Communication is done in many ways, and certain people prefer to communicate in one way over another. With smart phones, email is not much different from texting: a written message that can be received and read even where a phone call would be inappropriate. I think voice to voice contact is a necessary part of working with every student. That being said, once the initial interview has been made, keeping in touch by email or by text would be fine, if preferred by the student.
I would not want students to have my personal phone number, but I would agree to text the student's phone via email.
I think we will continue to see communication adapt based on our students. I still have older students who want to receive something in the mail, just to hold something in their hands. The way we communication depends largely on the comfort level of the student.
I agree with the previous posts that direct contact is a must - but I think we need to be ready to adapt to our students as well.
I think that while sometimes texting might be an excellent way to remind students of various things, I think that overall developing strong communication skills is a key part of what students are coming to college for in the first place. By letting students have the easy way out if they do not prefer to talk on the phone, it is really just setting them back later on in life when they will be required to speak with professors and future employers.
I talk to alot of prospective students and feel the best way is via phone or email. I would not want to text them because I would not want them to get my personal cell phone number. I feel you are representing your school and it is important that you stay professional. You may start text talking out of habit which is inappropriate. Now if there is a program where you can send a text from your email, I think it would be okay to send a friendly reminder in regards to an appointment time or something in that nature.
Honestly I don't. I don't have a work phone and I do not want a student to have my private number. One of the Managers has let me use his before though.
No we are not allowed to text prospective students. We are allowed to instant message them through a system that has been set up through our website but we have to always make telephone contact with them in addition to this to ensure they are who they say they are.
Sometimes I feel like students would get back to you faster!
I did have a conversation with my boss about texting students. One more phone is my personal phone so I don't want students to have that number. and two you don't have the saved messages.
There is a program that you can text from your email. So that is a way to do it so you have your emails saved, but there is a fine line I believe.
I absolutely agree with this statement. Meeting with students face to face is the best way to gauge interest, and feel out commitement levels. I like to get to know prospective students personally, and have them view me as a valuable resource!
Agreed: mediated communication should be considered a hinderance. Face-to-face interaction provides the best enviroment for representatives to ascertain a prospective students' frame of mind, and for the prospective student to gauge the knowledge and trustworthiness of the representative.
We never do. We are just getting to know these people and the nuances of conversation are essential if we're going to make good connections and make good decisions together.
Since strong communication skills are essential for student success, texting students (for any reason) is inappropriate. For practical purposes, texting does not easily track the exchange of information that e-mails do. For the sake of learning effective communication skills, face-to face meetings and/or phone conversations would be a best practice when working with students. Texting to a staff member (and the staff member returning texts) sets up poor boundaries and unrealistic expectations.
