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How (some) South African Universities are using Social Media.

Creative Commons Share AlikeDerek Moore http://www.weblearning.co.za

Percentage of South African Internet Users9% of South Africans are connected to the Internet99% of South African students have access to the Internet

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_Internet_users

“Where their parents see the Internet as a source for gathering

information…

…the Net Generation sees the Internet as a place for gathering.”

Un-attributed Twitter comment

South Africans on Facebook Over 2.2 million Facebook users in South AfricaAlmost a million (42% of South African Facebook users) are between 14 – 24

http://www.checkfacebook.com/

What’s up?

• Internet users are spending more time on social network sites than email*

• 2/3 of the World’s Internet population visit a blog or a social networking site*

• People Spend 3x More Time on Facebook Than Google**

* http://mashable.com/2009/03/09/social-networking-more-popular-than-email/**http://mashable.com/2009/09/17/facebook-google-time-spent/

HOW (SOME) SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES ARE USING SOCIAL MEDIA

1. Share university related information using social networking services / microblogs2. Connect new and current students using social networking services / microblogs3. Distribute important news (inluding vacancies) using microblogs4. Share individual academic thought via blogs and podcasts5. Staff within a centre reflect, communicate and connect via blogs6. Showcase academic thought and discussion across the institution with a multi-user-blog 7. Promote an institution/event with multimedia sharing sites 8. Collecting and archiving Images via images with multimedia sharing sites9. Connect Alumni to each other using social networking services

UNISA is talking and listening on Facebook Generating awareness Responding to queriesBuilding trust / fighting fires

http://www.facebook.com/UniversityOfSouthAfrica?ref=ts

UNISA is talking with students on TwitterDisseminating registration informationBuilding awareness of deadlines and procedures.Responding to queries

http://twitter.com/unisa

Wits is encouraging dialogue between students / faculty / the university on Facebook

Responding to criticism and queriesPromoting official eventsOffering opportunities for all to make use of the networkSupporting campus activities

http://www.facebook.com/witsuniversity

Tuks is broadcasting on TwitterPromoting resourcesPromoting notable students, activities and staffMainly a monologue

http://twitter.com/TuksEducation/

Maties are participating in students conversations on Twitter

Student voices are being retweetedCampus activities and events of interest to students are supportedDialogue is noticeable

http://twitter.com/matiesstudents/

Maties are networking their first years on Facebook

First year students can connect before they arrive for UniversityTheir “orientation” program is available online

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=157680131934#/group.php?v=info&gid=157680131934

Distribute orientation information

http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/stellenbosch-University/welkom2010_afr/2009110801/

Stellenbosch University broadcasts “official” news on Twitter

News is broadcastPrimarily a monologue

Stellenbosch University admin uses Twitter for their recruitment

Advertising staff vacancies

http://twitter.com/StellenboschUni/

Academics are sharing their thoughts on blogsDerek Keats uses Microblogging, podcasting and blogging

http://www.dkeats.com/

The CET use blogs to reporting on their work A large contingent of staff (from director right through to interns) make use of blogging to reflect, communicate and connect at the Centre for Educational Technology (UCT).

http://www.cet.uct.ac.za/

UCT is using a multi user blogSupporting academic discourse publically across the institution

http://blogs.uct.ac.za/

WITS is distributing video with multimedia sharing site

Using YouTube to broadcast events and lectures

http://www.youtube.com/user/witswebsite

WITS is collecting and archiving images with multimedia sharing site

Photographs of events are posted

http://www.flickr.com/photos/witsalumni/sets

WITS connects with alumni using LinkedInOver 1000 Alumni use Linkedin to network

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=76204&trk=hb_side_g

Social Media can’t be blockedMultiple channelsYou can’t control the message anymore - but you can influence outcomes Transform marketing monologue into many-to-many dialogue

http://www.slideshare.net/marcgh/your-top-10-questions-on-digital-online-and-mobile

“Speech/tweets is free, but listeners/followers are earned”

Un attributed Twitter comment

LEARNING TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA

PeopleObjectivesStrategyTechnology

http://blogs.forrester.com/groundswell/2007/12/the-post-method.html

Where are your PEOPLE?Social Media is bigger than Social Network Services.South Africans are the 10th largest Twitter users in the world According to Afrigator (Africa’s largest social media aggregator and blog directory), there are almost 8500 blogs in South Africa

*http://www.internetworldstats.com/africa.htm#za

What are your OBJECTIVES?1. Listen2. Talk3. Network & Distribute4. Support5. Participate

http://www.chrisbrogan.com/10-communications-objectives-of-social-media/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/218264327/ Licence : CC

Do you have a STRATEGY?What Social Media elements will you use to

AttractInteractSupportAdvocate

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyjcase/3264041670/ Licence : CC

What TECHNOLOGY are you going to use?Select the technology that matches your objectives and strategy

http://blogs.forrester.com/groundswell/2007/12/the-post-method.html

POSTPeople – Survey your audience / staff / Objectives – Know what you are aiming at Strategy – How are you going to achieve these aimsTechnology - Adopt technology that supports the above three

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72758504@N00/76267979/ Licence : CC

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Join the conversation with me on Twitterhttp://twitter.com/weblearning

CreditsSources • Chris Brogan - 10 Communications Objectives of Social Media• http://www.chrisbrogan.com/10-communications-objectives-of-social-media/• Forrester - http://blogs.forrester.com/groundswell/2007/12/the-post-method.html• Interworld Stats - http://www.internetworldstats.com/africa.htm• Marc Kornberger - Demistifying Social Media & Top 10 questions -

http://www.slideshare.net/marcgh/• Mashable - http://mashable.com/2009/03/09/social-networking-more-popular-

than-email/• Mashable http://mashable.com/2009/09/17/facebook-google-time-spent/

Advice and Comments• Derek Keats (http://twitter.com/dkeats)• Laura Czerniewicz (http://twitter.com/twitter.com/Czernie)• Stephen Marquard (http://twitter.com/stephenmarquard)

Print Screens From sites associated with• Pretoria University• UNISA• Stellenbosch University• Wits• UCT• Derek Keats

Images

Stairs - http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/218264327/Dominoes - http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyjcase/3264041670/Post Box - http://www.flickr.com/photos/72758504@N00/76267979/