Facebook for Induction and pre-induction

Questionnaire responses
________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Were you a Facebook user before joining our Media and Cultural Studies at Kingston University Facebook group? Yes 95.3% (82) No 4.7% (4)

(Total who answered this question: 86 )

________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Do you use a mobile device - e.g. an internet-enable mobile phone - to access Facebook? Yes 47.7% (41) No 52.3% (45)

(Total who answered this question: 86 )

The internet-enabled devices specified were: BlackBerry (10) Apple iPhone (8) Nokia smart phones (3) Sony PSP (3) Apple iPod Touch media player (2) HTC Google phone (1) Unspecified mobile phones (8) ________________________________________________________________________________

3. Have you added any more Facebook friends from Kingston University as a result of joining the group? Yes 57.0% No 43.0% (49) (37)

(Total who answered this question: 86 )

________________________________________________________________________________ 4. When you accessed the Facebook group what did you do? read the content read new students' posts post to the wall or DB email KU staff email KU student helper other 88.0% (73) 67.5% (56) 24.1% (20) 15.7% (13) 4.8% (4) 3.6% (3)

(Total who answered this question: 83 )

3 additional comments under other: Got familiar with other students in the course and build relationships, contacts able to have a casual relationship with lecturers ... looked at the other members profiles ________________________________________________________________________________ 5. What, in your experience, were the benefits of joining this Facebook group? Updated regularly. Answer FAQ's. Get induction info. eg, textbooks Find out about the course and up to date information about timetables and lectures. To answer questions I had about the course Knowledge Reading others questions meeting fellow students Easy access and easy to find to get the relevant information 2

Just gave a heads up that I am not alone and there is a support network already implicated Help with induction timetable + module content before I could access studyspace Reading that other people had the same concerns as I did before starting You got to talk to other students doing the course. It was very helpful in the early stages of university answering questions on the wall posts about timetables, lectures etc. get to see people on your course. speaking to other students it helped me meet people outside of lectures Got to ask questions about any concerns I had gave me an idea of what to Allows you to communicate with other students information about the course met new people It was useful at the beginning when we were not used to usiing study space In this induction week it made me feel less apprehensive about uni. Handy when we had no timetables! Info about the course, easily accessible Easy to ask questions if needed to find something out. I discovered some information about my faculty and invited new friends. Being kept updated is welcoming Ability to view answers to important questions you may not have considered. Easy to ask questions and contact Karen! :-) Was able to see what other students concerns were. make friends idea on course Get to know what we were going to do in induction, find out extra information Being informed and reminded of certain events and what room they were in finding out crucial dates for the course - what texts were needed - other students posting same queries as me - being able to contact tutors Being able to ask questions I don't know. Seeing who was on the course before joining it. To see who is on your course and to find out a little bit more about it before actually starting To find out more information about the course before arriving. Having the option to contact staff before StudySpace became available. Finding out updates on lectures - reminders of times and rooms. Gave me the chance to find out information on the course, along with who was on it. Finding the important information for the induction week and what I wanted to know was already there. Can ask questions & they are answered either by lecturers or students. Meeting new people. Getting an impression of who else was in the class. Getting an idea of what to expect It's another potential way to get questions answered. Making friends 3

Modernised teaching and learning. Shows how as media students we embrace the media i.e. social networking Meet new people, an opportunity to ask questions, share worries! Helps meet new people that do the same course as you! Gaining information before starting the course in a easy way modernising education Keeping up to date with information and a great way of making new friends. Finding out specific information Connectivity with other peers and communication Finding more people on my course it keeps me closer to people i want 2 be around with keep updated Seeing who else was doing the same course keep updated and get answers to any questions Making new friends and gaining information about the course The possibility to help students with answers to their questions getting to see other members that will be in your course. Helped me get to know other students better. I got to know some other students and could make some friends. Furthermore, I felt more content reading others students posts. really useful information as well as interacting with fellow classmates regarding university issues etc. Very comforting to see who I will be in the same boat in such a new environment. just got more information Easy place to talk to other students/staff simply, without having to poke around StudySpace. Got to know a little about what the course would be like before starting. being able to meet the teachers and get a grasp of the new surroundings in preparation to start studying. I felt like i know more about what to expect from the course. I found it settling to know some people before I went and to see some questions asked, and answered on the facebook group wall that I wanted answered as well. Gain knowledge of what was happening during the Induction week and still have the group there for future reference. Seeing people on the course and comparing questions/queries posted with my own. I got some useful information, for example about assessment in the first year. easy access to important information...on lectures etc... got to keep up to date with whats going on. I knew what to expect when attending the first meeting, which made the experience less scary and more exciting.

