Social Media in the Classroom

Have you ever taken an online class? As an FIU student who worked full time, I became accustomed to the convenience of online classes. At FIU, we used Blackboard as our online education LMS (learning management system). Miami Dade uses Angel, and Keiser University uses CampusVue as their portal. Many people in the education industry assume that in order to run online courses, it must be done through an LMS. Those systems were originally designed to allow faculty to transition their on campus courses to fully online without having to learn HTML coding. Anyone who has messed with HTML knows it's no walk in the park, and certainly not something a busy college professor wants to learn just to facilitate a group of students. These systems, like Blackboard, provided all the tools necessary to deliver an online course in one simple, and easy to use (somewhat) package.

Take it from someone who took almost two full years of classes though Blackboard; it's not that simple. These systems are flawed, glitchy, and not without confusing elements. They may be convenient, but they're not flawless. As online learning has grown, so did the functionality of course management systems. As the systems grew, they became more and more complex and fragile. The systems that were once managed by faculty is now monitored and kept up and running by IT guys, and webmasters.

Now, professors around the country have taken control back from system administrators by implementing social media sites (such as this one)into their curriculum. Blogs, Wikis, Skype, Facebook, Twitter, and VoiceThread are being used in ways never imagined. From using Twitter as a real time discussion forum, to writing assignments being turned in via Blogger, professors are learning to maximize these free resources we thought were only around to post pictures from that Pi Kappa Phi party, and tell everyone that, "I'm going to the beach on Friday with the chicas!"

The beauty of using these sites as an online learning tool is that they are free, and easy to use. Instead of spending hours upon hours stocking modules into an LMS, a faculty member can simply write a blog in minutes, start a Twitter discussion in seconds, and spend all of his/her time communicating with the students. It creates a great platform for learning because it is interactive and personal. The professor can help individuals out more easily than through Blackboard emails and forums, which often go down for hours at a time due to glitches.

These methods of e-learning have started to catch on with select colleges and universities, but most do not have a social media strategy in place at the moment. They still believe online classes must be run through an LMS. Some systems, like Blackboard, are adding social media modules like blogs, but they are locked down in the LMS, thus restricting the openness and exponential power that gives these forms of media its value.

It's about time we started seeing social media as more than just a hang out spot to talk to our friends, and realize that it is a networking tool that can make or break our professional lives. An obscene amount of companies are looking into a person's social media portfolio before committing to hiring a person. Why would they do that? Well, we are living in a time of great economic discord, and jobs are difficult to come by. Companies don't want to waste their time and money on anything less than the best. They have so many options on who to hire because so many qualified people are unemployed. Who do you think will get the job between two identical resumes? The person with the professional Linked In account, and a Facebook that shows them to be responsible, mature adults worthy of ________ company, or the person who has a Facebook full of drunken escapades and shady friends?

Social Media will be a big part of the classroom within the next five years. I don't think it's a bold prediction to say that...

-Danny
www.cbt.edu
www.cbt.edu/facebook

Accouting: A Smart Choice?

Heck yes it is!

Employment of accountants and auditors is expected to grow faster than average for all occupations through the year 2014. An increase in the number of businesses, changing financial laws and regulations, and increased scrutiny of company finances will drive growth. In addition to openings resulting from growth, the need to replace accountants and auditors who retire or transfer to other occupations will produce numerous job openings in this large occupation.

As the economy grows, the number of business establishments will increase, requiring more accountants and auditors to set up books, prepare taxes, and provide management advice. As these businesses grow, the volume and complexity of information developed by accountants and auditors regarding costs, expenditures, and taxes will increase as well. An increased need for accountants and auditors will arise from changes in legislation related to taxes, financial reporting standards, business investments, mergers, and other financial events. The growth of international business also has led to more demand for accounting expertise and services related to international trade and accounting rules, as well as to international mergers and acquisitions. These trends should create more jobs for accountants and auditors.

As a result of accounting scandals at several large corporate companies, Congress passed legislation in an effort to curb corporate accounting fraud. This legislation requires public companies to maintain well-functioning internal controls to ensure the accuracy and reliability of their financial reporting. It also holds the company’s chief executive personally responsible for falsely reporting financial information.

These changes should lead to increased scrutiny of company finances and accounting procedures and should create opportunities for accountants and auditors, particularly CPAs, to audit financial records more thoroughly. In order to ensure that finances comply with the law before public accountants conduct audits, management accountants and internal auditors increasingly will be needed to discover and eliminate fraud. Also, in an effort to make government agencies more efficient and accountable, demand for government accountants should increase.

Increased awareness of financial crimes such as embezzlement, bribery, and securities fraud will increase the demand for forensic accountants, to detect illegal financial activity by individuals, companies, and organized crime rings. Computer technology has made these crimes easier to commit, and they are on the rise. At the same time, the development of new computer software and electronic surveillance technology has made tracking down financial criminals easier, thus increasing the ease with which, and likelihood that, forensic accountants will discover their crimes. As success rates of investigations grow, demand also will grow for forensic accountants.

