Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards: A Texas Professor Focused on Artificial Intelligence, Health, and Education

Monday, November 19, 2018

Explaining Social Media Data Analysis and the Social Presence Theory on Facebook Live

Everyone has a favorite communication or higher education theory. My favorite theory is the Social Presence Theory (especially for electronic communication. I apply this theory to higher education and communication research.

I also teach this theory to our students (graduate and undergraduate students) each semester. Some of my classes are online and previously this presented a problem for the students who are engaged in the research process. Now, the students have an opportunity to learn about the theory through a new, free webinar software...no, not Zoom - yes it's Facebook Live! Usually I "go live" during our weekly chats for class!

So, I use Facebook Live to teach concepts when students have questions. This has been VERY convenient because students do not have to log on to the software system (Zoom) when they need to access the video. In fact, you do not have to log on to access the video and you can embed it (like the one below) on your Course Management System (we use Blackboard).

Here's a brief description of the Social Presence Theory for our students (and the others who viewed the video).

Interested in a specific student success topic or do you need a speaker for an upcoming conference? Contact me via direct message on Twitter or join our Student Success Communication and Technology Institute on Facebook!

Thanks for visiting!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards
Higher Education Speaker and Researcher

My Social Media Channels!
Remember to Follow Me on Twitter! @drjtedwards
I Always Post Higher Education Videos on YouTube
Find Me on Instagram
Engage with Me on Facebook!
Watch My Videos on Twitter Live - http://www.periscope.com/drjtedwards/
Email Me! I am PR Friendly! - jennifertedwards@gmail.com
My Research Interests: Customer Service and Social Media, Higher Education Retention, and Millennials at Work

Monday, November 12, 2018

How to Use the Twitter Advanced Search and How to Respond in a Crisis on Social Media

I am a huge fan of Twitter Advanced Search because it enables users to search for key terms or hashtags by location or account. Yes, it sounds complicated, but it is not. Check out this video to discover how to use the Twitter Advanced Search.

I use Twitter Advanced Search for a variety of reasons, including:

Finding Tweets from My City
Discovering Tweets from a Certain Account During a Certain Timeframe
Finding My Tweets from Five Years Ago
Discovering How Many Tweets Certain Account Post During a Certain Timeframe
Finding a Specific Phrase on Twitter (great for finding research opportunities)
Discover the Student, Faculty, and Staff Sentiment on Campus

Use this video to discover HOW you can use Twitter Advanced Search to meet your goals.

Monday, November 5, 2018

Celebrating the Texas Social Media Research Institute Seniors!

Every time I become discouraged in higher education, I always have to think about the wonderful students in classes and who are also part of the Texas Social Media Research Institute's internship program.

Each year, our graduating students are honored for their efforts in the organization and also for their hard work serving the community. They have a special recognition ceremony and then they are also encouraged to give advice for others who are in the organization. Words of Wisdom! :)

Enjoy watching our Last Meeting of the Semester and Senior Celebration!

Monday, October 29, 2018

How to Make a Facebook Live Video - How to Use Facebook Live as FREE Webinar Software

I am a Zoom Fan, but sometimes I like removing barriers for those who want to access my martial (Open Educational Resources, right?)! So, for the past few months, I've been a user of Facebook Live for free webinars for my other blog and also to communicate with my students through the Texas Social Media Research Institute (TSMRI).

Video Example 1 - Data Analysis - Comparing Public Health Initiatives for #Thanksgiving for California and Texas!

Video Example 2 - Social Media Data Analysis and the Social Presence Theory with National Agencies in Two Countries

Here's a quick video focused on some behind the scenes Facebook permissions to help you collaborate with others to present live stream video for your Facebook viewers.

In this video, you will learn how to share your screen during a Facebook Live session. It is almost like having FREE webinar software for your Facebook page. It is easy to promote and stream live via Facebook.

What are your Facebook Live Tips?

Enhanced Faculty Features on the EAB Navigate System

This is a quick and simple way to schedule an advising appointment with academic advisors at some higher education institutions. Now, it is EASY to discover when your advisor is available and when you are available (i.e. - now in class).

We had several sessions that focused on the features of the Navigate platform. Yes, I know that the Education Advisory Board company will continue to update the platform, but the basic components of the platform will remain the same (I hope). The components are easy for the faculty, staff, and students to navigate, but these important individuals at the university also need special reminders about the key clicks they need to make to "make things happen" on the platform.

