Tag: Engaging

  • Engaging Students in Collaborative Research and Writing Through Positive Psychology, Student Wellness, and Generative AI Integration – Faculty Focus

    Engaging Students in Collaborative Research and Writing Through Positive Psychology, Student Wellness, and Generative AI Integration – Faculty Focus

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  • Reaching peak engagement in K-12 science education

    Reaching peak engagement in K-12 science education

    Key points:

    More than half of science teachers believe the most important value of science education is how it contributes to students’ curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity, according to a new report from LEGO Education. But are today’s students truly engaging with science education?

    LEGO Education’s State of Classroom Engagement Report: Science Edition surveyed more than 6,000 global teachers, parents, students, and U.S. administrators to gather data that can offer insight to support educators as they strive to engage their students in science learning.

    Science learning builds life skills students will use even if they do not pursue the science in college or as a career. It also increases student engagement and well-being, but here’s the catch: Students have to feel connected to the material in order to build these skills.

    Just over half of global science teachers say their students are engaged in science, which points to a critical need to boost engagement in the subject, according to the report. Interestingly, students say they are more engaged in science than they are in school overall. Only one-third of teachers worldwide indicate that their students are engaged in the classroom. Schools could leverage students’ interest in science to build schoolwide engagement–a key factor tied to student well-being.

    When students aren’t engaged in science, what’s behind that lack of engagement? Often, they’re intimidated before they even learn the material, and they assume the topics are too challenging. Students lose confidence before they even try. Of students who say science is their least-favorite topic, 45 percent say science is too hard and 37 percent say they are bad at science. What’s more, 77 percent of global teachers say they believe students struggle because of complex concepts and curricula, and they’re searching for for impactful resources that support every student’s success.

    “If students think they’re not good at the subject or avoid it, we risk losing an entire generation of innovators and problem solvers,” said Victor Saeijs, president of LEGO Education, in the report.

    How can educators reach students who struggle to engage with science? Hands-on science learning is the key to piquing student curiosity, prompting them to engage with learning material and build confidence as they explore science concepts. Sixty-two percent of science teachers say hands-on activities drive student engagement in science. Seventy-five percent of science teachers who do incorporate hands-on activities believe this approach leads to higher test scores and grades.

    More students need access to hands-on science learning. Only 55 percent of students say they regularly get hands-on experiences–these experiences usually require extra time and resources to plan and execute. Eighty-two percent of science teachers say they need more ways to teach science with play and hands-on methods.

    Having access to hands-on science learning experiences increases students’ confidence, giving them the boost they often need to tackle increasingly tough-to-learn concepts:

    • 73 percent of students with access to hands-on learning opportunities report feeling confident in science
    • Just 52 percent of students who do not have access to hands-on learning report feeling confident in science

    Hands-on experiences in science drive:

    • Learning outcomes: 71 percent of science teachers who incorporate hands-on, playful learning believe the methodology supports higher test scores and grades
    • Engagement for all learners: 84 percent of U.S. teachers and 87 percent of administrators think that hands-on experiences help all types of learners engage with science concepts
    • Love of science: 63 percent of students who love science credit their passion to regular hands-on experiences
    • Confidence: 79 percent of students who have hands-on science experiences are confident in the subject

    Administrators and science teachers are short on time and need hands-on tools and resources to quickly engage students in learning:

    • 59 percent of U.S. administrators and 54 percent of science teachers say they need more tools to engage students in science
    • Nearly one-third of U.S. students do not get hands-on science experiences.
    Laura Ascione
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  • Revolutionizing storytelling with AI: Empowering ELLs

    Revolutionizing storytelling with AI: Empowering ELLs

    Key points:

    Imagine this: You assign your students a writing prompt, and while some eagerly begin crafting their stories, others stare at the blank page, muttering, “I have nothing to write,” or “I can’t think of a story.” For English Language Learners (ELLs), this scenario is even more daunting due to limited vocabulary or fear of making mistakes. In fact, studies show that a lack of confidence and linguistic resources often prevents ELLs from fully engaging in creative writing, despite their rich cultural and personal experiences.

    As educators, we constantly seek ways to help students overcome these barriers. Enter artificial intelligence (AI)–a powerful tool that transforms storytelling into an accessible and engaging experience for every student. By integrating AI into storytelling, we can empower students to generate ideas, build confidence, and create compelling narratives, all while developing their language skills.

    Getting started: Using AI to spark creativity

    A simple and engaging way to introduce AI in storytelling is by using a writing prompt and generating an example story opening with ChatGPT. For instance, you might ask: “Write the opening to a mysterious story about an abandoned lighthouse.”

    ChatGPT could respond: “The wind howled through the cracks of the abandoned lighthouse, carrying whispers of secrets long forgotten. The light, extinguished for decades, seemed to flicker faintly as if trying to tell a story no one had yet heard.”

    Students can take this opening and continue the story in their own words, expanding the scene, introducing new characters, or creating a plot twist. This method not only sparks creativity but also provides ELLs with a scaffold, building their confidence to dive into storytelling.

