Getting Focused after HighEdWeb

I’m back from Austin, Texas and happy to report that the 2011 HighEdWeb Conference did not disappoint. Two and a half days packed with inspiring presentations were just what I needed to get focused. For a taste of what you missed, many of the sessions were captured via blog by Link: The Journal of Higher Education Web Professionals.

I will spare you my pages of conference notes, but will share a few of my to-dos for the coming months:

• Explore opportunities for interactive mobile content utilizing Foursquare and other channels.
• Make online content more accessible, starting with captions for all university YouTube videos.
• Look for opportunities to work with students who create great content.
• Enhance UM-Flint’s online community by connecting and participating in a more meaningful way.

These things may not sound overtly complex, but each could be major. Expect to see some brainstorming in the realm of social media as we look toward 2012. There is much to think about. We know that social media cannot be used as broadcast channels and that we should encourage feedback and engagement (however we choose to define these terms), but we have to move even beyond a two-way conversation and truly connect with the members of the community we are trying to build.

Alaina Wiens
New Media Communication Specialist

Image Source: ihtatho on Flickr