The Student Success Collaborative (Navigate) is an innovative student success technology platform that can enable campuses to provide outreach to students and faculty, measure this outreach, and to make evidence-based decisions about the emerging data. For campuses who want to connect with their students and benchmark the results, the Education Advisory Board's Navigate platform is one of the best technologies for your campus.

If your campus is considering how they can integrate a new student success technology for their students, faculty, and staff, please contact me and I will be happy to help. Student success has been why research field for the past 15 years and I am excited about the new technology innovations that are occurring in the higher education field.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards

Higher Education Speaker and Researcher

My Social Media Channels!

Remember to Follow Me on Twitter! @drjtedwards

Remember to Subscribe to Me on YOUTUBE

My Research Interests: Customer Service and Social Media, Higher Education Retention, and Millennials at Work

Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/drjtedwards/

Facebook - Facebook!

If You Love Periscope as Much as I Do...Follow Me There! - http://www.periscope.com/drjtedwards/

Email Me! I am PR Friendly! - jennifertedwards@gmail.com

Monday, October 22, 2018

Enhanced Faculty Features on the EAB Navigate System

Sincerely,

Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards

Higher Education Speaker and Researcher

My Social Media Channels!

Remember to Follow Me on Twitter! @drjtedwards

Remember to Subscribe to Me on YOUTUBE

My Research Interests: Customer Service and Social Media, Higher Education Retention, and Millennials at Work

Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/drjtedwards/

Facebook - Facebook!

If You Love Periscope as Much as I Do...Follow Me There! - http://www.periscope.com/drjtedwards/

Email Me! I am PR Friendly! - jennifertedwards@gmail.com

Monday, October 15, 2018

How to Promote Your Academic Research Through Live Video

My question for all of you is - "If research occurs in a silo and it is not communicated to others, did it actually happen?" I encourage all of you to make your research known by others. Communication is essential to the research process and it can occur in different contexts:

in the classroom
at a conference
in a research journal
on an infographic
on a blog (like this one)
on Twitter
on Instagram
on YouTube
on Facebook Live
on Live Video (like Twitter Live/Periscope, Facebook Live, etc.)

One of my favorite forms of research communication is on Live Video. I love the live feedback and I thrive on the questions of others. These questions can definitely help you research process and help you develop additional ways of examining your data.

After my students write their research papers (as graduate and undergraduate students), I require them to present their research online. Yes, LIVE! Only one person needs to present, but everyone has to log in and participate in the presentation. It is interesting because we have had MANY people join the live video and answer questions. :)

Here's the checklist that I send to the students each semester before the Periscope/Twitter Live sessions begin.

1 - REMEMBER TO DOWNLOAD THE PERISCOPE APP

2 - SHARE YOUR USERNAME WITH YOUR GROUP MEMBERS

3 - TURN OFF THE LOCATION FEATURE ON THE APP

4 - LET'S PRACTICE! INVITE YOUR GROUP MEMBERS AND BEGIN BROADCASTING WITH THE #TSUNEWMEDIA HASHTAG.

5 - DOUBLE TAP THE SCREEN TO SHOW YOUR COMPUTER (YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SHOW YOUR FACE IN THE PERISCOPE)

6 - ENCOURAGE GROUP MEMBERS TO SHARE THE BROADCAST AND TO PROVIDE COMMENTS (THEY WILL ALSO ANSWER QUESTIONS)

7 - WHEN THE PERISCOPE ENDS SAVE THE BROADCAST TO YOUR TELEPHONE.

8 - ASK ME QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY - @DRJTEDWARDS

Follow my Twitter account @drjtedwards around November and April of each year to discover the Periscope/Twitter Live videos! :)

Monday, October 8, 2018

The Graduate and Undergrad Research Challenge - Checklists, Video, and More!

Each semester, I issue a research CHALLENGE for our students. I am very proud of everything that that the students continue to do and how amazing they are, BUT I am always pushing them to their research limits. I PROMOTE high impact practices in my classroom, both online courses and face-to-face courses.

I support them in their research journey and I help them get their articles and their ideas PUBLISHED in higher education and communication publication outlets. I provide a scaffold-based approach for the students I am help them along the way... through videos! YouTube is definitely my friend.

