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rd07 1/29/2010 10:41:57

General Session - Conference Presentation Only (no formal paper),

//G Andrew Page, University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska, USA, gapage@gmail.com// //Debbi Canavan, University of Alaska, Kodiak, Alaska, USA, dcanavan@kodiak.alaska.edu// //Kelly Smith, University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska, USA, afkjs@uaa.alaska.edu// //Kimberly Handy, Anchorage School District, Anchorage, Alaska, USA, handy_kimberly@asdk12.org//
 * Combining a Social Network and Information Gateway to Support At-Risk Students**

The purpose of this presentation is to describe the process of building an online social network for new student orientation in higher education. A major problem for new students entering higher education is navigating the system of financial aid, housing, registration, and placement. The 2010 Horizon Report states: "It is incumbent upon the academy to adapt teaching and learning practices to meet the needs of today's learners; to emphasize critical inquiry and mental flexibility, and provide students with necessary tools for those tasks; to connect learners to broad social issues through civic engagement, and to encourage them to apply their learning to solve large-scale complex problems." The use of emerging, social networking technologies to provide synchronous and asynchronous communication and to expedite the process of matriculation are explored. Usability testing with students and subject matter experts provides rich formative qualitative feedback on developing best practices for meeting the needs of 21st Century learners.

All Audiences blended learning, emerging technologies, social networking, higher education. At-risk students, Web 2.0 tools

We will provide an analysis of the data as well as connect to the social network as part of the presentation. Best and worst practices will also be discussed supporting the development of a model maximizing the use of ICTs.

The first author is a professor and the secondary authors are graduate students co-managing this project as part of the program certification requirements.