Teaching the Facebook Generation – How to Apply 21st Century Tools
Dr. Elaine Young posted a contributed article to BusinessWeek entitled Teaching the Facebook Generation. She made two points that map directly to our viewpoint at WhyHire.me.
- Students do need to be immersed in how social media can effective business. They are going to be asked to implement online communications strategies – not learn them on the job.
- Professors need to lead students by example by knowing the mechanics of social media and showing our students how to use them strategically for the good of their employers.
Our experience teaching WhyHire.me has revealed a considerable amount about today’s assumed social media mavens. Many of them are comfortable with taking a passive role in looking at social media, but getting them to create content, or more specifically, immerse themselves in industries issue while they are at school is one of our key challenges.
Another point I would make is, the underlying new tools are not just for communications students. Social bookmarking and micro-blogging are tremendous research tools that any student should be familiar with when they enter the workforce. Today’s 21st century student must be able to leverage content, experiences and other perspectives when drawing up alternative strategies or courses of action one could take. Turning to the Internet with a knowledge of social media, how to drive conversations and how to store and share content are basic tablestakes of this generation.
Professors and deans do need to step up and lead by example. They need to embrace social media and demonstrate the business value their students can bring to the workforce. Social media will be as mainstream in business as is the photocopier and phone switch. Bring on the learning!
