Empowering student leaders requires communication – Red Rover provides the ability to focus communication to those that have opted in (reducing SPAM) and tools to increase the efficacy of communication through multiple channels.
How It Works
1. From their group page, student leaders (and advisors if they like) have at least three different ways to communicate with their group(s).
A. They can e-mail everyone that has opted into their group using the message feature (shown on the lower right.)
B. They can click on the individual pictures and go to those students’ registered social network page where they can friend and message per that networks function (Facebook, myspace, etc.).
C. They can click on the group call list and see a list of phone numbers to call.
2. At the footer of every e-mail students receive through Red Rover will be a link allowing them to opt-out of communication from that group. This retains the student’s control over their communication and builds in a firewall against well intentioned overzealousness.
Key Concepts
1. The students that the leader sees in their group have opted in. It’s up to the leader to organize the real world activities (could be as simple as a coffee shop meeting) to build real relationships. Red Rover utilizes the advantages of social networking to organize and filter, it is then critical that the student leader use the tool to facilitate “real” face-to-face relationships offline.
2. Students ruthlessly filter SPAM. Starting the college experience with targeted communication through e-mail will help maintain e-mail as a channel students pay attention to. By reducing institutional SPAM, Red Rover can keep the students paying attention, helping to increase overall engagement.
3. With multiple options, student leaders can use the channel (e-mail, social network, or telephone) that best fits their current needs. Learning best practices with communication is a huge opportunity to learn extremely valuable leadership skills.
4. Students can opt-out as easily as they can opt-in. This gives them control to focus and control their engagement – it also provides a feedback loop for student leaders.
Future Additions to This Function
1) Adding in text messaging as a communication option.
2) Automatic flagging and advisor/leader notification of significant dropouts, providing a “teachable moment” for the student leader with their advisor.
