Social Media Literacy in Romanian Universities – Are we Ready Yet?

Abstract

Nowadays, we all witness a process of transformation of universities from ivory towers into collaborative networks. Cooperation and interconnectivity become more and more important in the research-and-development and educational areas. In this trend, while the potential of Social Media seems immense, some inherent risks create uncertainty in using them in an appropriate way. There seems to be a mismatch between the logic of participatory media and the still-reigning centralized-reminiscent model of Romanian universities, with its emphasis on inflexible processes and control. By its nature, Social Media encourages horizontal collaboration and more relaxed conversations that travel in random paths across professors and students. It there by short-circuits established power dynamics and traditional lines of communication and may affect the traditional image of the university. This article discusses some challenges and opportunities that emerge from the contemporary Social Media evolution for universities, and provides structure to better understand the benefits and pitfalls of using Social Media in this field. We begin by focusing on some relevant traits in the profiles of the innovating and performer employees from Romanian universities, in order to approximate their Social Media readiness. After that, we analyze profoundly, in a study based on a questionnaire, the new dimensions added by Social Media to these traits – as noticed in a very recent McKinsey study, which looks at the individual as a producer, distributor, recipient, advisor architect and analyst in order to consider him a Social Media–literate. Based on this analysis, we then derive a set of observations about Social Media literacy in Romanian academic environment.