Repackaging Your Web Content for Reaching Target Student Groups - 6 Steps for Effectively Packing Content You Already Have (Ruffalo Noel-Levitz)

One aspect of higher education for which I have recently developed an interest is recruitment of target student groups (and their parents) and social media/new media content marketing. 

The Ruffalo Noel-Levitz blog posted an article titled, "Content Marketing for Higher Education: Six Steps for Effectively Packaging Content You Already Have". These six steps are generally listed on the graphic listed above, but each of them make sense for the higher education environment.

The process seems rigid, but again I am not responsible for content marketing. Each step made sense and I cannot wait to modify this process for our retention model (internal content marketing) for our current students!

Enjoy! - @drjtedwards

A List of Commonly Utilized Communication Theories - Plus My Favorites!

I am always on the lookout for great communication theories to incorporate in my classes (graduate and undergraduate communication classes). Here are some of my favorites:

Attribution Theory

Cognitive Dissonance

Communication Privacy Management Theory

Constructivism

Expectancy Violations Theory

Face Negotiation Theory

Phenomenology

Social Judgment Theory

Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Here's a list of all of the Communication Theories from the "A First Look at Communication Theory" book - http://www.afirstlook.com/edition_7/theory_list.

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

#NASPA15 Revisited - Capturing the Real Time Moments from the Conference!

I always like to revisit the tweets that I posted to the @drjtedwardsTSU account during a conference. This is my first time to create a Storify from my tweets and I am excited to have this archive of my posts. 

I also made these great Quote Cards to capture neat ideas from the conference. Please feel free to use them! Enjoy the posts listed in the Storify at the end of this post. 

Please contribute any comments and ideas below!

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

Shining Examples for Student Retention at Institutions at Higher Education - "P+P=R is the basic formula for student retention" (Ruffalo Noel Levitz)

The "P+P=R is the basic formula for student retention" is a great article by Ruffalo Noel-Levitz focused on one of my favorite subjects retention. I will admit progression and persistence are two of the most difficult items to address because I believe it is all about student GRIT. 

The article provides examples from other campuses that implemented several efforts to impact student retention based on progression and persistence.

Enjoy! - @drjtedwards

#NASPA15 - Conference Recap: Connected, Communicated, Converted, and Convinced (+BookClubs)

This week, I was fortunate to attend and present at the NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education) Conference and I had such a great time learning about new concepts in higher education/student affairs. This includes: Yik Yak, Title 9, assisting student parents, marketing to new college students and their parents, and the importance of THINKING BIG!

Book Clubs in Student Affairs - Neat Concept!

One of the sessions that I loved the most was the "book club session" focused on student affairs publications and other publications in the leadership field. This session really inspired me to "think outside of the box" because it is incredibly hard to read an assigned/required book within a specific time frame and then report the important findings (and my reflections) to my accountability group (book club). 

This book club enabled me to think about creating a journal clubs or reading e-books from the library databases without having to add an expense to our university accounts or the book club participants' personal accounts. I will write a few additional ideas about the higher education book club concept in a few days.

Connecting with Past Colleagues

Through NASPA, I was able to connect with one of my former supervisors from Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) and connect with MANY colleagues from TACUSPA (Texas Association of College and Student Personnel Administrators). These connections are always valuable for me, because I made a point to remain in contact with my student affairs colleagues even when I left the student affairs field and became a member of the faculty. You NEVER know how your career path will take twists and turns!

Communicating with Others via Twitter and Instagram

During conferences, especially a large scale conference (for example, NASPA had 7,000+ participants) it is important to connect with other attendees via the conference backchannel on Twitter. This is valuable because I believe a rich conversation exists on the conference hashtag (before, during, and after the conference). Also, through the conference backchannel, participants can form relationships and participate in "meet ups" during the conference (to take the virtual conversation to the virtual environment). It is always amazing to meet someone who recognizes you from Twitter.

Converted My Mind About Blogging

I attended the "Blogging Bravely" session on March 23, 2015 at 8:30 am and this session featured many of the premier student affairs bloggers - @paulgordonbrown @MarciKWalton @reneepdowdy  @josieahlquist. This was a great session, because it caused me to re-examine my blogging goals.

