Please See The Attendant!

Yesterday, on my way home from work, I decided to stop off at the local gas station. With only 7 miles until empty, I figured it was a good time. As usual, I pulled out my debit card and slid it into the card reader. When prompted, I typed in my pin number.

Moments later, I received a discouraging message that read, "Please See the Attendant."


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What the Movie Julie & Julia Taught Me About Blogging

Writing is supposed to be fun. Well, that's what I thought, at least.

Looking back to the beginning, it was supposed to be a place where I could explore my ideas, experiences, and share them with you, the reader.

As of late, blogging has not been as fun as it once was because I am afraid it feels more like a job. If the topic did not relate to technology or some helpful thought of the day, I didn't write about it.

Fortunately, I am more than just technology. My experiences and observations on life are what makes me and the blog unique. It is a view of the world through my eyes.
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NCCU Professor Increases Classroom Participation and Engagement with Twitter

Students encouraged to use Twitter in the classroom.

Students enrolled in the Advertising Sales and Marketing class at North Carolina Central University are encouraged to use Twitter for both classroom participation and assignments.

Led by Dr. Charmaine McKissick-Melton, Associate Professor in the English and Mass Communication Department, students have an exciting opportunity to explore classroom content through the use of social media.

On February 25, 2010, Dr. McKissick-Melton met with the North Carolina Central University chapter of Social Media Club Education (SMCEdu-NCCU) to share her experiences. "In the beginning, the students were a little too courteous with one another." She explains that it took a little prodding to get students out of their shell. However, once the students warmed up to the idea, they continued classroom discussions well into their own time.
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The Step-By-Step Guide to Connect Google Buzz to Twitter

Google Buzz is quickly becoming a staple for early adopters. Since its release, many conversations have taken place within the walls of Buzz. Personally, I have been trying to figure out how I plan to use it in relation to all of the other social networking sites I use.

From the very beginning, I knew that I could bring Twitter, Google Reader, and my blog into Buzz, but not sure how to send stuff out. Thanks to Hanna Wiszniewska and Svartling, I have figured out how to share my Buzz posts with my Twitter friends. In this article, I will explain how I did it.
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What Are Top Blogger's Secret to Controlling the Click?

Image via Sydolta

A few days ago, a friend introduced me to a business opportunity that totally opened my eyes. The technology and practice are not new. However, there was something she said that blew me away.

In this article, I would like to explore the click power and reveal a secret of top bloggers.

What Is The Click Power?
One of the first things my friend said to me was that nearly everything she does online produces a financial return. "Sure" I thought to myself. There are thousands of multi-level marketing companies out there and I'm just waiting to hear a familiar name or product.

To my surprise, her business was not something I expected. The more she spoke, the more intrigued I became.

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Do You Engage With Your Readers, Fans, and Followers Or Not?

Image via Linda Cronin

Over the past couple of days, I have begun to question the value of responding to comments made by readers, followers, and fans. In this article, I would like to share my observations of what I see others doing and explore the effectiveness of the common practice.

Google Buzz, like Friendfeed and Facebook, seem to promote active discussions between one another. The initial post can ask a question, share a link, or just offer a simple thought and the conversation takes off.

I have also noticed, and I may be way off base here, that many of the "popular" bloggers and online celebrities do not appear to engage that often. Read More >>

Get Real-Time Updates and Mentions Via Email Using NCCU's Eagle Status

North Carolina Central University

Earlier this week, North Carolina Central University updated its internal microblogging tool, Eagle Status, to include reply and e-mail notifications.

Initially, the status update tool was intended to give both employees and students the ability to notify the campus of what they were doing at the moment. The inspiration for the tool came out of the Human Resources office where they hung a wooden board with updates on employee's status. A common use was to state an employee was at lunch, out of the office, or in a meeting.

Similar to Facebook, status updates decorated user profile pages in the employee directory. This way other users, when searching for phone numbers and e-mail addresses, would know whether or not someone was busy or free.

The idea was a good one but, like so many other ideas, things changed. When the students found out about the tool, they used it to share their thoughts, ask questions, and help other students.

One of the busiest times for the Eagle Status was during our big snow storm last year. Students and employees a like were inquiring about the status of the university and its decision to remain closed.

From an administrative position, the tool is a candid shot into the mood and thoughts of the campus community. Decision-makers can keep an eye on issues, in real time, and take proactive steps to correct them before they get out of hand.

Most recently, Web Services decided to update the tool to include a reply feature that encourages greater interaction. Remember, Eagle Status was not meant to hold discussions, but rather post updates on what the campus was doing. However, after a number of requests and a close eye on the statistics, the team decided to  engage more participants with a reply that e-mails @mentions.

The hope is that through a notification system, more users will make return visits to the NCCU portal, myEOL, and respond to comments and questions in the Eagle Status.

Click image to view

Additional upgrades include an @username button that shows all user mentions. This means that when clicked, I will see a list of comments directed at me or involving me. As a result, I can reply to comments or questions immediately. For users with e-mails attached to mobile phones, messages are available in ones in-box. While replying from an e-mail is not yet available, the team has this idea in the backlog.

At the time of this article, the Eagle Status has nearly 11,000 updates. The team anticipates the number to grow quickly as as the new features are shared amongst the university members. The service, which is available to all internal myEOL users, will soon be rolled out to include alumni and prospective students.

Discussion
I would love to hear your thoughts on the idea of an internal microblogging tool within a university community. For those institutions already doing something similar, how has it worked out for you? Any ideas you would like to share? Let's talk about these questions in the comment section below.

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• MyCampus vs. MyEOL: War of the Campus Portals

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