The current article examines social media applications as a tool for positive social change. The number of users on applications from Facebook to Twitter and Instagram continues to increase in all demographics. These tools are being integrated into our daily activities and challenging boundaries, roles, and even possibilities globally. Currently, there exists a gap in developing competent leaders capable of leading change using social media. Education leaders and leadership education programs can adapt the values of the Social Change Model to reflect and apply digital competencies to their practice. Digital leadership requires reflection on online self‐awareness and congruence, grappling with the controversy that comes with cyber civility and how to be a digital citizen prepared to inspire positive social change.
2This chapter highlights opportunities in the digital space for student affairs professionals. A blended approach, grounded in the new technology competency recently added in the ACPA and NASPA student affairs professional competencies, is proposed for student affairs professionals' digital identity development. It includes the awareness of one' s digital identity, formation of a digital decision-making model, and utilization of personal learning networks.Social networking tools have been available for over a decade, meaning today' s college students have utilized social media communication tools since they were in middle school (boyd, 2014). For student affairs professionals, the adoption of these tools started at later points in life, varying from graduate school to advanced career levels. Earlier technology adopters might have experimented with Myspace, AIM, or Yahoo messenger, then migrated to newer tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram; however, later technology adopters likely did not use the first wave of social media tools at all. Regardless, throughout this entire time, little education has been provided NEW DIRECTIONS FOR STUDENT SERVICES •
Social media tools are ubiquitous throughout the college student experience, particularly for students who hold leadership positions on campus. A research study on junior and senior student leaders' social media use and experience led to a number of findings that inform leadership education practice.
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