Graduates should be able to use various forms of technology in their interactions with students and in their own professional development. Specifically, students should be able to
a. utilize communication tools such as electronic mail, video conferencing, and/or designing web pages;
b. use research tools such as electronic data bases, world wide web searching, and other on-line sources;
c. use multi-media in making presentations before professional audiences.
Evidence One
Monthly Cohort Conference Calls
One tool of technology that I have used in this program is the CCC confer. CCC confer. allows staff, faculty and administers of the community college system to set up phone conferences. The phone conferences allow for multiple people to call in all at the same time for free. Every month since the CSA Summer Track program started, I would organize a conference call for my cohort. First, I log into the CCC Confer site, make a reservation and then receive a confirmation. Once I have the confirmation number and code, I email my co-hort a week before the call in. On the day of the call in, I send another reminder. The conference calls first started out to be meetings with the instructor. Then turned into a chance to connect, support and share how we were doing in our classes. The monthly conference calls made such a difference that now the CSA program is adding conference call capability for future cohort groups to use and create their own monthly conference calls. It amazes me that I have been setting up conference calls for three years. At the end of each conference call, there is always one cohort member who says “Thanks for setting this up. It makes a huge difference to me and I feel like I am not alone in this.” Click here to learn more: CCC Confer Website
Evidence Two
My blog
Another tool of technology I have used is building and keeping up with a website/blog. During the CSA 543: Legal and Ethical Issues in College Student Affairs course, I was asked to design a Webliography on a web page. I knew that the Capstone Project was going to be a website. However, the Webliography assignment gave me the excuse to start my Capstone website early. Instead of jumping straight into the Capstone Project, I first learned how to make a website/blog. Now that I look back, I am really happy that I kept a blog. It became a mini journal of my journey in graduate school. I was able to use the blog to share course assignments and share experiences about how to balance working full-time, school and having a life. I also used my blog to thank people. Click here to read my blog entries: Victoria’s Blog
Evidence Three
NVC Club Advisor Newsletter Email
The main tool of technology I use at my job is email. I communicate event reminders, meeting agendas and minutes, and advising information. Each month, I email a Club Advisor Newsletter to all faculty and staff serving as club advisors. I used to print out the newsletter but discovered that the advisors liked having the newsletter accessible in their email. Now, clubs and advisors receive reminders about upcoming Inter-Club Council meetings, paperwork deadlines and leadership advice through the technology of email. Click here to read December 2007 and February 2008 newsletter: NVC Club Advisor Newsletter Email