Here's the first video: COMM 5311 - The Methodology Section Explained...

Here's the second video: Computer-Mediated Communication - Review of the Literature

Here are the rest of the videos from the 5311 Social Media Research class.

Also, I like to keep our students accountable with a checklist throughout the research process (especially for my undergraduate researchers). Here's a sample checklist for our undergraduate and graduate researchers!

Here's an example:

Monday, October 1, 2018

Five Easy Ways to Remain Connected to the Office While You Are on Vacation

When you are on vacation in higher education, sometimes your role requires you to remain connected to the office (especially during the beginning or end of the budget cycle OR if an important decision is occurring on campus).

Remaining connected during vacation is a characteristic of some individuals in my generation (the millennial generation), especially entrepreneurs and educators. However, I want to emphasize that these tips are mostly for millennials and for members of the millennial generation..

Here are some steps to remain connected with the office while enjoying vacation with your family/friends.

1 - Wake Up Before Everyone Else and Grab a Cup of Coffee and Your Laptop/Tablet to Answer Emails or to Write a Portion of a Research Manuscript

2 - Consider Only Replying to Email Messages During the Early Morning and Late Afternoon

3 - Let Your Family and Your Office Know about Your Work/Life Boundaries During the Week

Sometimes your child has to know that you will complete the puzzle with her after you complete a conference call with the office (and sometimes vice-versa - after you finish your trek through Sea World). Not that this actually happened by the way. :)

4 - Pack an Anker Charger to Remain Connected to Power Throughout the Day

5 - Consider Providing an Auto-response for InBound Email

This will help the senders realize that you will respond during certain times of the day while you are on vacation.

Deadlines used to run my life. This year, I've decided to prioritize everything in my life to truly LIVE life at home and at work.

If something is pertinent, it will definitely be pulled on to my lifeboat (the few items that I can truly focused on per day). However, if an item requires a lot of thought and emotional processing, these items definitely float to the top of the water, but I do not pull these items on my lifeboat. Items that do not require or demand my immediate attention are in a net below the surface. These items can be pulled to the water's surface at anytime, but do not have to obstruct my daily views of the journey ahead.

1 - Family

2 - Action Items from My Immediate Supervisor (even while on vacation)

3 - Telephone Calls and Conversations from my team (even while on vacation)

4 - Emails or Tweets from Students

5 - Emails or Tweets from Others

This metaphor enables me to segment my prioritizes while maintaining my daily schedule.

How do you prioritize your to do list? Let me know!

J. Edwards

Monday, September 24, 2018

Why Is Important to Understand Barriers Experienced by College Students

At the beginning of each academic year, I am always energized when I see the faces and new fashions of the incoming students (and returning students). In fact, these students are joining us after having various summer experiences with their lives at home, working for local businesses, interning out of state, studying abroad, summer school, and much more!

In fact, during this past week, I've been watching various videos from NBC News (on Hulu) focused on the Freshman Experience. Here are some of my favorites. I think each administrator, faculty member, staff members, and even members from the external campus community should watch one or more of these videos to gain a glimpse into some aspects lives of the students who are joining their campus community.

Which one is your favorite video? List it in the comment section listed below:

Video - I have always been intrigued by roommate selection at colleges and universities across the country. Do you know how roommates are selected by most higher education institutions?

Video - Most colleges and university students played one or more sports in high school, but then they transition to college and are not as engaged with their health and wellness. This means that the likelihood of students gaining weight is very high. Do you know that the average weight gained by college students during their first years of college is 15 pounds? Find out more...

Video - Student debt is one of the most crushing reminders that students have when they are happy and jubilant after reaching the requirements of their degree. This means that we will need to offer continued financial support and education for students once they graduate from college. Find out why...

These are simple videos, but they are great reminders of the celebrations and perils that college students experience as they graduate. What did the videos miss?

Monday, September 17, 2018

Using the Education Advisory Board's Navigate Platform to Impact Student Success and Retention

If your campus utilizes the Education Advisory Board's Navigate platform (formerly the Student Success Collaborative), you are extremely lucky. This platform enables faculty, staff, and students to engage electronically with one another. From a Communication Professor's perspective, it is important for me to emphasize that the Student Success Collaborative (Navigate) is one of the most easy student success technology platforms to navigate (no pun intended) for faculty and staff.