    To bring their stories to life, students can use AI image generators like DALL-E or tools like Canva to create visuals matching their narratives. For example, they could create an eerie image of the abandoned lighthouse with flickering light and stormy skies. This connection between words and visuals reinforces comprehension and engages students in the storytelling process.

    The final step is sharing stories and visuals with the class. Presenting their work allows students to practice speaking, gain confidence, and showcase their creativity.

    How AI enhances storytelling

    AI tools offer unique opportunities to support ELLs in their storytelling journey. When
    students struggle to come up with ideas, tools like ChatGPT can provide engaging prompts and vivid descriptions to spark creativity. For example, a student might request a description of a magical forest and receive a response like: “A forest bathed in golden sunlight, where trees tower like ancient guardians and the air shimmers with tiny, glowing orbs.” Such detailed imagery can inspire students to dive into their stories with greater confidence.

    In addition to idea generation, AI tools help expand students’ vocabulary. ELLs can use AI to explore synonyms or alternative ways to describe scenes, enriching their language repertoire.

    For instance, if a student wants to avoid repeating the word “beautiful,” the AI might suggest options like “stunning,” “captivating,” or “breathtaking,” enabling more nuanced and expressive writing.

    Visual storytelling is another area where AI shines. Tools like DALL-E or Adobe Express allow students to create images that align with their narratives, making their stories come to life. For example, a student writing about a mysterious glowing orb could generate a corresponding image, blending creative thinking with visual artistry.

    Once students have drafted their stories, AI-based writing assistants like Grammarly can help refine their grammar, spelling, and sentence structure. This process encourages independence and self-correction, teaching students to identify and address their mistakes while improving the overall clarity and polish of their work.

    Interactive platforms like Twine take storytelling to a new level by enabling students to create “choose your own adventure” narratives. For example, students might create a mystery where readers decide whether to follow a shadowy figure or stay hidden, leading to different outcomes. This fosters critical thinking and collaboration as students craft branching storylines and engage in problem-solving to connect various plot points.

    Classroom example: AI in action

    In a Grade 8 ESL classroom, students were given the prompt: “Write about a strange object you find buried in your backyard.” After brainstorming ideas with ChatGPT, one student created a story about a glowing orb that transported them to another dimension. They used DALL-E to generate an image of the orb, and Twine to develop a branching narrative where the reader decides whether to touch the orb or call for help. The result was an immersive storytelling experience that combined creativity with critical thinking.

    By incorporating AI tools, students not only created more engaging stories but also developed their language skills in a meaningful and enjoyable way.

    Making storytelling accessible and engaging

    Using AI in storytelling doesn’t just overcome barriers; it transforms the experience for students. Visual elements and interactivity keep learners engaged, while tools for grammar and vocabulary improvement build confidence. For ELLs, AI provides scaffolding and encouragement to take creative risks and express themselves authentically.

    Guiding responsible AI use

    While AI opens doors to creativity, teaching students to use these tools responsibly is
    essential.

    Students need to understand the concept of AI “hallucinations,” where AI generates
    inaccurate or entirely fabricated information. For instance, an AI might describe a historical event inaccurately or create a fictional fact that seems plausible. Educators should teach students to verify AI-generated information with reliable sources.

    Equally important is teaching students how to craft clear and specific prompts. For example, instead of asking, “What happens in a story?” they might ask, “Can you suggest a story idea about a character who solves a mystery in a small town?”

    Modeling this process helps students see how precise wording yields better results.
    Encouraging critical thinking is also crucial. Teachers can create opportunities for students to analyze AI-generated content by asking: “Does this make sense? Is it accurate? Can I verify it elsewhere?” Such discussions help students see AI as a helpful tool, but not an infallible one.

    Students should also learn that AI is a partner in creativity, not a replacement for their
    original thinking. They must guide the AI, evaluate its outputs, and make creative decisions to ensure their work remains authentically theirs. Additionally, students should be encouraged to credit AI-generated content appropriately to foster ethical use.

    Conclusion

    Storytelling is a cornerstone of language learning, offering ELLs opportunities to build
    vocabulary, practice grammar, and express their ideas. With AI, the storytelling process becomes more accessible, engaging, and impactful. From generating prompts to creating visuals and refining drafts, AI supports students in overcoming challenges and discovering the joy of storytelling.

    By integrating AI tools responsibly, educators empower every student to find their voice and share their unique stories with confidence. In the intersection of creativity and technology, AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we teach and learn storytelling

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  • Engaging Today’s Students Through the Power of AR

    Engaging Today’s Students Through the Power of AR

    Augmented reality (AR) is part of our daily lives, making everyday tasks easier, safer, and more interactive. However, its greatest potential may lie in education, opening new doors for engaging students through hands-on learning.

    Most people use augmented reality every day without realizing it. Features like “See this in your room” at major online retailers let users visualize furniture in their space before buying, while backup cameras in cars overlay guidelines to help drivers reverse and park safely.  These applications seamlessly blend the digital with the real, providing extra context to inform decisions and deepen understanding.