I had a hard time finding my blogging voice in my new role. It was incredibly easy to blog about

teaching techniques, but it is difficult to blog about a hybrid role (academic affairs and student life functions). It is very difficult to find a which topics appeal to your audience! 

Convinced Me to Publish Articles on Academic Affairs and Student Affairs Partnerships

Also, I usually publish in Communication Journals and speak at communication conferences, but I will definitely have to modify my venues and outlets to publish on bridging the gap between academic affairs and student affairs at institutions of higher education. I am actually energized and I hope to publish an article in the near future!

As you can see, I had a great time. It was great writing this brief blog post, because this post functioned a great reflection piece for me. Energized! Back to work!

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

REGISTER NOW – FREE WEBINAR: Counseling and Advising Men of Color in the Community College (February 12, 2015)

I absolutely love free webinars (especially those that do not require a product endorsement). This webinar is from the Minority Male Community College Collaborative and it is focused on "Counseling and Advising Strategies" Advancing Success for Men of Color in the Community College". The webinar will be held on February 12th at 11am Pacific Time. I discovered this webinar around a month ago through a tweet.

Here's more information - http://interwork.sdsu.edu/sp/m2c3/2014/11/07/free-webinar/

Why I Am Interested...
Yes, I work for a four-year institution in Texas, but I have community college roots. I attended Panola College for dual credit courses while in high school and I attended my first year at a community college before transferring to Stephen F. Austin State University. Amazing experience! Without my community college experience while in high school, I would not have been as successful in attaining my four-year degree. I am strong advocate of dual credit courses.

Benefits of the Webinar
I think this webinar will definitely benefit professionals who are in the trenches teaching and advising students who are from underrepresented populations (and who are male). Feel free to write comments here!

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

Out-of-the-Box Ideas for Motivating College Students During Midterms and Finals

Two of my favorite times of the semester are midterms and finals. Odd, right? These are the two times students usually hear about their progress within a course (although I provide feedback more often).

To help students succeed during these key times, our area provides Midterm and Finals activities and programs for students to connect with their academic-sides! Everyone has one (or two) - perhaps a major and a minor).

While planning for the week, I have several Pinterest boards and an amazing committee. Also, we search for ideas on the web to gain insight into other university's approaches to these important time periods.

Binghamton University's Dean of Students's office connects with a wealth of offices across their campus to provide students with incentives for studying!

Here are some of their approaches:

- free group fitness classes

- therapy dogs

- chair massages

- donuts with the Dean (we have not tried this year, but sounds like a great idea)!

- one of the neatest aspects of the event is the REACH vehicle - a mobile approach to providing students with healthy tips and giveways. Here's some more information about the pink car - the mobile solution! Take a look - http://www.binghamton.edu/health/education/

- the sleep kits include sleep masks and other items you would need for a night of rest

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

2014 Open Doors Report - Institute of International Education

One of the areas that I work with on a daily basis is the International Programs area. I am a strong advocate of study abroad programs and I am always looking for innovative ways to help all students experience a study abroad program. In addition, when students chose to study in the United States this experience enriches the international student's life and GREATLY IMPACTS the students located at the university.

One report that I continue to monitor is the Open Doors report. Here's the link to the latest report:

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

10 Top Ways for Professors to Plan for the Spring Semester

The spring semesters are always filled with the promise of surpassing your goals for the fall semester. Will this spring be different for you? What do you plan to do differently?

Here are some tried and true items that I have to complete before I begin teaching classes.

1 - Look at the syllabus from last spring to see which aspects I would like to change for this semester.

2 - Update the dates on the syllabus.

3 - Figure out HOW I would like to communicate with the students this semester - Google Plus, Twitter, or Facebook (or all three)?

4 - Add the students's names to my Gradekeeper App for attendance and participation purposes.

5 - Update the Blackboard course structure to reflect the goals for this year's course. For example, if I would like for the students to achieve the learning outcomes for the course in a different way, I need to update the discussion questions, Twitter chat questions, etc.

