Perceptions and Behaviors of Deans and Directors of Social Media in University Support Services
Abstract
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the perceptions, behaviors and decision making of deans and directors of university support services on the use of social media. University support services play a major role in meeting the personal and academic needs of students. How they serve students has changed in recent years due to exponential growth of social media in the past decade. According to the Pew Research Center, about seven out of 10 Americans use social media to connect with one another, obtain news, and share information. Colleges and universities primarily serve students who are members of the “Net Generation” and have grown up in a digital age. However, the leaders of university support services may have only begun using social media in recent years. Twelve deans and directors of university support services participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews to explore their lived experiences on the use of social media in their departments. The data were analyzed using a modified form of the Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method of data analysis. Five themes emerged from the participants narratives: concerns about boundaries and privacy, generational differences, lack of resources and support, strategic planning and policy, and reputation management.
Subject Area
Higher Education Administration|Educational leadership
Recommended Citation
Tello, Albaliz, "Perceptions and Behaviors of Deans and Directors of Social Media in University Support Services" (2018). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI10814410.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI10814410