    Now, imagine a student struggling with ratios — a common challenge because ratios require proportional reasoning and dimensional analysis, abstract skills that can be difficult to visualize.

    Like “See this in your room”, what if an augmented reality app presented the student with a virtual kitchen counter on their desk, stocked with ingredients for trail mix? The student must mix the correct proportions of raw nuts, raw seeds, and dried fruit, adjusting quantities as they go. Bonus: No mess and no actual cooking. It only requires a smartphone, tablet, or laptop.

    This fun, real-world approach helps students learn challenging concepts through play and interaction. It’s one of many activities in McGraw Hill AR, a free app from McGraw Hill, a leading global education company. 

    Sean Ryan

    President, McGraw Hill School

    “Immersive technology has the potential to make previously out-of-reach knowledge accessible for any learner,” said Sean Ryan, president of McGraw Hill’s School Group. “McGraw Hill AR will be a game-changer for teachers, particularly in math and science, where the detailed, interactive learning experiences will spark students’ curiosity and drive them to dive into the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of complex, abstract concepts.” 

    Coordinate Plane
    Industrial Revolution
    Circulatory System

    Reaching students across subjects, languages, and platforms

    Yes, the app is really free. McGraw Hill builds the app in partnership with Verizon Innovative Learning. This educational initiative seeks to help bridge the digital divide with a goal of providing digital skills training to 10 million students by 2030.

    To help reach those students, the app has a growing library across math, science, and social studies, with plans to add English Language Arts in 2025. It’s available in the App Store and Google Play Store. For students learning on Chromebooks or laptops, there are 3D web-based versions at mharonline.com. All activities are available in Spanish. For educators and homeschoolers, content is standards-aligned with accompanying lesson plans and worksheets at verizon.com/learning.

    By combining play with practical learning, McGraw Hill AR offers a new way to connect, engage, and learn.

    Click here to download the McGraw Hill AR App

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  • The Enrollment Shift: Strategies for Engaging the Modern Learner

    The Enrollment Shift: Strategies for Engaging the Modern Learner

    Meet Maria. A recent high school graduate with her sights set on a career in web development, Maria surprised her family by choosing a six-month accelerated certificate program at a local community college over a traditional four-year computer science degree. Why? Because Maria, like many of today’s learners, prioritizes a fast track to career readiness, affordability and the flexibility to learn at her own pace. She’s not alone. This trend is playing out across the country, forcing institutions to rethink their approach to attracting and retaining students.

    Maria’s story exemplifies the enrollment shift happening in higher education. Greg Clayton, the President of the EMS division of EducationDynamics says: “Higher education isn’t collapsing, it’s shifting. Schools must adapt to meet the evolving needs of today’s students or they will be left behind.” This shift is driven by a confluence of factors, from changing demographics to evolving student priorities and the rise of new technologies.

    Changing How We Think About the Coming Enrollment Cliff

    As we covered earlier this year in our blog post about the Enrollment Cliff, higher education is about to come up against a demographic shift that will impact first-year enrollment, starting with the Fall 2025 class. With this demographic “apocalypse” just on the horizon, all eyes and thoughts have been on what to do about a shrinking pool of 18-year-olds looking to start their first year of college.

    However, as research from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (NSCRC) indicates, we may be looking at an Enrollment Shift that is happening concurrently with the Enrollment Cliff. The latest NSC data for 2024 shows that while enrollment rose 3% overall for the Fall 2024 term over the Fall 2023 term, Fall enrollment for incoming freshmen is down across all institutions at an average of 5%. To be clear, we have not hit the Enrollment Cliff yet. The importance of this data cannot be overemphasized. If 18-year-olds are already considering waiting or taking alternate paths to the workforce and obtaining a degree, the demographic shift will hit that much harder, over a longer period of time.

    Digging further into the data reveals even more startling numbers, which show larger shifts in enrollment trends based on economic background. Compared to Fall 2023 enrollment, institutions which have a high percentage of students utilizing Pell grants, the retraction for both publics and private non-profits is over 10%. From the students’ perspective, “middle” income households are also seeing the steepest decline, at 8%.

    So what does this tell us? It is telling us that the background noise over the past 5-7 years regarding the cost of getting a degree, the methodology with which they are achieved and the career/economic outcomes afterward are absolutely being reflected by the decisions people are making who are most impacted by these economic realities. It is telling us that the current model is not working, it is unsustainable – it is untenable for the students and it is untenable for the schools that are supposed to support them. Match this massive regression in the market with the actual Enrollment Cliff and the numbers are more than startling. It is in the millions, compounded by each year of subsequent birth decline.

    And what is making up for this loss in incoming freshmen? As we have stated before, it is being fueled by a surge in “non-traditional” students – adult learners, international students and those returning to college to upskill or reskill. These students bring with them a wealth of experience and a clear sense of purpose, but they also have unique needs and expectations. Institutions must be prepared to cater to this growing population by offering programs and services that align with their goals and lifestyles.

