Higher Education and Social Media

Resources for Higher Education Marketers & Communicators. Don't be afraid to share. Social media allow users to share information about themselves and their interests.

Sarah Cunnane examines their role in the academy Do "too many tweets make a twat", as David Cameron maintains? Are social media becoming an increasingly useful and powerful force in higher education, or, as Bill Gates predicts, will they cause the death of the academy? The experts seem to be divided not only on social media's future, but also on their present in terms of their use by academics, and the research that has been done has reached contradictory conclusions.

A survey of UK institutions conducted by online consultants Jadu shows a high level of use among academics, with more than 70 per cent of respondents using social media in some way. Which survey gives the true picture? Yet some academics and administrators seem unwilling to come to terms with this technology. However, Cann admits that he can sympathise with those who do not see the point of social media.

Academics remain sceptical. Higher Education Content Strategy. Untitled. Student guide to social media. 6 Best Practices for Universities Embracing Social Media. The Digital Marketing Series is supported by HubSpot, an inbound marketing software company based in Cambridge, Mass., that makes a full platform of marketing software, including social media management tools.

For universities, deciding to use social media is a no-brainer. The 18- to 24-year-old college student demographic is all over the social web, and its younger counterpart (the high school crowd) is equally immersed. Alumni, recent and far-removed, use social networks to engage and stay connected with the world. Community members, parents of students, potential donors, faculty and staff and other constituents are just a tweet or "like" away. With so many key populations embracing social media, universities almost have no choice but to integrate these platforms into their marketing and communications plans. Already, many schools have leveraged social media in a big way.

While many schools experience great success with social media, others never get their efforts off the ground. 1. How Higher Education Uses Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC] Schools are on a short list of organizations that have been notoriously slow to adopt emerging tech.

But within the last few years, as social media becomes more integral to students' lives, educational institutions are finally catching on, and catching up. When it comes to higher ed, there are not only opportunities for digital learning, but digital marketing too. Some schools have taken the reigns on both sides, with mixed results. SEE ALSO: 5 Free Homework Management Tools for the Digital Student The infographic below takes a look at how schools have fared with social media over the last few years — what platforms are best, where they've succeeded, and the challenges that lay ahead. Does your alma mater use social media effectively in the classroom and in the recruitment office? Infographic by onlineuniversities.com. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, YinYang. Using social media to boost student employability.

Universities have a responsibility to equip students to navigate around these channels which are used by employers in the recruitment process.

Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Social media is changing the parameters of how people and organisations interact and operate. Students need to know how to use it not just for jobs, but also to shape their online presence and convey the skills they have with ease. The demand for employees to be digitally literate in business environments is rising. So it is crucial that teaching methodologies evolve and adapt to provide students with digital and social media skills. In my experience, engaging students in using social media is rare within architectural studies, partly due to the nature and format of the subject. We're not the only subject area at UCLan looking to harness the power of social media. Higher education professionals interested in such an approach should be clear on how to plan to use the channel.