Advice

As a new hire for Baruch college’s new media initiative, I would first see what tools the college currently uses and how they are employing the technology.

Social Media@Baruch;

https://www.baruch.cuny.edu/socialmedia/

Learning Objects Journal LX and Teams LX Building Block Tools;

https://www.baruch.cuny.edu/bctc/blackboard/blackboard-blogs-wikis.htm#wiki

Other current new media tools at Baruch college

Baruch College Blogs.

Baruch College New Media Wiki.

Baruch College Digital Media Libary.

By checking the effectiveness of all current new media tools already in use at Baruch College I would have a clearer understanding of how to better improve, update, change, even add new tools or remove what's not working. However, I would also need to get the input of those who are currently using the schools technology in order to get the feedback that would help me better assess the Baruch Colleges community needs.

Additionally, I would place Ads in the Ticker, Baruch College's weekly student-produced newspaper and also within other school base publications, with a link to an online survey where I'd ask readers how they feel about Baruch college’s current media platforms, ease of usage, if they use any other social networking sites, including Baruch College and what they feel can be improved upon and those participants who fill out the survey would get exclusive access to a free downloadable Baruch College screensaver. I would further expand the survey by sending them directly to the administrative departments and to all faculty members, asking for their feedback on how new media can be used to better support their needs. Additionally, I would hire volunteer students to conduct surveys of other students on the 2nd Floor Lobby of the NVC Building and students who participate would get a free Baruch college sticker. Furthermore, I would also include all other supports staff such as maintenance and send them surveys as well on how they think they could also use different new media technology to make their jobs easier or spread and speed the distribution of important information.

To get a better understanding of what all members of the Baruch College community would want, I would also conduct open door meetings during club hours where everyone can have the chance to come and meet me in person but also voice any concerns or issues they might have such as privacy matters and where they can further give feedback, suggestions, and recommendations. I will also meet with Dr. Mitchel B. Wallerstein the President of Baruch College to see what he invisions new media technology could do for the school. Moreover, I'd also explore how other universities and colleges are using new media technology, especially within other CUNY and SUNY colleges, in case there are opportunities for future collaboration projects. I would take all the results of the different surveys and put them within a database and see what patterns emerge and which are the more popular suggestions that could be employed effortlessly, inexpensively and without the need for complicated tools. Moreover, I'd take all the information and create a Wiki page that could only be accessed by Baruch Colleges community and where members could contribute to the new media initiative by updating and adding more information and data.

However, somethings I noticed that Baruch College currently lacks and I would immediately put into place is a college app that will connect all of Baruch colleges services in one easy to access place such as Blackboard, CUNY-first, DegreeWorks, the library, bookstore, and email. My previous college had its own app that offered all these services which was easy to use, and they even allowed students to reserve a seat in the computer lab.

I’d also create an exclusive Baruch college open-source textbook library that would also be linked to the Newman library system. But the Baruch college open-source textbook library would allow professors to collaborate with their peers and departments so they can create custom-tailored textbooks for their classes and which they would offer for free to students in their classes. This idea came from the article I read titled ‘Open source textbook program expanding in coming months’ by Andrea Agardy (2018) where the Tullahoma City School system has been developing open-source textbooks (para. 1). As the author had stated “Deciding to pursue open-source textbooks and materials gives the district an opportunity to compile a custom-made text, rather than purchasing traditional textbooks that can quickly become outdated, depending upon the subject” (Agardy, 2018, para. 5). Another example is OpenStax which offers free peer-reviewed and openly-licensed textbooks in a digital format or hardcover textbook for a low cost and which are currently being used by more colleges.

           

I would further create a virtual Baruch College in Second Life where professors and students could meet in a virtual classroom. This would be helpful for students who take online classes and where professors can take class attendance and give lectures in a fun and interactive environment. But also, where classmates can meet, work and collaborate on projects together and even make online friendships that they could later take to the real world. I would also create class-specific chatrooms for each class and where professors could upload their YouTube lectures and students can ask questions in real time. Moreover, it would be a space where students can speak with an advisor and get advisement without having to go to the department.

            Finally, I would further improve all of Baruch Colleges' existing social networking pages by connecting them together and streamlining each section while opening up Baruch college's current blog and Baruch's New Media Wiki site so that it could be effortlessly found and accessed and can more easily connect teachers and students not only just for assignments but for all forms of communications and collaborative purposes.

Reference

Agardy, A. (2018, June 15). Open source textbook program expanding in coming months.

Retrieved from https://www.tullahomanews.com/living/education/open-source-textbook-program-expanding-in-coming-months/article_4055340c-ab7d-5a2c-bbca-218bf8d5f33e.html.