    Furthermore, the “some college, no credential” (SCNC) population, now numbering 36.8 million, represents a significant opportunity for higher education institutions. Re-enrollment among this group increased by 9.1% in the 2022-2023 academic year, demonstrating a growing desire for continued education and career advancement. Reaching out to this population and providing clear pathways for degree completion can be a valuable strategy for boosting enrollment and serving a population eager to advance their careers.

    It’s also important to recognize that age is no longer a predictor of learning modality. Many younger students, like Maria, are opting for part-time enrollment, online programs, or alternative credentials that offer a quicker path to employment. The Modern Learner, regardless of age, demands flexibility and relevance. They are digital natives, accustomed to accessing information and services online and they expect the same level of convenience and personalization from their educational experiences.

    The Rising of the Modern Learner Era

    To thrive in this new era, consider some of these strategies higher education institutions to adapt to the needs of the Modern Learner.

    Offer Flexible Learning Options

    Expand online and hybrid learning modalities to cater to students who need flexibility in their schedules and learning environment. Offer evening, weekend and accelerated programs to accommodate those balancing work and family commitments. Provide multiple start dates throughout the year to allow students to enroll when it’s convenient for them. Consider incorporating modalities like microlearning and self-paced learning to further cater to individual needs. Offer mobile-friendly learning platforms and resources to allow students to learn on the go.

    Focus on Career Relevance

    Develop programs that align with current and future workforce needs. Partner with employers to offer internships, apprenticeships and other work-based learning experiences that provide students with practical skills and industry connections. Embed industry-recognized certifications within degree programs to enhance their value and marketability. Actively promote career services, networking events and alumni mentorship programs to connect students with career opportunities. Conduct regular labor market analyses to ensure programs are aligned with current and emerging industry trends.

    Make Education More Affordable

    Increase the availability of scholarships and financial aid to help students manage the cost of education. Explore tuition discounts for employees of partner organizations to incentivize upskilling and reskilling. Promote tuition payment plans to make education more accessible to those with limited financial resources. Consider offering income-share agreements or other innovative financing models to align the cost of education with future earning potential. Provide clear and transparent information about tuition costs and financial aid options.

    Provide Robust Student Support Services

    Offer personalized academic advising and career counseling to help students navigate their educational journey and achieve their career goals. Provide support for students balancing work, family and other commitments, such as childcare resources, online tutoring and flexible scheduling options. Create a welcoming and inclusive campus environment where all students feel supported and valued. Offer mental health services, accessibility resources and dedicated support for diverse student populations, including first-generation students, veterans and students with disabilities.

    Streamline the Transfer Credit Process

    Implement a clear and transparent transfer credit policy to facilitate the seamless transfer of credits from other institutions. Adopt a generous policy on accepting transfer credits, recognizing the value of prior learning and experience. Provide dedicated support for SCNC students to help them navigate the re-enrollment process and complete their degrees. Consider implementing prior learning assessment (PLA) programs to grant credit for knowledge and skills acquired outside of the traditional classroom. Develop partnerships with community colleges and other institutions to create seamless transfer pathways.

    Leverage Technology to Enhance the Student Experience

    Use data analytics to personalize communication and support, tailoring messages and interventions to individual student needs. Implement user-friendly online platforms for course registration, financial aid and other services, making it easy for students to access information and complete tasks. Offer on-site chat options on school websites to provide immediate assistance and answer questions in real-time. Explore the use of AI-powered chatbots to provide 24/7 support and personalized guidance. Utilize virtual reality and augmented reality technologies to create immersive learning experiences.

    Embracing the Enrollment Shift

    The future of higher education depends on its ability to adapt to the evolving needs of the Modern Learner. Institutions that embrace flexibility, affordability, career relevance and student-centered approaches will be well-positioned for success.

    It’s time to embrace the enrollment shift. By understanding the motivations and priorities of today’s students, higher education can evolve to meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. This requires a shift in mindset, from a focus on traditional models of education to a more agile, responsive and student-centric approach.

    EducationDynamics is your partner in navigating this changing landscape. We provide the expertise and solutions you need to attract, enroll and retain Modern Learners. Contact us today to learn more.

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  • 10 Top Hat Tips for a More Engaging Semester

    10 Top Hat Tips for a More Engaging Semester

    What does the future of higher education look like? At Top Hat, we believe engagement, affordability and equity are at the heart of a great classroom experience. That’s why we’re excited to highlight a number of features in our platform and content solutions to empower students and faculty alike. Take a look at these unique capabilities in Top Hat and get ready to level up your lectures, assessments and grading strategy.

    → Free Toolkit: Get strategies, templates and videos for a successful new term

    1. Add AI-generated questions to every lecture

    Top Hat Ace, our AI-powered assistant, is the latest milestone in our mission to make education more effective, inclusive and accessible. Instructors can use Ace’s Lecture Enhancer to instantly generate assessment questions based on their lecture content. Doing so will spark engagement in class and help educators assess comprehension in the moment. Faculty can even edit generated questions as they see fit, maintaining control over the questions generated. Learn more about our AI-powered Lecture Enhancer here. In addition, educators can save time designing assignments and readings in Top Hat Pages by adding questions automatically generated by Ace.

