The Virtual Keuka College Experience

Rebecca CapekMSM

Action Research ProjectMarch 31, 2016

Presentation Outline• The Researcher• Chapter 1 - Purpose and

Rationale– Research Questions– Rationale

• Chapter 2 - Context– Keuka College– Keuka College and

Technology– Hope of the Research– Literature Review

• Marketing • Social Media• Higher Education

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• Chapter 3 - Methodology– Timeline– Ensuring Quality and Rigor– The Survey

• Chapter 4 - Discussing Quality– Real Life Problem– Workable Outcome

• Chapter 5 - Story and Outcomes– Results– Moving Forward

• Chapter 6 - Reflections– Personal and Professional

Reflections

The Researcher• SUNY Oneonta Social Media page• Started this program going into my fourth year at

Keuka College• Jobs:

– Resident Director– Interim Student Activities Coordinator– NSO Staff Assistant– Resident Assistant Selection Coordinator

• Now looking to relocate and move up in jobs

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Purpose and RationaleChapter 1

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Research Questions

Does the virtual Keuka College experience have an effect on the retention numbers and enticing

new student to attend Keuka College

What kind of technology would be beneficial to the students based off of what they are trying to accomplish (Keuka College application, online

forms, social media for events, etc)

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Rationale

Keuka College is a tuition-based college, meaning that retaining and recruiting of the students is at the utmost importance.

Most of the students complain that there is nothing to do on campus, when in reality there is something almost every single day, they just are not aware of it.

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ContextChapter 2

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Keuka College

Mission Statement: To create exemplary citizens and leaders to serve the nation and the world of the 21st

century. We provide a transformational liberal-arts based education, strengthened by experiential learning, which challenges students to develop their intellectual curiosity

and to realize, with purpose and integrity, their full personal and professional potential

Vision Statement: To be renowned as a global leader in comprehensively integrating liberal arts, digital

technologies, experiential learning and professional practice

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Keuka College and Technology

• Paper copies/documents in almost every office/department on campus

• Not properly utilizing technologies available• Constant change in advertising and the

current way just isn’t working• There is minimal help with advertising• It is hard to find the academic calendar of

the current year

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• Find ways to better advertise to prospective student – List of clubs/orgs– Event lists

• Find ways to better advertise to current community members about events happening on campus

• Help keep track of student who do and do not attend events on campus

What was the hope of this research

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Literature Review: Marketing Specific

• Colleges need to be able to stand out• Being able to successfully market to a

consumer can lead to many opportunities• Marketing is also “word of mouth”

communicating

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Literature Review: Social Media Specific

“The downside of social media is that it has become a way to engage cyber bullying, cyber stalking, and other forms of public assaults, as institutions and their students can often times become the target of outsiders with ill intentions”

“You find some students who use social media in a smart and intelligent way, and some who will use it to complain”

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Literature Review: Higher Education Specific

Key considerations for staff members:• Staff need to be active users• Have content that is important for students available at

all hours online and up to date• Be able to access and understand how to use

technology tools for assessment• Provide effective guidance and be knowledgeable about

the purpose and function of technology• Attend trainings

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Methodology and Methods of Inquiry

Chapter 3

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Timeline

• IRB approval - June 12, 2015• Survey email - Sent out three times over

the Fall Semester• Check-Im-Here - research into the

application started in the Fall semester, and still working on it

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Ensuring Quality and Rigor• Only way to access the survey was to check

that you agreed to the statements above• All names attached to answers remained

anonymous• Google's Terms and Services and Privacy

Policy were shared• No compensation• No risk known• And everyone was 18+

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The Survey

• Topics–Communication within the college

• Students• Faculty/Staff

–Personal Social Media Use–The Keuka College Virtual World–The Future of the Keuka College Experience

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Discussing QualityChapter 4

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Real Life Problem

Numerous ways students can benefit from different technology or social media sources:

• Online appointment systems• Access to clubs and organizations• Online paperwork submissions• GPS of campus for new students

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Workable Outcomes

• Analyze, collect, and organize information about personal use of social media

• Knowing the changes the current community would like to see, or know about the difficulties they are having with current applications

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Story and OutcomesChapter 5

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Results

• 78 responses were collected–Includes staff and students–No faculty members took the survey

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Moving Forward

• What do other

schools do?

• OrgSync or Check-

I'm-Here

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Reflections on the ProcessChapter 6

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Personal/Professional Reflections

• The Institutional Review Board

• Secondary Research

• I am in the right field of work

• Personal bias did occur

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Things I Would Have Done Differently

• Held a focus group to get more questions answered

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QuestionsComments Concerns

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