about college events to current policy-makers and the public in general
analyses in a more sophisticated way
students. do not have is adequate documentation
with institutional data to identify the
• The more frequently college of “best practices on social media” that
network patterns that seem to produce
leaders use social media for effectively increases community college
the desired outcomes. In other words,
professional purposes, the more students’ success. Our project: Getting
we will examine whether or not the use
they think it has value (1) for Connected, will provide all stakeholders
of the Schools App and the creation of
building campus community, (2) with some concrete guidelines
friendships is related, in some way, to
as a vehicle for students giving
that can, hopefully, contribute to
community college students’ outcomes
feedback, and (3) for promoting
improve community college students’
campus or online student (i.e., persistence and success). In
educational and occupational success.
activities. addition, we will continue studying the
meaning, purpose and function that
• The overwhelming majority of
students ascribe to friendships and
college leaders (73%) mentioned
on-line interactions. This will allow
that insufficient staff dedicated
to support the social media us to give summative feedback to
technology is a major impediment the participating colleges about how
to using social media. students are using and responding to
the implementation of the social media,
• Forty-four percent of leaders
including changes over the two-year
think that their division will use
period in student use and response.
social media to a moderate extent
in the following 2 years, whereas We will also report on whether or not
30% report they are going to use the social media has been utilized as
social media to a minimal extent. expected and if it has been effective in
the expected ways with regard to the
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References
Astin, A. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education.
Journal of College Student Personnel, 25, 297–308. School of Educational Studies
Center for Community College Student Engagement. (2009). Making connections:
Dimensions of student egagement (2009 CCSSE Findings). Austin, TX: The
University of Texas at Austin, Community College Leadership Program
Claremont Graduate University
is a member of the Claremont
Consortium of seven institutions
Deil-Amen, R. (2011). Socio-academic integrative moments: Rethinking academic
of higher education (Pomona
and social integration among two-year college students in career-related
College, Harvey Mudd College,
programs. Journal of Higher Education, 82, 54-91.
Claremont McKenna College,
Scripps College, Pitzer College,
and Keck Graduate Institute). It
Kuh, G.D. (2001). Assessing what really matters to student learning: Inside the is an independent institution
National Survey of Student Engagement. Change, 33(3), 10-17, 66. devoted entirely to graduate
education.
Mansfield, H. (2010). Social media for social good: A how-to guide for nonprofits.
New York: McGraw-Hill.
Rios-Aguilar, C., González Canché, M., Deil-Amen, R., & Davis, C. (2012). The role of
social media in community colleges. Report printed by the University of Arizona
and Claremont Graduate University.
Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition.
Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Dr. Cecilia Rios-Aguilar is an Associate Professor of Education at the School
of Educational Studies. She earned a Ph.D. from the University of Rochester,
Rochester, New York in 2007. Before joining Claremont Graduate University, Dr.
Rios-Aguilar was an Assistant Professor at the Center for the Study of Higher
Education at the University of Arizona, and a visiting Assistant Professor at
the University of Rochester. Also, Dr. Rios-Aguilar worked for the White House
Claremont Graduate University
Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans as a graduate fellow. School of Educational Studies
Harper Hall 202
Dr. Rios-Aguilar’s research is multidisciplinary and uses a variety of conceptual
150 East Tenth Street
frameworks—funds of knowledge and the forms of capital—and of statistical Claremont, CA 91711
approaches—regression analysis, multilevel models, structural equation
modeling, GIS, and social network analysis—to study the educational and Phone
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occupational trajectories of under-represented minorities, including Latina/
os, English learners, and immigrant and second-generation students. Dr. Rios-
Fax
Aguilar’s applied research also includes the design and evaluation of different [phone]
programs and policies targeted to under-represented students. Dr. Rios-Aguilar
has published her work in several journals, including Teachers College Record, E-mail
[email protected]
Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research, Volume, Language Policy,
Community College Review, and the Journal of Latinos and Education.
Web
http://www.cgu.edu/ses
In 2010, Dr. Rios-Aguilar collaborated with the UCLA Civil Rights Project on
the Arizona Educational Equity Project. Most recently, Dr. Rios-Aguilar and her
colleague Dr. Regina Deil-Amen, received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation to conduct the first study to assess how community colleges adopt
and use social media technology for strategic purposes. The three-year national The Claremont Letter is
project will explore the relevance of social media technology to engage students, published three times per year
build connections, and improve outcomes within community colleges. in the fall, winter, and spring.
If you would like to subscribe
She teaches a range of substantive courses in education including the following or unsubscribe please send an
seminars: Funds of Knowledge and the Forms of Capital, Social Network Analysis, e-mail to [email protected].
Quantitative Research Methods, and Survey Research Methods.
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A S S n A
nApShot of ociAl etwork nAlySiS
Social network analysis is the study of the patterns within a social
structure. Wellman (1983) argues that social network analysis goes
beyond a simple visualization of relationships: “Network analysts
search for deep structures - regular network patterns beneath the
often complex surface of social systems. They try to describe these
patterns and use their descriptions to learn how network structures
constrain social behavior and social change” (p. 157).
Patterns of friendship ties among community college students in an on-line community
References for social network theory and analysis
Wasserman, S., & Faust, K. (1994). Social network analysis: Methods and applications. New
York: Cambridge University Press.
Wellman, B. (1983). Network analysis: Some basic principles. Sociological Theory, 1, 155-200.
Daly, A. (2010). Social network theory and educational change. Cambridge, MA: Harvard
Education Press.
Rios-Aguilar, C., & Deil-Amen, R. (in press). Beyond getting in and fitting in: Leveraging
a trajectory of educational success through professionally-relevant social networks.
Journal of Hispanic Higher Education.