    2. Assign homework to specific students

    Shore up learning gaps sooner rather than later. With personalized data delivered to your inbox every week, identify which students didn’t answer discussion or poll questions in your lecture and re-assign your PowerPoint slides to this group as homework. This will give students a chance to refresh themselves on your material, which may prove especially beneficial for those who weren’t able to join your class live. Learn more about assigning homework to specific students here. You can also watch the video below as we explore the difference between homework and review mode.

    3. Make your discussion and poll questions media-rich

    Give students an interactive assessment experience. You may know how to add videos or simulations to your Pages, but you can also directly embed media into your quiz questions. Not only will students get a more dynamic, immersive learning experience, they’ll get an opportunity to consume your course material in a different medium. Plus, using videos in your quiz questions makes for a more engaging alternative to the static Scantron or multiple-choice test. Learn more about using videos in questions or discussions here.

    4. Offer line-by-line feedback on document submissions

    Enjoy feedback functionality that will be familiar to those who regularly use Google Docs. Using our file submission question, students are able to upload PDFs, lab templates or spreadsheets to Top Hat. Take your feedback to another level by offering annotated comments at various points in PDF or image submissions. This level of detailed commentary allows students to fully understand their own learning gaps, while giving you an opportunity to flag specific areas for improvement in advance of a high-stakes assessment. Learn more about how to leave detailed feedback in PDF file submissions here.

    5. Measure comprehension of the same concept over time

    If you’re preparing students for an exam and want to check their understanding of tricky concepts multiple times, this feature is for you. Compare student comprehension over a period of your choosing by keeping a record of responses to the same question asked more than once. After enabling this feature, you’ll be able to compare responses submitted on date X with date Y, seeing what percentage of students answered a particular way and letting you adapt your instruction accordingly. Explore how to create multiple question report sessions for your next quiz here. You can also watch our video below to see how to segment question results over time.

    6. Annotate your slideshow with whiteboard sketches

    Sometimes, visually explaining a new concept can be easier than describing it in words. Top Hat’s Whiteboard Sketch tool allows you to insert blank slides into your slideshow, which you can then draw on in real time. For instance, complement a presentation on mitosis by drawing out the various stages live, answering student questions along the way. This tool doesn’t just allow for richer, more detailed discussions, it ensures students get a visual depiction of challenging concepts before moving on to your next topic. Learn how to embed interactive elements into your slides here.

    7. Embed iFrames to create a truly interactive learning experience

    Tailor your learning materials to the needs of Generation Z. When creating assessments, homework or customizing chapter readings in Pages, use iFrames to link to media such as podcasts, websites, simulations and GIFs. Open the interactive toolbar in your page, select the iFrame option and paste your desired link in the field. Learn how to embed iFrames in your course content here. You can also watch our video below for guidance on creating course materials using Pages.

    8. Use Presenter View to view personal notes and real-time responses

    In a single view, get all the information you need to deliver a high-quality presentation. Use Presenter View to get a second screen that’s only accessible to you. View lecture notes that you added into your slide deck and get a live report of students’ responses as they answer questions live. Plus, preview which slide is next—and shift your conversation with students accordingly. Explore the power of Presenter View in helping you deliver an impactful slideshow here.

    9. Keep your course textbook fresh and relevant with in-app content updates

    Give students a learning experience that mirrors the world around them. Incorporate the latest content updates without losing any customizations in your interactive Top Hat textbook. You’ll be alerted whenever new author-created content is available for your text and will be given a chance to review all updates before accepting or rejecting them. This functionality ensures that educators have access to the latest content when it becomes available, on their own terms. In-app content updates are currently available in beta format for select Top Hat textbooks. Discover how our content enhancements make it easy to keep any textbook up-to-date here.

    10. Provide AI-powered study support 

    Make sure every student has in-the-moment study support. Students can use our AI-powered study assistant to clarify challenging concepts, generate examples of specific topics and quiz themselves in advance of a test. Ace delivers relevant responses built from the context of your uploaded materials, making it easy for students to review lectures and study notes in one place. Read more about our personalized study assistance here. You can also watch the video below for a closer look at our AI-powered study tools.

    → Free Toolkit: Get the Most Out of Top Hat

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  • Engaging Online Students Though a Zoom-Based Journal Club Experience

    Engaging Online Students Though a Zoom-Based Journal Club Experience

    This year has been an exceptional year for teaching. We are just transitioning out of a COVID19 time period and our students are ready and eager to engage with faculty!

    Before the semester began, I made the decision to travel to a Texas State Park. I realized that I write best papers when I am sitting outside in camping chair, cooking lunch with a foldable cookstove, and surrounding myself with the most amazing bug spray ever.

