Reflections on the ANZSSA Conference in Auckland, New Zealand

The Australian New Zealand Student Services Association (ANZSSA) Annual Conference in Auckland, New Zealand was one of my favorite events of 2016. It took almost a year’s worth of planning and prep for me to make it to the Southern Hemisphere, but in the end, it was an epic conference in a wonderful city.

Special thanks to Alison Dow, Andrew Tui, and Jordi Austin for the opportunity to give multiple talks including a keynote at the event, a pre-conference workshop, and a special presentation for staff at the Unitec Institute of Technology.

I’ve included my slide decks for all three presentations at the end of this post.

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Student Services, Social Media, Yik Yak, and Engagement

Jisc

One of the first UK higher education organizations that I found whilst researching UK HE + technology was Jisc. After attending a couple of their events and connecting with their social media team, I was invited to share my thoughts on social media, student services, Yik Yak, and digital engagement. Here are excerpts and links to those posts:

Enhancing student services with digital engagement

Student services teams that capitalise on the reach and utility of digital channels have an opportunity to enhance their work, create campus connections, and lead the way for successful student experiences.

Yik Yak – the rise of anonymous geo-social connectivity

For now, Yik Yak is the dominant player in the anonymous geo-social mobile app space. Educators should learn how to use Yik Yak today as preparation for the next big thing. I’ve been posting, up-voting, and down-voting on Yik Yak. Sure, the anonymous aspect is a bit different compared to my preferred social media channels, but at least I can be confident that I’m engaging in lifelong learning in the digital realm.

Why educators can’t live without social media

There are enhanced educational opportunities that come from getting digital. Educators who are student-focused will always be ready for the challenges of the present and the opportunities of the future. It’s up to institutions to provide support, resources, and rewards to those who are using social media to benefit the learners that they serve. So let’s get digital in order to get learning.

Why Digital Identity Matters: Strategies and Concepts for Student Services

AMOSSHE digital identity webinar

UPDATED: See below for the full video of the webcast as well as the slide deck from the presentation.

I’ve been working with AMOSSHE – the UK’s Student Services Association – to put on a series of continuing professional development webinars (in the UK, professional development is typically called “CPD”).

More than 100 attendees participated in the first webinar that I did with AMOSSHE…and we’re going to do the exact same webinar one more time to make sure that everyone gets a chance to participate (and because the recording didn’t work* during round #1).

The webinar is happening on Thursday, December 3, 2015 and is titled: Why Digital Identity Matters: Strategies and Concepts for Student Services

This free interactive webinar for Student Services professionals explores how you can use social media to improve student engagement and enhance the student experience. The session helps you develop a strategic communications framework, and identifies tools, sites and apps for social media success.

***Register for the webinar***

More info about the webcast:

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