6 - Contact individuals in the communication and social media industries for Twitter chat engagements to enable students to communicate with professionals working in the industry.

7 - Modify the syllabus on Google Documents. I always place my syllabus on Google documents to make sure it is easy to modify for the following semesters. Also, my students do not have to worry about purchasing and/or downloading any software to interact with different aspects of the course.

8 - Contact the students to introduce myself!

9 - Rest before the semester begins!

10 - Prep my office! I need a great ambiance before the semester starts!

Last, but not least... BREATHE!!! It will be a great semester!

Here's my post from the beginning of last semester!

http://www.millennialprofessor.com/2014/08/7-easy-ways-for-professors-to-prepare.html

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

Making the Switch from Teaching Undergraduate Students to Teaching Graduate Students

During the past few years, this millennial's life has been filled with CHANGE! New baby, new job, and NOW a change in teaching. Starting this month, I will teach my first graduate course. In the past, I've taught independent study graduate courses, but I am looking forward to teaching my first full group of graduate students.

This spring, the course will focus on social media technology and how it can be utilized in the work context. I hope to have several guest speakers (bloggers and other individuals from the industry) and to engage with the students in various interactive experiences (it is an online course). I definitely plan to utilize Google Communities and a few Twitter chats.

I definitely think that I would like to incorporate an "applicable" research project to create a finished product (perhaps an e-book), but I am still thinking about the possibilities.

Ideas are much appreciated!

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

3 Millennial Goals for the New Year: Writing, Dreaming Creatively, and Traveling with Family

Usually, I write long, drawn out New Year's Resolutions, but this year I resolve to only have THREE resolutions!

#1 - Write at least one blog post or at least one page of my manuscripts per day.

#2 - Think beyond the possible. Usually, I am an extremely linear thinker, but I need to think more creatively to solve everyday problems for work and home.

#3 - Travel with my family. My daughter is a toddler and I love to expose her to new and innovative things! Her daycare teaches her a wealth of skills, but I attempt to supplement on the weekends and during the evenings. Follow our adventures here: http://www.weekendscount.com/

Suggestions are appreciated and valued! Please keep me accountable!

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

Recap of the 2014 #SACSCOC Annual Meeting - Dec. 5th - Dec. 8th

Today, I created several higher education and blogging goals. These goals included: writing posts as soon as possible and posting these posts as soon as I arrive home from a conference, etc.

The #SACSCOC conference was amazing and I was pleased to connect with several individuals from other universities. I stored these business cards in a special part of my Vera bag, because one of my new years resolutions is to keep in contact with higher education connections formed during conferences.

Courtesy of @heatherplez

This SACSCOC conference was held in Nashville, TN and the attendees had several hotel options. I chose the Courtyard Marriott, because it was slightly cheaper than the other options. I traveled via shuttle to the hotel and connected with several SACSCOC attendees (one from Tarrant County College and the other from Savannah State University).

In fact, I was fortunate enough to have breakfast on two separate days with two of the individuals I hope to add to my highered contacts list!

One of the first sessions I attended was the Newcomers session and it featured the President of SACSCOC, Dr. Belle Wheelan. She is an outstanding woman and I always enjoy hearing her speak. Through the session, I learned about several new developments regarding SACSCOC.

After this session, I walked through the hallway and heard my name. One of my colleagues found me and I was pleased to see her familiar face. We exchanged notes and later discovered that we planned to attend the same session for the next conference slot. Surprisingly, I discovered the presenter was my fabulous sorority sister, Dr. Amanda Chesser Drum (yes, she is amazing). I look up to her for a variety of reasons and she always has a smile on her face.

Dr. Drum is from Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi and she serves as the Executive Director of Strategic Engagement Initiatives. She is also charged with assessment and the SACSCOC 5th year reviews. She worked interactively with various departments under student life and other similar student services-focused departments to develop student learning outcomes that coincide with the CAS Standards. I thought this approach was very effective and it helped her developed her university's SACSCOC report. I plan to use the CAS Standards for an internal review process for several areas at the university for which I work in Texas.


