The Impact of Social Networking on Online

Students

Presenters

Barbara Purvis

Karlene Jaggan

Elizabeth Salazar

Our Social Networking Venues

Online Library

CONL E-News

Student Success Center

Various Clubs

Sorority

Fraternity

National Technical Honor Society

(1st year)

Online Library

Cyber-librarian with scheduled and on-demand office hours

Equipped with news relating to the college, databases such as LIRN, subject guides and tutorials that pertain to students’ career field

Presence on Facebook and Twitter

Live chats

CONL E-NEWSCelebrations

National Poetry Month

National Volunteer Week

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

National Hispanic Month

Medical Assistant Week

Honor Roll

Contests

Graduation Video

Staff Video

Student Success CenterNew Student Orientation

Program Specific Discussion Boards

Tutoring

Career Advising

Student Lounge

Peer Mentoring

Clubs

Clubs

Book and Movie Club

Keep in Touch ClubBusiness Club

Medical ClubComputer Club

Sorority

Lambda Pi Theta

LPT is Centura College’s first academic online sorority

An organization created to provide friendship and support while promoting unity.

Available to any enrolled female student in good academic standing

Goals are set for the members.

Community service must be performed monthly and the member cannot have any personal gain from it.

Live chats and message board are available.

Lambda Pi ThetaLambda Pi Theta has established 141 official members and 21 pledges and applicants still coming in!!!

GOALS for 2009 to 2014

June 2009 - our goal is to have a business plan established

November 2009 - enough funds for certificates for graduating members

December 2009 - the goal is to have enough funds to offer one $250.00 scholarship for one member.

May 2010 - goal is to have enough funds to gift one member a trip to graduation ceremony

Five Year Goal - To become an official Member of the National Order of Sororities

- from LPT’s website

Lambda Pi Theta Facts:                            

• Founded in 2008, at Centura College Online, Virginia Beach, Virginia • Open Motto: Sister for a sister, mother for a daughter, always united as one. • Jewel: Pink Diamond • Symbol: Dove• Mascot: Queen • Flower: Lily • Scholarship Information:  Memorial of Mrs. Mary Wright scholarship foundation

The purpose of Lambda Pi Theta is to provide women life long opportunities and support for social,

intellectual and spiritual development by bringing women together to influence a positive outlook on our communities and families. By this establishment of a strong sisterhood, it will initiate the creation of

better career opportunities for our sisters and alumni of Centura College.- from LPT’s website

Lambda Pi ThetaOUR MISSION:

"Lambda Pi Theta is an organization created with primary focus on getting our sisters on one accord and encouraging each other to take steps higher up the corporate ladder.  We are a mulit-cultural sorority that promotes unity, not only amongst ourselves but within our communities.

Within LPT, we hold chat sessions called Just Us, which gives us a time to exhale where we are able to let out our trials, tribulations and stress that we as women encounter on a daily basis.   In Lambda Pi Theta we have daughters that are in need of that mother figure and sisters that are in need of that sister to sister bond."

We also represent and present ourselves as Queens and will not be treated no lower than. We are all about unity amongst everyone there we have created a purpose.

    Our sole purpose of our continuing dedication to this process is we have a dream, to become the first online Sorority and to provide support and friendship to our fellow classmates. Online school demands in itself a great sense of independent study, often students feel overwhelmed and often give up on the dream to complete their education. We hope this organization will fulfill the needs for interaction with other classmates and give a great unity to the student body.

- from LPT’s website

Fraternity

Omicron Theta PSIAn organization created to provide friendship and support while promoting unity

Available to any enrolled male student in good academic standing

Started after Sorority-but has not taken off as well as sorority because school population is primarily female

Social Networking Survey

180 respondents (student body of 1200)

63.9% already on a networking site such as Facebook or MySpace

71.11% are interested in social networking sites

87.22% would like to join a social networking site sponsored by Centura College

Students rated the usefulness of a social networking site at 3.65 (5-point scale)

76.11% would like a networking site to be exclusive to Centura students, faculty and alumni

51.11% would like a social networking site that is also available to people outside Centura College

Impact of Social Networking On Students

Increase in GPA

Feeling of community

Camaraderie among students despite demographics

Increased retention

So How Do We Know It Helps?

Student comments

Participation

Survey

Sorority statistics (no other statistics available yet)

Graduates

Pending Grads

Active Students

Probation Students

Sorority

3.363.602.631.44

GPA

College

3.152.932.371.28

GPA

Comparis

on

• Students were originally allowed into the Sorority regardless of academic standing so data is comparable

Academic Standing

Good

Poor

Sorority

41.5%58.5%

College

24.4%75.7%

Drop

Statisti

c

s

• Almost twice as many Sorority drops are academically viable to return to school

• Drop reasons are: financial, personal, or academic

QUESTIONS?