    So, while I was “in nature”, I thought about some out of the box strategies that I could use for the upcoming semester. One of these strategies was centered around one of my husband’s experiences during his graduate program at Texas A&M University – The Journal Club. Now, keep in mind – I teaching in the Communication Department and journal clubs are primarily held in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields (STEM).

    So, I jumped into the Journal Club game HEAD FIRST and I decided to integrate the experience on my syllabus. My graduate students did not have any experience with a journal club and I had to demonstrate and explain the purpose of the activity. ALL of my students are online and this meant that the best way to explain the journal club was to demonstrate how it works. So, here’s my demonstration video…

    After the students viewed the video, they were able to select the days and the associated articles that they wanted to highlight in the journal club. The students had to present two times and they had to attend at least one session. Each session has two facilitators and they basically divide the article in half. Many of the students have attended more than three sessions. Here are the articles we reviewed this semester…

    Tuesday, August 24, 2021 5pm – 6pm Using a Media Campaign to Increase Engagement With a Mobile-Based Youth Smoking Cessation Program
    Tuesday, August 31, 2021 5pm – 6pm CONTEMPORARY HOUSING DISCRIMINATION: FACEBOOK, TARGETED ADVERTISING, AND THE FAIR HOUSING ACT.
    Tuesday, September 7, 2021 5pm – 6pm Don’t put all social network sites in one basket: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and their relations with well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Tuesday, September 14, 2021 5pm – 6pm Fan Engagement in 15 Seconds: Athletes’ Relationship Marketing During a Pandemic via TikTok
    Tuesday, September 21, 2021 5pm – 6pm Online to Offline: The Impact of Social Media on Offline Sales in the Automobile Industry.
    Tuesday, September 28, 2021 5pm – 6pm Innovation in Later Life: A Study of Grandmothers and Facebook.
    Monday, October 4, 2021 11am – Noon Article – TBA
    Tuesday, October 5, 2021 5pm – 6pm Social media information sharing for natural disaster response
    Tuesday, October 12, 2021 5pm – 6pm News on Facebook: How Facebook and Newspapers Build Mutual Brand Loyalty Through Audience Engagement
    Thursday, October 14, 2021 8pm – 9pm Navigating the New Era of Influencer Marketing: How to be Successful on Instagram, TikTok, & Co.
    Tuesday, October 19, 2021 5pm – 6pm TWEET TO THE TOP? SOCIAL MEDIA PERSONAL BRANDING AND CAREER OUTCOMES.
    Monday, October 25, 2021 11am – Noon FASTER, HOTTER, AND MORE LINKED IN: MANAGING SOCIAL DISAPPROVAL IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA ERA
    Tuesday, October 26, 2021 5pm – 6pm Who Posted That Story? Processing Layered Sources in Facebook News Posts.
    Tuesday, November 2, 2021 5pm – 6pm Reality check: How adolescents use TikTok as a digital backchanneling medium to speak back against institutional discourses of school(ing).
    Tuesday, November 9, 2021 5pm – 6pm We (Want To) Believe in the Best of Men: A Qualitative Analysis of Reactions to #Gillette on Twitter
    Thursday, November 11, 2021 8pm – 9pm Small Business Still Missing the Boat on Social Media and Internet Advertising.
    Tuesday, November 16, 2021 5pm – 6pm Chapter 1: Introduction to Social Media for Professional Development and Learning in Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy.

    Overall, it is a great learning experience for them and I will definitely integrate it next year. The students are reflecting about the articles and are highlighting how the articles have implications for many fields. 

    In fact, the Rural Communication and the Texas Social Media Research Institutes are hosting Texas Social Media Conference MONTH in November. You are welcome to attend our Journal Club sessions via Zoom, chat and network with others through our Thursday night Twitter chats, and hear some AMAZING presentations! I will post registration soon. In the meantime, check out the month-long schedule.

    Texas Social Media Month – November 2021 (Draft) by jennifertedwards

    Have any questions? Contact me.

    ***

    Enjoy!

    Check out my book – Retaining College Students Using Technology: A Guidebook for Student Affairs and Academic Affairs Professionals.

    Remember to order copies for your team as well!


    Thanks for visiting! 

    Sincerely,

    Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards
    Professor of Communication

    Executive Director of the Texas Social Media Research Institute 

    & Rural Communication Institute

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  • Innovative and Engaging Communications in and Beyond the Academy – GlobalHigherEd

    Innovative and Engaging Communications in and Beyond the Academy – GlobalHigherEd

    Editor’s note: this guest entry has been kindly developed by Gisèle Yasmeen, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Institute of Asian Research, University of British Columbia, Canada. Dr. Yasmeen raises a series of important issues in the build-up to a call for a “structured dialogue” on the nature and role of knowledge in society.