Since I learned a wealth of information about section 2.10, I wanted to learn more about the QEP initiatives in the next session. This session was presented by Dr. Wayne Atchley from Tarleton State University and he did a dynamic job presenting his university's "Keeping It R.E.A.L" initiative for engaging students in the following areas: undergraduate research, leadership, study abroad/study away, service learning, and internships.

These individual sessions provided me with a stronger foundation for assessment for this next year. I feel fortunate to have this experience and I cannot wait to research additional innovative and dynamic ways to perform assessment (qualitative and quantitative) on our student learning outcomes.

Also, I followed the backchannel on Twitter for the #SACSCOC conference. Here's a recap of the conference so far:

I learned a wealth of information from the conference and I am fired up for assessment! Also, I wanted to add that I was especially excited that the Convention Center is a LEED certified building! :) This is very exciting to an environmental sustainability-focused millennial!

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

Preparing for the SACSCOC Conference and Thinking Ahead to Assessment Bootcamp

Preparing for the SACSCOC Conference - I admit, this has been a long semester, but one of the most rewarding semesters so far!

Tomorrow (Saturday), I am headed to the SACSCOC annual conference. I am excited about placing the assessment hat on my head at this point in the semester.

It is extremely difficult to write the reports in the middle of the semester (in the midst of the activities), but I always look forward to small breaks. These breaks include: winter break, spring break, the break in May. These are typically my #highered "catch-up" times if I happen to be behind.

Thinking Ahead to the Winter Break
Here's the ideal set-up for assessment, Edwards-style. A quiet room, restricted interactions from others, and a great station on Pandora/Storify.

I am all packed and I am ready to attend my first SACSCOC conference! :)

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

Neat Gift Basket Idea for #HigherEd Professionals!

I had to make quick gift basket for an upcoming women's conference and I wanted to provide a gift featuring personal touch with a professional flair! 

Something I would really want to receive and something I could really use! I always add a Dymo Label to make the gift look professional! My family purchased the machine last summer and it has been the best investment! 

Here are some additional pictures!

I had to make quick gift basket for an upcoming women's conference and I wanted to provide a gift featuring personal touch with a professional flair! 

Something I would really want to receive and something I could really use! I always add a Dymo Label to make the gift look professional! My family purchased the machine last summer and it has been the best investment! 

Here are some additonal pictures!

Sincerely,

@drjtedwardsTSU

Multicultural Postdoctoral Fellowship--The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Here's a great announcement that can be found on the CRTNET listserv. 

Shawn D. Long, PhD, Shawn.Long@uncc.edu

Multicultural Postdoctoral Fellowship--The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

UNC Charlotte invites applications for our new Multicultural Postdoctoral Fellowship program (www.diversitypostdoc.uncc.edu) to support its commitment to diversity, inclusion, and building a strong intellectual community of scholars from different backgrounds. The purpose of the Multicultural Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is to support the early development of scholars who show promise of distinguished research careers and who are from historically underrepresented groups.

Postdoctoral fellows will be engaged full-time in research and may teach up to two courses per academic year as part of their appointment. Fellows are required to be in-residence each semester during their appointment. The postdoctoral fellow will receive extensive university and program mentoring throughout their appointment. 

Applications for study in any discipline represented on campus are welcome. STEM applications are strongly encouraged. Please specify your discipline of interest when applying.

Applicants must have completed their doctoral degree within the past five years and no later than July 1st of the current year. The primary criterion for selection is evidence of scholarship potentially competitive for tenure track appointments at a research university. A critical secondary criterion is the support of prospective departments. 

All applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents at the time of application; The University of North Carolina at Charlotte strongly encourages applications from African American, Native American and Hispanic scholars. Selection is contingent on the availability of an appropriate mentoring environment. 

Please include the following materials with your application:  curriculum vitae; a statement of research plans (1-3 pages) (this should describe your commitment to pursuing an academic career); graduate transcripts; a personal statement on why you should be selected for this program (1-3 pages); Writing samples (e.g. publications and/or dissertation chapters); three letters of recommendation. One letter should be from the applicant’s dissertation advisor or faculty mentor.

