New Directions for Student Services, Number 155, Engaging the Digital Generation was released on September 5, 2016. Under the leadership of editors Dr. Ed Cabellon and Dr. Josie Ahlquist, Engaging the Digital Generation is now available online and the print edition is available for pre-order. This dynamic volume of the New Directions Series discusses effective practices and strategies to mitigate challenges faced by college students and student affairs leaders related to digital engagement, social media, and technology.
Student Engagement Through Digital Data
Dr. Liz Gross and I co-authored the chapter, Student Engagement Through Digital Data. We explore pertinent research and theory, and offer strategies to leverage digital tools in recruitment, learning, and co-curricular engagement to generate measurable outcomes. In our chapter, we cover the following topics:
- Student Engagement and Involvement
Research and Theory
Measuring Student Engagement
Social Media and Student Engagement - Collecting and Assessing Digital Data
Types of Digital Data
Ethics of Digital Data Collection and Analysis
Measuring Social Media Activity – Account Based
Finding and Analyzing Public Online Posts - Collecting Digital Data From Campus-Based Systems
Integrating Social Media Outreach Through Digital Targeting - Measuring Student Success Through Co-Curricular Involvement
- Implementing Automated Reporting Systems
Making Digital Data Meaningful to Potential Collaborators - Using Social Media Outcomes to Inform Student Affairs Initiatives
Mitigate Reticence with Data and Measurable Outcomes
Chapters and Contributors
This volume also includes dynamic chapter contributions by a group of talented scholars to help curate discourse about integrating and implementing digital technology strategies into student affairs initiatives. Other chapters include:
- A Historical Perspective on Student Affairs Professionals’ Use of Digital Technology by Dr. Cabellon and Dr. Julie Payne-Kirchmeier
- The Digital Identity of Student Affairs Professionals by Dr. Ahlquist
- A Strategic Necessity: Building Senior Leadership’s Fluency in Digital Technology by Dr. Kara Kolomitz and Dr. Cabellon
- College Student Development in Digital Spaces by Dr. Paul Gordon Brown
- Setting the Course: Strategies for Writing Digital and Social Guidelines by Dr. Laura Pasquini
Gratitude and Conclusion
This is my first blog post via jasonlmeriwether.com. What better way is there to launch my own blog than by introducing a new collaborative project? Working with a group of scholars that focuses more on collaboration than competition embodies the true spirit of digital education and leadership. I am personally grateful to Ed & Josie for inviting me to write, and equally grateful to Liz for being such a terrific partner on the journey to finishing our chapter. This book’s content is realistic, scholarly, and applicable to the day-to-day work of student affairs educators in practice. May reading the book be just as much fun for you as it was rewarding for me to contribute!