The Student Success Collaborative (Navigate) is an innovative student success technology platform that can enable campuses to provide outreach to students and faculty, measure this outreach, and to make evidence-based decisions about the emerging data. For campuses who want to connect with their students and benchmark the results, the Education Advisory Board's Navigate platform is one of the best technologies for your campus.

Retention, Student Success, Student Success Collaborative, Education Advisory Board, Navigate, How to Use EAB, Retention, 60X30TX, Higher Education, Student Affairs, Student Services

Here's a comparison between the features of Navigate and the Starfish platform:

Starfish	EAB (Navigate)
	We Can Form Appointment Campaigns
We Can Send Email to Students	We Can Send Email to Students
	We Can See a Realistic Preview for Each Student
	We Can See the Public Notes for Each Student
	We Can Perform Advanced Searches and Analytics
Faculty Log-In to Refer Their Students to Early Alert	Faculty Never Have to Log-On to Refer Their Students
Create Your Own Cohort	Create Your Own Cohort
Student’s Picture is Displayed	Student’s Picture is Displayed
	We Can View Midterm Grades and Final Grades

I am eager to discover the newly updated features of the Starfish platform again and I welcome the opportunity to discover this with another campus who wants to invite me as a student success technology consultant.

If your campus is considering how they can integrate a new student success technology for their students, faculty, and staff, please contact me and I will be happy to help. Student success has been why research field for the past 15 years and I am excited about the new technology innovations that are occurring in the higher education field.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards
Higher Education Speaker and Researcher

My Social Media Channels!
Remember to Follow Me on Twitter! @drjtedwards
Remember to Subscribe to Me on YOUTUBE
My Research Interests: Customer Service and Social Media, Higher Education Retention, and Millennials at Work
Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/drjtedwards/
Facebook - Facebook!
If You Love Periscope as Much as I Do...Follow Me There! - http://www.periscope.com/drjtedwards/
Email Me! I am PR Friendly! - jennifertedwards@gmail.com

Monday, September 10, 2018

Free Report - Institutions' Use of Data and Analytics for Student Success

https://www.naspa.org/images/uploads/main/DATA2018_DOWNLOAD.pdf

If you love higher education technology and data analytics as much as I do, you will love this report from NASPA (The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators), Educause, and the Association for Institutional Research. This report was written by Amelia Parnell, Darlena Jones, Alexis Wesaw, and D. Christopher Brooks.

The report contains the following:

Executive Summary

Discussion of Findings

Part I: Types of Student Success Data Projects

Part II: Structures in Place

Part III: Level of Coordination

Part IV: Programs, Interventions, and Outcomes

Implications and Recommendations

References

The report also includes a methodology, additional resources, and acknowledgements.

Here are the recommendations from the study:

Recommendation 1: Identify and expand institutionally appropriate roles for IR, IT, and student affairs.

Recommendation 2: Transcend or remove certain organizational silos to improve communication across all position levels.

Recommendation 3: Prioritize measuring student outcomes.

Recommendation 4: Increase the use of qualitative data, especially from students.

My reflection: This report was great and included many institutions. However, as a higher education researcher and former higher education administrator, I think the report would benefit greatly from numerous reflections from higher education adminstrators.

For example, the first recommendation highlights the expansion of institutionally appropriate roles, but most institutions have very limited budgets that cannot accommodate the expansion of positions or add additional responsibilities to roles.

Also, I recommend that institutions provide a set of guidelines for effective communication with students (for student retention efforts), but I am not a proponent of large communication committees or councils. The formation of these groups can slow down progress for retention. Sometimes these councils that usually consist of individuals from institutional research, institutional technology, student affairs, enrollment management, and academic affairs and exist to control the distribution of messages to students.

Also, I wanted to share this infographic that I created about Student Success Technology.

Read the report, view the infographic and digest the information. Feel free to write about the report during the comment box! I would love to read it!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards
Higher Education Speaker and Researcher

My Social Media Channels!
Remember to Follow Me on Twitter! @drjtedwards
Remember to Subscribe to Me on YOUTUBE
My Research Interests: Customer Service and Social Media, Higher Education Retention, and Millennials at Work
Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/drjtedwards/
Facebook - Facebook!
If You Love Periscope as Much as I Do...Follow Me There! - http://www.periscope.com/drjtedwards/
Email Me! I am PR Friendly! - jennifertedwards@gmail.com

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