Applications are taken on-line at http://jobs.uncc.edu, position #POST40.The application deadline is December 1, 2014 at 5:00 PM EST.  Please contact Dr. Shawn D. Long at shawn.long@uncc.edu  or 704-687-0783 if you have any questions. 

UNC Charlotte is North Carolina's urban research university and has an enrollment of approximately 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Located in the state's largest metropolitan area, UNC Charlotte is among the fastest growing universities in the UNC system. 

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is an EOE/AA employer and an ADVANCE Institution that strives to create an academic climate in which the dignity of all individuals is respected and maintained. Therefore, we celebrate diversity that includes, but is not limited to ability/disability, age, culture, ethnicity, gender, language, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status. 

Applicants are subject to criminal background check.

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

8 Apps for Higher Education Day!

This summer, I was fortunate to attend the "Apps for Higher Education Day" sponsored by the Center for Instructional Innovation (CII) at my higher education institution. This day was planned by some of my favorite people on campus! :)

This was definitely a fun day, but I realized that I really need to diversify my higher education apps!

Here is a list of the awesome higher education apps introduced!

1 - Blackboard Mobile (Paid)

2 - My Script Calculator (Free!)

3 - Device 6 ($3.99)
 (Interactive Novel)

4 - Essential Skeleton 4 (Free!)
 (3D Skeleton)

5 - Simple Rockets (Free!)

6 - Job Genie by Blackboard (Free!)
***One of my new favorites!***

7 - Duolingo (Free!)
*This has been a GREAT app for my language acquisition quest!

8 - Educreations (Free!)
(Screen Capturing App)

In addition, the workshop facilitators invited individuals to present their favorite app to the audience! This was definitely fun! Thank you CII for hosting this amazing event!

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

Beloit College Mindset List for the Freshmen Class of 2018!

Yes, another academic year is here! I am always excited about September! September also means that we have another group of amazing freshmen joining the university.

I always look for the upcoming Beloit College Mindset list. Here it is! - LINK

What was your most SURPRISING item from the list?

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

Work-Life Balance for Higher Education Professionals - Limiting E-mail from 8-5

This academic year, I focused on the importance of work life balance. When I began my current role, I was known for sending e-mail at 3am or 4am in the morning when I could not rest and for sending e-mail during peak hours of the weekend.

THEN it dawned on me, I was not promoting positive work-life balance for the team or for myself.

The team works so hard for the students, faculty, and staff at our campus that it is only right to respect their weekend and nights with their families (or time spent on hobbies).

No E-mail Outside of the Typical Workday to Promote Work-Life Balance...
Now, I do not send any e-mail outside of the 8-5 workday unless an emergency arises or if an important report is due and I need questions answered at the last minute.

Still Working...
However, I do work on e-mail on the weekend and I save each "to be sent" message in my drafts folder and I send the e-mails to the team early on Monday morning.

A Work in Progress...
This is one practice that I will definitely have to modify, because it could feel alarming to the team if they receive four e-mail messages from me at 8am in the morning. I plan to only send one message at a time (if they are not urgent) during certain time intervals in the morning.

Looking for More...
I definitely want to respect work balance for the team as well as myself. Therefore, I need to look for more practices that will contribute to a positive work environment.

Additional ideas?

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

#SAPros: Rethink Your Traditional Communication Methods

Student Affairs Professionals,

We are gearing up for a year academic year, the 2014-2015 academic year! Will your traditional, tried and true methods for communicating with students work this year? Probably not.

This year represents one year closer to the end of the millennial college population. Then, the next generation will be the "new silent generation".

Let's figure out HOW we CAN communicate with the incoming student populations, because traditional communication methods will not work!

Listen to this great session at SxSW about the importance of NON-TRADITIONAL communication methods!


What should student affairs professionals do differently?

,Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

The Convocation Ceremony Marks the End of Transition Week and the Beginning of Fall Classes!

Tonight was our final night of Transition Week and the night before our first day of class. This is always a magical experience for me because this event includes all of the FITC (first-time in college) freshmen at our university at one time in one place.

