Using emerging technology to engage students

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Presentation forming part of a workshop at the Association of Learning Development in Higher Education CPD event on 14 January 2011

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studentdevpt.com

Using emerging technologiesto engage students

Stuart Johnson & Marta Ulanicka

University of Leicester

studentdevpt.com

We’re on the fringes

StudentDevelopment

studentdevpt.com

Needy students will seek us out

StudentDevelopment

studentdevpt.com

Traditional advertising reaches a few more

StudentDevelopment

studentdevpt.com

There has been massive growth in social media

Jan 2009 Jan 2010 Nov 2010

68,557,534 121,210,792 132,665,694

5,979,052 24,813,434 26,385,917

Numbers represent unique visitors. Data from www.compete.com

studentdevpt.com

If Facebook were a country

0

200,000,000

400,000,000

600,000,000

800,000,000

1,000,000,000

1,200,000,000

1,400,000,000

Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population

studentdevpt.com

So we’re using social media…

StudentDevelopment

*NB. Facebook page not group

*

studentdevpt.com

…to help us reach many more

StudentDevelopment

studentdevpt.com

Students can communicate with us…

StudentDevelopment

studentdevpt.com

Students can communicate with us…

StudentDevelopment

studentdevpt.com

Students can communicate with us…

StudentDevelopment

studentdevpt.com

Students can communicate with us…

StudentDevelopment

studentdevpt.com

…and they tell their friends about us

StudentDevelopment

studentdevpt.com

…and they tell their friends about us

StudentDevelopment

“I think that the Facebook page is a great idea and I have since spread the word to mates and

got them to join”

studentdevpt.com

…who then follow our social media

StudentDevelopment

studentdevpt.com

And the number of ‘Likes’ increases…30/06/2009

30/07/2009

30/08/2009

30/09/2009

30/10/2009

30/11/2009

30/12/2009

30/01/2010

02/03/2010

02/04/2010

02/05/2010

02/06/2010

02/07/2010

02/08/2010

02/09/2010

02/10/2010

02/11/2010

02/12/2010

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Total ‘Likes’

Unsubscribes

studentdevpt.com

…and so does the number using our services

StudentDevelopment

studentdevpt.com

But rather than them coming to us…

…they give us permission to go to them

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Our website traffic has gone up

Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

200,000

2007/8 2008/9 2009/10 2010/11

Page

vie

ws

studentdevpt.com *Facebook fan dashboard

But, meaningful content is vital

“Page admins who post meaningful content will retain fans, while admins who post spammy or low-quality material will lose fans and subscribers”*

studentdevpt.com

News and events feeds we automate

See http://studentdevpt.com/2009/10/09/trying-hard-to-connect

studentdevpt.com

Tone of voice is important too

studentdevpt.com

53%

36%

4%7%

But most of what we say is proactive

(automated)

(proactive/responsive)

(proactive/responsive)

studentdevpt.com

And it’s having an impact here

21%

67%

12%

Have you ever gone to an event or done something as a direct result of information posted on our Facebook or Twitter accounts?

This happens a lot This never

happens

This sometimes happens

studentdevpt.com

And here…

A lot Quite a lot Not much Not at all0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Has your awareness of Student Development services improved since following us on Facebook or Twitter

Yes I knew a bit No

studentdevpt.com

They still like email!

• We have >4,000 signed up• We needed to subscribe to a mailing list manager• The reports are very useful

studentdevpt.com

Email tips

• Make it easy to subscribe• Allow public sharing if possible• Don’t email more than you say you will• Say one thing at a time• Learn from the reports• Make it easy to unsubscribe

studentdevpt.com

Tips to engage*

• Start a conversation• Quick, direct and simple• Attach, attach, attach!• Announce, remind, excite• It’s about time

Remember• It’s not a magic bullet• They can turn us off

* Courtesy of David Morgan, see http://goo.gl/qXkQ

studentdevpt.com

What we’ve learnt

• We're definitely reaching more students this way

• A base of RSS news and events feeds is a good start

• But you've got to invest in conversations

• Our helpdesk staff do a great job

• Distance learners like it too

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