Over 80 percent of college faculty are using social media according to a survey released by Babson Survey Research Group in collaboration with New Marketing Labs and Pearson Learning Solutions on May 4th, 2010. The study found that a majority of respondents (59%) said they have more than one social networking account and nearly 25 percent have four or more accounts. Thirty percent of respondents use social networks to communicate with students, and 1/3 use them to connect with peers.

“College faculty have embraced social media and a majority have integrated some form of these tools into their teaching,” said Jeff Seaman, Ph.D., co-director of the Babson Survey Research Group. “While some faculty remain skeptical, the overall opinion is quite positive, with faculty reporting that social media has value for teaching by over a four to one margin.”

You may be saying, “but I’m too old for this social media stuff.” Not true! There were only small differences in usage based on age, stage in career, gender, tenure status, or device ownership.

We’ve recently jumped into the social media scene ourselves. We launched a few Twitter accounts (@turnitin and @WriteCycle for instructors and administrators, and @WriteCheck for students) where we share relevant information related to Turnitin, PeerMark, GradeMark, and hot topics on education. We’re also developing an engaging user community, so stay tuned for updates.

References:
Chmura, M. (May 4, 2010). Sociable Professors. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from http://www3.babson.edu/Newsroom/Releases/socialmediafaculty.cfm.
Levy, J., Seaman, J., Tinti-Kane, H. (n.d.). Social Media in Higher Education: The Survey. Retrieved May, 5, 2010, from http://www.slideshare.net/PearsonLearningSolutions/pearson-socialmediasurvey2010.