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6. Did the Facegroup help you to be more prepared for induction? Yes, quite a lot Yes, a bit Not really Not at all 27.2% (22) 53.1% (43) 16.0% (13) 3.7% (3)

(Total who answered this question: 81 )

________________________________________________________________________________ 7. Did the Facebook group lessen your anxiety about starting at Kingston University? Yes 68.3% (56) No 31.7% (26)

(Total who answered this question: 82 )

________________________________________________________________________________ 8. What piece of information accessed via the Facebook group did you find most useful? Induction information The link to StudentSpace and emails of lecturers lecture times and places Welcome message by Karen Lipsedge None. discussion What books to buy, how much they would cost. The fact that other people also felt unprepared. the content of the course Induction info lecture notes, course details The booklist Looking at other people questions helped The FAQs Inquiring about my timetable Knowing others felt the same 5

Lecturers info. Info about induction Being kept up to date on things e.g. to buy the module reader from the library. The info about assessment and core reading texts. Just the welcome aspect the wall postings - questions answered wallposts Important dates Timetable I didn't really look at it. Other students questions list of members All of it. Posts from other students & replies from staff. All of it. When we didn't have our timetables and there were posts of where to go and at what time. The main information that Karen posted about media and cultural studies. Also what expect to bring to the class. The information about media groups and what we have to bring. Just preparing to come here and what to bring with us Being able to ask questions Reminders - on when I visit of what I need to do. Timetables the discussions problems that students faced.. Questions asked by other students The modules Wall posts and concerns from other peers The FAQs Getting to know who karen Lipsedge before i resumed uni basic inquiries about the module N/A Timetable arrangements comments from the tutors and helpers the wall posts from other members, and the answers from the staff/students The questions asked by other students. the student posts section the induction week timetable and course details. the wall Strictly speaking they weren't a "piece of information" but the messages from Karen kept things simple and easy to remember what was happening when. Go Karen! explaination of how the module works. I found it most useful during induction week, when timetables weren't certain as it was easier to interact with the staff and students in order to find out where I had to be for that week, and what I needed to have done. Everything because it showed me what was happening through the Induction week, Wall posts by other students about assessments and readings 6

 any changes with lectures and some of the books that had to be purchased what will happen over the induction weeks and about the workshops. Nothing in particular really. I got quite a bit of information there, and most were useful. ________________________________________________________________________________ 9. What one content area of the Facebook group did you find the most useful? wall posts discussion boards Email Links 27.2% (22) 53.1% (43) 16.0% (13) 3.7% (3)

(Total who answered this question: 77 )

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10. Should such a Facebook group be managed by students or do you think there should be staff involvement? Staff involvement 96.2% (75) No staff involvement 3.8% (3)

(Total who answered this question: 78 )

________________________________________________________________________________ 11. We'd really like to know what you think of universities using social networking sites like Facebook for induction and pre-induction activities? I think it's a good idea as it makes you less worried when starting. Good idea, lessens anxiety + helps with preparation. Quite useful for people who don't know anyone at uni Yes it is a good idea to help people understand key dates Students can benefit from it Good idea Think its great I think its a good idea because it gives people a chance to learn more about the course through past students and teachers and meet other students 7

I thought it was really relevant considering I was looking forward to studying new media. Changing with the times will help to stay current with the students I think its very useful as pre-induction, however, after I stared at the uni I stopped visiting the site. Very useful,eases you into the course and you can meet people before you attend. Nearly everyone uses facebook I think it's a good idea because it gives people the chance to share concerns/advice. Very useful. People can discuss issues with work, lectures and other questions about the course they may have. good idea because people access it on a daily basis. I think it's an interesting experiment and may help students get ot know each other in a less stressful venue than their induction lecture/workshops, since it holds less social pressure than face-to-face interaction. I think it's a really good idea. I met two people from it! It's a good idea. It's good i think it is a good idea because it gets rid of anxieties about starting It's good as it lessens anxiety It's cool, helps makes friends. It's helpful. I think it is a good way to connect with other students on the same course. A good idea - the fact that mosts students/young people use them emans that it is accessible and not an "effort" to find out information. They are open-minded, modern, more friendly and familiar for future and current students. It's good because people check it everyday (usually). And makes students feel at ease as it's informal. New! Prefer Student Space Very useful, especially in a subject area like media and cultural studies! I think it's a good idea, using something that most people are aware of. Good idea for the up and coming generation. Good idea!! It's a good idea so that students can get to know each other. brings people together helpful It's Helpful It's cool Everyone knows how to use them and uses them regularly so it's a good way to share information. good I think it is a good idea. Although I didn't myself, it allows students to talk together before they arrive. It was especially helpful due to the problems with accessing timetables. It's a good idea as the majority of people are on social networking sites, it's an easy and effective means of contacting students. Think it's a good way of reaching the students I would like to see a twitter page so maybe we could have a varied idea of what networking sites we can join and maybe it will encourage us. I think it is a good idea, as you meet new people& get to know yr lecturers, as well as vital information. 8

