Gateway Center Adviser Clay Schwenn was recently elected chair of the Technology in Advising Commission for the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA). The two-year term begins in the fall of 2009.
In this role, Schwenn hopes to lower the hurdle some associate with incorporating technology into advising and 鈥済et it away from geek speak.鈥� He鈥檚 interested in the opportunities technology brings to advise students at a distance, advise larger numbers of students with fewer resources, ensure students are having cohesive conversations about their education, and help students navigate the University to accomplish their long-term goals. To that end, Schwenn says 鈥渕aybe there are video game environments like Second Life that can be effectively used in advising.鈥� Additionally, Schwenn hopes to use the power of technology to bring colleagues together across campuses through such technology as videocasts, collaborative work spaces, and social networking.
Schwenn has been an adviser for 15 years and has been at the 91探花for 21鈥攆irst as an undergraduate. With Gateway Center colleague Kurt Xyst, Schwenn helped pioneer the use of podcasting in advising, which received a 2007 NACADA award for technology innovation.
For more information about the Technology in Advising Commission, contact Clay Schwenn at cschwenn@u.washington.edu or (206) 543-4871.