*I will blog about the Transition Week experience soon! Look forward to some great pictures!

This year, the event included speeches from the President, the Provost, and the VP for Student Services. EVERYONE (all faculty and staff attendees) is in their graduation regalia and all of the students have matching shirts. Truly an amazing ceremony.

I always anticipate the President and the Provost's speeches, because the speeches remind me of the actual graduation experience that many of these FTIC attendees will experience in four years.

The Provost always assigns the students their first homework task in our Academic Success Rally. This task requires the students to write five goals that they would like to achieve within the next four years. Then, the students are required to send an e-mail to the Provost. She categorizes the responses and highlights certain responses for all of the students to hear. The students' responses are never the same and I always sit in the ceremony in anticipation of her speech.

After the speeches are delivered, the students and other attendees always watch a sentimental video about the freshmen experience and the subsequent experiences the students will have until their senior year.

Then, the students walk in silence to the next aspect of the event, the candle lighting! Each student receives a candle (along with an explanation of the tradition) and then all attendees participate in a group photo for the incoming class that features their lit candles.

I am definitely fortunate to be part of the students's lives this year.

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

How to Launch a Student-Run Social Media Endeavor - TSMRI's Session at SxSWedu 2014!

The Texas Social Media Research Institute (TSMRI) was selected to present a session at last year's SxSWedu event in Austin! We were very excited (as you can tell on the sound cloud file below, we had a great session!


Remember to VOTE for us this year! Here's the link - http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/40900

Thanks to Dr. Sarah Maben and Dr. Paul Stafford for all of their hard work on this session!

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

Vote for @TSMRI's SxSWEdu Proposal - 55 Social Media Tips for #HigherEd Faculty and Staff!

This week, I am especially excited about the #SxSWedu proposal voting period! We are entering the second week and here is our proposal for the Texas Social Media Research Institute (TSMRI):

http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/40900

Here are our "sharing stats"for the past week!

We definitely need more shares, please help us! Vote here - http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/40900

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

7 Easy Ways for Professors to Prepare for the Fall Semester

News flash! There are only a few more weeks until the first day of school and we have to prepare!

Yes, you have your research to complete, but now it is time to focus on your classes!

Here's my to do list, feel free to adapt one or more items from this list for your "to do" list.

1 - Finish your syllabus. Considering creating your syllabus on Google Documents to quickly provide real-time edits for your students. Embed or link this syllabus in any similar courses on Blackboard.
*I plan to write about this later.

2 - Practice the names of each of your students. It is important to potentially avoid mispronunciations on the first day of class.

3 - Import the names of your students to your grade book.

4 - Create your assignments on Blackboard.

5 - Write the "action item" list of the first week of school. The "action item" list for my students usually includes: a) completing surveys focused on their familiarity with the course material, b) their familiarity with Google Documents, and c) their goals for the course.

6 - Pick your best outfit/suit for the first day of school. This day marks your first impression on the students and it can either make or break your year.

7 - Most importantly, send an e-mail to to the students before the course begins! Let them know that you are excited to meet them. Also, make sure you tell them about the textbook and the ISBN information.

8 - Also, remember to familiarize yourself with the new material regarding the content in your course (new videos, check the YouTube links, etc.). :) This is always extra hard for me, but it has to be done!

Good luck this semester! It will be a great one for you and your students!

*What did I miss? What would you add? Do not forget to breathe!

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU

An Innovative University Marketing Strategy Via Video - Texas A&M is Happy! :)

I am always on the lookout for an innovative college or university marketing video. Whether the video is internal or external, it definitely strikes a chord with the viewers. These viewers might come from the university itself to universities (and others) located across the world. 

Videos enable others to experience your campus without actually setting foot on the campus. Boundless possibilities!

Videos are great, but one items that people commonly forget about videos is the captioning. If videos are captioned, it makes this more accessible. One more step, but definitely well worth it!

I need to learn more about the captioning features on YouTube. Does anyone have any great resources?

Sincerely - @drjtedwardsTSU