Transcript MyEU: A Customized Portal Implementation Proposal MyEU promotes interconnectedness within the campus community and will be a reflection of institutional objectives, building campus.

MyEU: A Customized Portal Implementation Proposal
MyEU promotes interconnectedness within the campus
community and will be a reflection of institutional
objectives, building campus community and better
accessibility of services for all.
What is a Portal?
• A portal represents a website that provides a single point of access
to applications and information that can be personalized for the
specific needs and characteristics of the person visiting the site.
(www.usask.ca/web_project/uwebd/portals_faq.html)
“The emphasis [on student learning] will shift from providing
resources in a campus environment to linking the learner with
those resources wherever the learner is located and
whenever those resources are needed” (Barr, 2000, p. 219).
Linking Portal Use to Student Development
• Arthur Chickering’s identity vector of moving through autonomy toward
interdependence
– Awareness of student’s fit in the community in relation to others
– Creation of a portal will link the student to all other areas and people at the
institution
– Environmental influences such as community characteristics, friendships,
student communities, and student development programs and services allows
the portal to help shape the student experience
Evans, N.J., Forney, D.S., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998). Student development in college: Theory, research and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Linking Portal Use to Student Development
• Nancy Schlossberg’s transition theory uses the framework of the four
S’s, situation, self, support and strategy, to explain how students
transition into, through, and out of situations and environments.
– Institutional portal for students can be utilized for various transitional periods
during college careers (New students and graduating seniors)
– Provides a centralized information system and a stable support while students
become accustomed to their new environments and seek new experiences in
an institution
– The development of an action plan and coping strategies will result in
successful transitions and the portal provides a location for students to seek
assistance and interaction with others
Evans, N.J., Forney, D.S., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998). Student development in college: Theory, research and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Pros and Cons: Portal v. Standard Web Presence
Portal
• One Stop Shop
• Standard set of tools (ease of use and
adaptation)
• Global access
• Personalized and customized
information
• Promotes life-long connection with EU
• Serves as a valuable recruiting tool
• Promotion of data sharing between
departments
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Standard Web Presence
Relevant information spread over
several web pages
Less continuity among departmental
websites and tools
Impersonal
Less opportunity for interaction
No option to personalize
Connection for new students limited
“…student affairs must develop new ways to promote
educational goals and effectiveness that take into account the
technological reality of today’s campuses and student life”
(Barr, 2000, p, 221).
Planning and Implementation Team Members
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Team Members
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Student Services
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Academic Services
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Registrar Director
Advising Director
Faculty members
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Orientation Director
Admissions Director
Student Activities Director
Career Services Director
Alumni Director
Human Resources Director
Student Representative
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Each Director will be responsible
for developing teams within their
departments and collecting
research and recommendations for
their section of the portal and
bringing the information back to
the Planning Team.
Focus Groups
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Student/Faculty/Staff Focus Groups
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Initial information gathering
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Prototype portal analysis
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What do you think of the information we have included?
Is this site user friendly?
Do you see anything that should be included that isn’t, or information that
should be excluded?
Trouble shooting
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What is important to you?
What offices/services do you use the most?
What are the errors, what should we fix?
Faculty/Staff have access to all student pages for assessment purposes, the
security settings will be added when the portal goes live
Technology consultants will be brought in for analysis
Organization Recommendations
Current Students
Academic Services
New Students
Student Affairs
Registration
Add/Drop Courses
General Catalog
Open Course Sections
Gen Ed Courses
Major/Minor Requirements
Course Offerings
Grades
Midterm
Early Warning
Final Grades
Academic Calendar
Drop Course Schedule
Final Exam Schedule
Academic Success Tools
Tutoring Services
Study Skills Development
Advising
Departmental Advisors
General Orientation Advisors
Faculty/Staff
We recommend these channels based on
perceived student and staff needs and ease of
use. Consulting a variety of university websites,
both large and small, public and private, we
found that the links provided to students were
consistently the same services. We also took
into account that the university is nearly 100%
residential and we felt that services specific to
the needs of these students should be easily
accessible, such as technology support,
maintenance, and food plans. Considering the
small size of this institution we found online
submission of application materials and
maintenance requests would provide a more
personal and efficient delivery of services to
students.
Organization Recommendations
Current Students
Academic Services
Athletics
Intramurals
Student Activities
Clubs/Organizations
Leadership Development
Parents
Students grant parents permission to specific
screens, such as accounts and billing and
financial aid status
Faculty/Staff
Student Affairs
Campus Activites
Recreation Center
New Students
Support Services
Residential Life
Library
Disability Support Services
Student Forums/Discussion Pages
Health Care
Campus Safety
Accounts and Billing
Parking and Transportation
Housing Contracts
Roommate Preference
Special Needs/Disabilities
Works Orders/Equipment Needs
Food Points/Plan
Financial Aid
Instructions
Application
Loan Status
Award Letters
Technology Services
Email
Computer Help
Portal Intructions
Organization Recommendations
Current Students
Academic Services
Student Affairs
New Students
Faculty/Staff
Orientation
Contract Information/Details
Important dates and times
Registration
Scheduling
Financial Aid
Payroll
Benefits
Insurance
Retirement
Departmental Listings and Contacts
Computer Support
Additional Services
Recreation Center
Childcare
Computer Support
Accessibility and Communication
• Students
– Single sign-on for student general information
– Access to all services with the option of customizing individual database according to
needs and interests, including and excluding options and features
– Access to additional services such as calendars, news items, chat rooms, online
discussions, and interest groups
• Parents
– Parental access to account details and grade information may be granted by the
student with a waiver of confidentiality rights
• Faculty and staff
– Customized access according to department
• Example: an employee in Facilities Operations will need access to all staff
information links as well as maintenance requests, disability support details, and
related information
Portal Examples
• University of Washington
– An example of portal prototypes: including an example of a current
student, an admitted student/recruit, a faculty member, alumni, and an
extension student.
http://www.washington.edu/protos/myuw/demo
• University of California-Los Angeles
– An example of a portal in use at a university.
http://myucla.edu
References
• Evans, N.J., Forney, D.S., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998). Student development in
college: Theory, research and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• University Web Design (2002). My University Portals FAQ. Retrieved on
February 19, 2005 from
http://www.usask.ca/web_project/uwebd/portals_faq.html.
• Barr, M. J., Desler, M. K., & Associates (2000). The Handbook of Student Affairs
Administration. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Indiana State University: MyISU Portal Information (2005). MyISU Portal
Information Website. Retrieved on February 19, 2005 from
http://www.indstate.edu/portal/
Submitted for review by:
Christy Bear
Jenna Braun
Ashley Hattaway
Western Illinois University