The changing role of accountants and auditors also will spur job growth, although this growth will be limited as a result of financial scandals. In response to demand, some accountants were offering more financial management and consulting services as they assumed a greater advisory role and developed more sophisticated accounting systems. Because Federal legislation now prohibits accountants from providing nontraditional services to clients whose books they audit, opportunities for accountants to offer such services could be limited. However, accountants will still be able to advise on other financial matters for clients that are not publicly traded companies and for nonaudit clients, but growth in these areas will be slower than in the past. Also, due to the increasing popularity of tax preparation firms and computer software, accountants will shift away from tax preparation. As computer programs continue to simplify some accounting-related tasks, clerical staff will increasingly handle many routine calculations.

Overall, job opportunities for accountants and auditors should be favorable. After most States instituted the 150-hour rule for CPAs, enrollment in accounting programs declined; however, enrollment is slowly beginning to grow again as more students become attracted to the profession because of the attention from the accounting scandals. Those who earn a CPA should have excellent job prospects. However, many accounting graduates are instead pursuing other certifications, such as the CMA and CIA, so job prospects may not be as favorable in management accounting and internal auditing as in public accounting. Regardless of specialty, accountants and auditors who have earned professional recognition through certification or licensure should have the best job prospects. Applicants with a master’s degree in accounting, or a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting, also will have an advantage. In the aftermath of the accounting scandals, professional certification is even more important in order to ensure that accountants’ credentials and ethics are sound.

Proficiency in accounting and auditing computer software, or expertise in specialized areas such as international business, specific industries, or current legislation, may be helpful in landing certain accounting and auditing jobs. In addition, employers increasingly are seeking applicants with strong interpersonal and communication skills. Because many accountants work on teams with others from different backgrounds, they must be able to communicate accounting and financial information clearly and concisely. Regardless of one’s qualifications, however, competition will remain keen for the most prestigious jobs in major accounting and business firms.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook

Why Should We Stay "Linked In"....

So, there are quite a lot of Social Media websites out there. What's the big deal with social media, right? I mean, we all know that social media is only good for talking to your friends, posting crazy pictures from Space, and Nikki Beach, and adding famous people like Kim Kardashian and LeBron James. It also makes my iPhone look cool when I have all these awesome apps! That's all social media is supposed to be used for, right? WRONG! It's about time we throw that kind of thinking out the door. Here are some facts for you, friends....

Over 96% of millennials have joined a Social Network.
Facebook tops Google for weekly traffic in the U.S.
Social Media has overtaken porn as the top activity on the web.
1 out of 8 married couples in the U.S. met via Social Media
It took 38 years for the radio to reach 50 million users...
13 years for TV....
4 years for the internet...
3 years for the iPod....
Facebook added over 200 MILLION users in less than 1 year!
iPod app downloads of Facebook hit 1 BILLION in 9 MONTHS!!!!!
If Facebook were a country, it would be the 3rd largest...


I realize I haven't given you much in the way of reasons why social media is more than just a friend adding and crazy picture posting machine.... SO here goes...

80% of companies use social media for recruitment, almost all of it through LINKED IN!

That's right, more and more companies in the U.S. are shying away from Craigslist, CareerBuilder and Monster. Barely any companies are using staffing agencies. No, no, no my friends, the best jobs are found on Linked In. Why? Because social media gives a company all the tools to truly know a potential employee. Linked In allows you to create a fully interactive resume, with recommendations letters and all! It allows you to network with major companies and connect with others who may be the doorway to your career! Linked In is a social network for professionals to make the connections needed for success in this, the Application Age. Find people you have met through professional settings, create a network of your coworkers, employers, and fellow professionals in your field of expertise. For those who are still college students, or even those who have never held a job, this site allows you to make the connections necessary to set yourself up for the career you want once you graduate. Finding a job in this economic climate is no easy task. Even less easy....is finding the job you actually want. Chances are you won't find it on Craigslist, CareerBuilder, Monster. Why? When you apply for a job or submit your resume through any of those sites, you are just one of possibly 500 other people. Not so with Linked In. On Linked In, it may be you and 19 others who are submitting their resume. There is a much higher probability that your resume will get noticed if you are applying with 20 people, as opposed to 100, 300, or 500, right? So, do yourself a favor, and get a Linked In people!

Now, here's the kicker....
While Linked In could be very beneficial to you in terms of your professional career, your other social media profiles will play a role in this as well. If you are on Linked In, chances are you can also be found Tweeting, and updating your status on Facebook. In the world we live in, nothing is private anymore. You can try to keep your professional life and your social life separate, but the internet has made that difficult. Lying on a resume is nearly impossible today, because employers can simply research you on Google, You Tube, and social media sites. So, your Linked In may paint a picture of you that your Facebook pictures at Mardi Gras completely discredit. In other words: Your Linked In may be writing a check that your Facebook can't cash. And believe me when I tell you this: If they received your resume on Linked In, they WILL research you on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. A potential employer doesn't want to see pictures of you fist pumping in the club. Employers like quality employees who will not embarrass their company, and social media is an easy way to make sure who you are hiring. Everyone knows people are mostly putting on a facade at their interviews, but social media usually tells them all they need to know about your character....so just be very careful what you put on the internet. Just like a tattoo, think clearly about your decision to brand yourself a certain way. People are watching!

-Danny
www.cbt.edu
www.cbt.edu/facebook