    ~~~~~

    Innovative and Engaging Communications in and Beyond the Academy

    Gisèle Yasmeen, University of British Columbia

    Research and scholarship is primarily about asking and answering questions as well as conserving and constantly reinterpreting fragile and easily forgotten knowledge. When I started graduate studies more than 25 years ago, there was no talk of the world wide web, no blogs, no Twitterverse, Facebook, Academia.edu and so on. I grew up in an era of card catalogues, photocopying, typewriters and hand-written letters with supervisors and collaborators. My first experience with computers was with a mainframe “Amdahl” where you had to learn complex codes to do simple word-processing! I am convinced that the dramatic communications revolution we are experiencing is and will continue to transform research, teaching and academe beyond anything we are familiar with now in the next twenty years. So, how might we succinctly envision these changes and start to prepare for the scholarly world of the possible future? Or as I was asked recently by a university Vice-President of Research, “what are the implications of digital media for post-secondary institutions?”

    Many of us are still getting our heads around these questions – myself included – and follow with great interest the work of those like John Willinsky, Leslie Chan, and John Wilbanks. The purpose of this article is, therefore, to reflect on the actual and potential role of ICTs in research, teaching and scholarly communication, and to humbly offer in the conclusion my own suggestion that the time has come for a new “knowledge commission.” Hence, the intended audience is those who are new to the file and others who may be wondering, where could we take it from here?

    Research: the importance of ICTs for asking and answering questions

    New media tools in general – and high performance computing in particular – enable us to mine vast quantities of data (numeric, text, images, sound) at lightening speed compared to the past, which enables not only research questions to be answered but new research questions to be asked, which could not be asked before. This exciting approach to (re)discovery is at the forefront of a variety of (inter/multi/trans)disciplines ranging from bio-informatics and social statistics to the digital humanities. Examples of ICTs, “big data” and other emerging technologies leading to research breakthroughs in the natural and health sciences are well known. Most of us are familiar with the Higgs boson or “God-particle” confirmed through the CERN Hadron collider and revolutionary work on human genomics through the “barcode of life” dataset. What is perhaps less known is the growing use and study of emerging technologies in the social sciences and humanities. For example, advanced imaging technologies allowed literary scholars funded by the National Endowment of the Humanities to read and analyse an illegible and deteriorated copy of explorer David Livingstone’s diary, as reported by the New York Times. The study and use of emerging technologies, such as advanced ICTs is predicated on the development of appropriate tools for research and, as Clifford Lynch eloquently argued last year, the builders of those tools often do not get the respect they deserve as necessary “enablers” in the world of research compared to those who spend time using those tools.

    In fact, the concept of what is a “discipline” is worth reflecting on in an era of joint faculty appointments between computer science and literature or philosophy and the growing number of innovative instructional programs that combine information technology, creative arts and business. What are the implications of this for institutional and program design? After all, as the English language Wikipedia entry on academic discipline, drawing from the Encyclpaedia Britannica reminds us, “The University of Paris in 1231 consisted of four faculties: Theology, Medicine, Canon Law and Arts”. We need to be vigilant about how we classify and institutionalise structures of knowledge, particularly in an era of rapidly evolving collaboration between knowledge communities. Karoline Postel-Vinay of Sciences Po, at a recent Asian studies conference in Paris, encouraged participants to challenge our currently established conceptualizations of disciplines and areas of research.

    Digital media is also facilitating communication and collaboration between researchers in specialised fields in order to collectively advance and explore knowledge and is also enabling interaction with communities and experts beyond post-secondary institutions leading to the growth of “citizen science” and inter-sectoral modes of knowledge production (ie the co-creation of knowledge with “lay” collaborators). Hence, the issue of where legitimate knowledge lies and audience is an evolving one – or is it? Perhaps we need to begin by refuting the ivory tower myth. The walls of universities are and have always been porous for faculty and students. Virginia Woolf attended Oxford as one of the first women on campus and historical examples abound regarding restrictions on enrolment with respect to certain minorities either not accessing the hallowed halls of advanced education or being subject to quotas. Thankfully, this has changed for the better though barriers for many still remain, as many scholars argue. This is yet another reason to have a discussion on what is legitimate knowledge and how to structure our institutions around questions of its generation, conservation, transmission and value-addition – including reinterpretation.

    Furthermore, students are the single-biggest “export of universities”. One of the fundamental purposes of higher education and research is to foster the development of the next generation as well as be challenged by the innovative ideas of youth. The Socratic dialogue continues to this day and is a necessary step in the growth and development of ideas on an individual and collective level. Young people graduate and go on to lead productive lives across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors as well as the academic world.

    What we may be seeing accelerated via ICTs is an increasing blurring of boundaries with respect to knowledge intended for and/or accessed by academic audiences as well as those beyond. Data-intensive research is an area where we see sometimes very esoteric research questions being resourced and explored through digital means (e.g. medieval languages and literature) with user groups as well as commentators and “content providers” going well beyond academe. This might be compared to marketing a niche product to a global audience as well as sourcing suppliers through a global, often volunteer, network. The possibilities are endless.

