Amber Settle (CDM)DePaul 2009 Faculty Teaching and Learning Conference

April 17, 2009

Course content◦ Academic subject with a strong connection to the

people, communities, and institutions of Chicago◦ Common Hour: Co-curricular component designed to

facilitate students’ transition to the college experience Important characteristics

◦ Traditional and experiential pedagogy◦ Strong emphasis on mentoring and advising◦ Discover Chicago

Immersion Week prior to the start of the quarter (5 days and 35+ hours)

Teaching team: Faculty, student, and staff

Developed by Gian Mario Besana Textbook for the course

◦ Technology and Social Inclusion: Rethinking the Digital Divide

◦ Mark Warschauer◦ 2003 (primarily written in 2001)

Digital divide: “The gap between those who do and do not have access to computers and the Internet”

Supplementary reading◦ Government reports on the digital divide◦ Information about the Community Technology Center

movement◦ Popular press articles on technology access and

training

Breadth of use◦ Online social networking community◦ 85% of students at participating institutions have

accounts; 60% of students log into the site daily (Arrington 2005)

◦ Study at CDM (Mittleman) shows that 68% of undergraduates use social networking sites weekly

Mixed reactions/results◦ N. Ellison, C. Steinfield, and C. Lampe, 2007: Strong

association between use of Facebook and the three types of social capital

◦ A. Hewitt and A. Forte, 2006: 30% of students did not believe faculty should be on Facebook

◦ M.J. Bugeja, 2006: Negative faculty reaction to Facebook (and technology) use by students

Created in 2007◦ Inspiration of the student mentor (Julie Hardesty)◦ Open to all DePaul students◦ Created as a page for current students and alumni

Students from 2006, 2007, and 2008 were all invited to join the group

Group usage◦ Photos

Typically from Immersion Week, posted by both students and Teaching Team members

Wall posts about course work and questions (limited) Links related to course topics Messaging used for group communication

Creates a sense of community◦ Sharing photos from Immersion Week

Inspired independent photo albums◦ Incorporate new classmates into existing social

structures Postings to each other’s wall Spontaneous lunch reunion Discussion of social events and plans

Excellent example of a resource unavailable to those on the other side of the digital divide

Not all students are on Facebook Distance between faculty and students

◦ Buy-in is better when the student mentor actively participates 2007 group members: 75% of class

90% of students were “friends” with student mentor 2008 group members: 55% of class

44% of students were “friends” with student mentor (retroactive) 2006 group members: 60% of class

50% of students were “friends” with student mentor◦ Students are accustomed to peer-to-peer interactions

Discomfort “friending” a faculty member Faculty comments can kill socially-oriented threads (even

for the student mentor)

Faculty member must balance:◦ Personal touch with students

Interests: Books, movies, music◦ Maintaining neutrality

Political affiliations (NO) Religious beliefs and group membership (Carefully) Comments to colleagues and friends

Success of early vs. later invitation◦ Percentage of class who “friend” faculty instructor

2006 (post quarter): 75% 2007 (mid-Immersion Week): 65% 2008 (first day of Immersion Week): 55%

◦ More interaction in person means more comfort online Be supportive but not intrusive

Arrington, Michael, “85% of college students use Facebook”, TechCrunch, Sept. 7, 2005.

M.J. Bugeja, “Facing the Facebook”, Chronicle of Higher Education, 2006.◦ http://www.vpss.ku.edu/pdf/PSDC%20Facing%20the

%20Facebook.pdf N. Ellison, C. Steinfield, and C. Lampe, “The Benefits of

Facebook ‘Friends’: Social Capital and College Students’ Use of Online Social Network Sites”, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, Blackwell Publishing, 2007.◦ http://www.mvirtual.com.br/midiaedu/artigos_online/facebook.pdf

A. Hewitt, A. Forte, “Crossing boundaries: Identity management and student/faculty relationships on the Facebook”, Computer Supported Cooperative Work, 2006.◦ http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~aforte/HewittForteCSCWPoster2006.pdf