It's useful because it is something people already feel confident using facebook and it feels like they can access the information somewhere they are used to using rather than alien student space. I think it is very helpful as it helps make things a little less stressful and an idea of what to expect when starting. It's not for everyone but it's worth it for the ones it helps. Very good, helps settle into uni and course helps ease the tension of induction getting familiar with lectures and tutors knowing who to contact familiarising with other students Good way to communicate and lessen anxiety. I think it is good because everyone can get to know each other Its great, really on our level it becomes part of routine like checking mail, reading texts, sharing information I think its very beneficial and useful N\A Universities using social networking sites makes information more accessible and easier, as well as the original Kingston Uni student space section also available. Good idea, bridging the gap between students and staff i think its a very good idea in the sense that a lot of younger these days can barely live without the internet as it is available like almost everywhere...therefore its easier to reach the students on sites like facebook rather than e-mail. it is useful because students are more acquainted with such social network as fb It is good because you can speak to fellow studnts, but universities should be careful not to over and misuse it (Eg. sending reminders via FB). It's a good way to reach the students as they use soacial networks more than emails. And it is easier for conversations between students. I think its very useful and helped me a lot settling into my course. Thank you. I think it is a great idea since there are a lot of networking sites that people use on a daily basis so information is much more accessible i think it was very helpful before i came to the induction as i felt more involved and less nervous as some of my questions where answered by other members on the group. It's an interesting approach, which allows students to get to know each other over a forum with less social pressures than "mixers", and as a media course, having a facebook group can be good as a potential study tool. I think that these universities are very modern and want to connect close to their students. very helpful and most definitly reduced anxiety. Had I not joined this group my first few days experience would have been different. Staff replies to our urgent questions being so quick is very apperciated. great idea Very useful! Hoped the creative writing side of my degree had something similar but nope. Great for asking questions/contacting other students. Kudos for embracing popular technology effectively! i think it is a birlliant idea becuase it alot more used by students and more likely that students will view it as appose to student/study space. I think it is a really good way to link people on the course closer together, and make it easier to communicate with other students, and the staff. I think it is quite exciting to learn that the University is keen for us to join groups such as this. Great idea. Makes you feel more involved and get a better picture of what will happen when you get to uni. 9

it is a good solution for the socialising process. its a very good idea because it is targeting us on a format that most are already a custom to I think its a good idea because alot of us were confused to begin with , with study /student space. I think it 's really helpful in terms of making the student feel more comfortable and less nervous when attending the induction meetings. The site also provides useful information such as what we would be discussing during the meetings and so on, as well as enable new students to get to know other fellow first years. Therefore, I think the use of social networking sites are for induction activities are very helpful as it reaches the students in their comfort zone allowing them to communicate with better ease before the formal introductions have been made.

________________________________________________________________________________ 12. What suggestions do you have for improving the Facebook group for induction and preinduction? None! None, perfect! More academic related purposes Suggest it before induction, I did't know about it until I started. ? can't think of any? more videos/information about content Have more general discussion groups More course details about books we need to buy. Also tell ius what assignments we could prepare for. involve students in topic discussions based on essays or lectures Maybe more encouraging studentsocialising via mixers or study groups organised via facebook. Put assignments in a list - I'm very confused! N/A Maybe put more of the information that can be found on the blackboard site on the fb group More awareness needed! They should have one for all students. More information about assessment. Get more word out about it. Not everyone may be on Facebook so some people will miss out. None come to mind Important dates. not sure??? More information about the reading list before you arrive. Perhaps including a brief introduction from all the tutors to help prospective students feel ar ease with starting the course. More information on the reading lists and module content. None 10

I don't see a problem with how the group is run. More involvement from students and maybe activities. Set deadlines as Facebook events discussion board based on seminars or lectures student-to-student 'learning' i.e. working in groups also encourage discussion, debating. broader videos a virtual community in groups set to talk about different related topics None N\A Post student advice from Level 5 or 6 students None that I can think of at this time i would suppose the consistency regarding the reminder for students and keeping them posted about things should carry on maybe upload more pictures of university and classes Less emails. There was just TOO many. The information was shared through too many Medias and I read the same messages up to 3 times. I didn't hear about the group before after induction Maybe to start the group a bit earlier into summer. I think that the group was successful as it was! slightly less formal. Maybe adding more discussions and events for people to get into and involved? I would upload a copy of important events so that students have an overview over everything that will occur to them. cannot fault. i think it worked great as a whole An easily accessible list of books we need to buy/read would be useful, that way it gives people time to prepare before coming to Uni (especially because a lot of students might still be sponging off their parents at that point!). Other than that though, all that's really needed are a few useful links (were the module guides up there?) and attentive staff/students who can answer queries quickly, which you did very well! i think that the facebook site doesn't give a very clear indication of who is who within the modules. although i found it usefull in getting in a rough idea i still didnt really understand what i was going to be doing untill after i was explained in lectures. I would suggest perhaps using it for a more academic purpose by posting suggested reading or preparation for books, equipment etc. Have more pictures of the University lectures I suppose or of the Lecturers themselfs so we know who is teaching us. More things to make it interactive. Maybe you could have a forum where everyone has to post a quiz/profile type thing. no suggestions more information about social events that involve media that students like us could attend in order to socialise and also have a better understanding of the subject should also be advertise on the space. its killing two birds with one stone as they say. have more discussion boards Can't think of any suggestions at the moment.

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13. Do you think we should keep the Facebook group going for social and academic-related purposes? Yes 100% (78) No 0% (0)

(Total who answered this question: 78 )

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