    However, with ICTs, as with all tools, there is always a “dark side”. There are concerns and critiques by longstanding observers of emerging and disruptive technologies, such as Heather Menzies, of the negative impacts of “real time” communications and the sometimes-associated lack of depth, reduced attention spans, and difficulty to maintain meaningful inter-subjectivity. It is said that 80-90% of human communication remains non-verbal, hence we need to be vigilant and attentive to the dynamics of learning, thought and social interaction through emerging multidisciplinary fields such as cognitive neuroscience. We need to see new media as one tool, for knowledge generation and sharing but, by no means, the only one.

    A central challenge now confronting the scholarly community is how to assess the quality and impact of various types of content accessible to potentially millions of readers and commentators. This includes the conundrum of what to do with “user-generated” or self-published content. Furthermore, how do we conceptualize and classify who is a “peer” and their commentary on one’s work in various contexts given the accelerated blurring of boundaries between the academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors? Who best plays the curatorial role of quality control in the information deluge? These are some of the fundamental and normative questions facing the world of research and scholarship, which the following section will attempt to unpack, at least in a preliminary way.

    Knowledge sharing – maximising value from good quality knowledge

    The previous section focused on “research”, commonly thought of as (re)discovery and analysis, but how does knowledge get documented, vetted, shared, commented-upon and preserved for present and future generations?   It goes without saying that teaching in its many, rapidly evolving forms – is primarily a form of knowledge transmission and, I would argue, two way exchange between generations. Others have written in great detail about the impact of ICTs on teaching, especially the growth of on-line learning, MOOCs, Khan Academy and the like so I will not go into detail about this topic here. Suffice it to say that ICTs are having a significant impact teaching in post-secondary institutions – some of which are having difficulty rising to the challenge. Rather, I’d like to focus on the impact of ICTs on scholarly publishing and debates on how to assess the quality published output, without expecting to resolve this complex conundrum.

    Bibliometrics, impact factors and indices such as the H-Index are, on the one hand, gaining importance and, on the other, coming under greater scrutiny for sometimes excluding entire scholarly communities such as humanities scholars who typically write books and those with a policy orientation who often produce “grey literature” such as technical and policy-oriented reports. In addition, there have been scandals of peer review “rings” in journals trying to enhance their impact factor. There is a tautology built into the issue of impact factor, namely that a more accessible publication tends to have wider readership and citations. Public Library of Science, or PLOS, a not-for profit publisher of open access journals that accepts roughly 70% of its peer-reviewed manuscripts and has a relatively high impact factor since it’s journals are open access. Articles rejected by PLOS journals often get published elsewhere so a general discussion on the meaning of acceptance and rejection rates are probably needed. John Willinsky also noted in a recent interview that PLOS requirements to include open access data also forces researchers to think through the quality of the datasets used to support their publications. How, therefore, to meaningfully establish the quality and impact of a publication?

    The growing “open” movement, which includes open access (OA) publishing, open source technologies and open data are revolutionizing the scholarly enterprise by being based on the premise that knowledge is a public good – particularly when it is publicly-funded – and that the outputs of research and related activities should be freely available, without charge, ideally on the internet. Part of rising to the “open” challenge is an infrastructural one but this is improving through the creation of OA platforms at the institutional level. The importance of open access to research results (journals and books) as well as raw datasets (numeric, text, images and sound) is hugely important to both the world of research and broader society and lead to greater readership and impact. One concrete example to note is when a number of Québec journals dramatically increased their readership within a few years when they went OA by joining the Ėrudit platform. Another example is the journal RNA Biology requiring several years ago that all its authors to submit their abstracts to Wikipedia. Another “open” phenomenon to mention is the growth of open peer review– strongest in the health world – where open access publishers are employing fully transparent processes in their review of articles. In other words, the identity of the reviewer is disclosed, as are his or her comments on the article being submitted, the author – and others for that matter – can respond and comment. We will likely be seeing more of this type of review and resulting publications.

    Conclusion – Dialogue on the nature and role of knowledge in society

    I recently published an article on scholarly and research infrastructure in the new 2nd edition of the International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioural Sciences, which begins to expand established knowledge boundaries to include an unprecedented number of contributions by non-Americans, women, non-anglophones, and minorities to get a more complete picture of contemporary scholarship. The next step would be to give more serious thought to the idea of “knowledge commissions”. Examples – some considered more successful than others – include the Indian Knowledge Commission as well as Canada’s Massey Commission in the 1950s, which ultimately led to the creation of national research funding infrastructure. Given advances in technology and associated virtual and intersectoral communities of interest, practice and purpose, are we at the point where we need to establish such knowledge commissions to review the place of knowledge in society and the institutions that support its creation, conservation and transmission/exchange? New media tools have enabled us to interact in real time on a regular basis with like-minded others around the world via exchange of knowledge and information in multiple directions. This helps researchers gather and curate precious information and often engages “fellow travellers” in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. New collective voices are emerging, which were not heard before. Yes, it’s time for a structured dialogue.

    The author would like to acknowledge Chad Gaffield and Kris Olds for constructive comments on an earlier version of this article

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