1. SySDEM UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD 6/11/20141 Complex choices made simple - online registration in a modular university Colm Small Head of Support, SySDEM, Registry University College Dublin e – mail: Colm.Small@ucd.ie tel: +353-1-7161559 SROC Belfast – Tuesday, 1 April 2008Colm.Small@ucd.ie

2. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Complex choices made simple - online registration in a modular university UCDs recent transition to a modular and semesterised university has led to a potentially richer, but more complex, programme environment. We use online registration as a key tool in helping students engage with their programme and its options. This presentation will give an overview of our approach and its overall context. A SUPPORT FOCUS

3. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Overview of Presentation Overview of UCD UCD Registry & SySDEM UCD & Modularisation – the context Objectives of Registration 2007 Preparing for Online Registration 2007 The Online Registration Application itself Student Supports Student Survey & Key Successes Teaching Fellows Research UCD HEA Numbers 2007/08 Further thoughts & the future

4. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM UCD Overview Founded 1854 Major Restructuring from 2004/2005 New University Structures 5 Colleges 35 Schools Programme Offices, School Offices, Registry, etc c. 22, 500 students c. 15,000 U.Grads (incl. Certs and Diplomas) c. 5,500 P.Grads c. 1,000 Occasionals c. 500 Adult Ed c. 200 Programmes c. 3,000 Modules

5. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Overview of UCD Registry

6. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM SySDEM Unit in UCD Registry Systems, Support, Development and Enrolment Management (SySDEM) Who we are and what we do? A multi-skilled and multi-disciplinary team, delivering support and services to university staff and students. Services centre around 6 main areas: Curriculum and Information Management: Managing and developing the capture of curricular information, the configuration of systems and publication of curriculum information.Curriculum and Information Management: Registration and Records Management: Managing and developing enrolment and registration, student advance, progression and managing the student record.Registration and Records Management Support & Training: Managing the units support to Programmes, Schools, Graduate Schools and the other units of the Registrars Office, providing training in the systems and processes supported by the unit.Support & Training: Module Demand, Capacity and Timetabling: Managing the process of measuring the demand for modules, providing sufficient capacity to meet that demand and delivering the timetable which supports this.Module Demand, Capacity and Timetabling: Systems: Driving the development of the various systems that support students including admission, fees, registration and assessment, working closely with IT Services in this endeavour.Systems: Programme & School Liaison: Providing trained staff to liaise with programmes and schools, enabling the delivery of linked administrative services.Programme & School Liaison:

7. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM UCD & Modularisation – the context Why Modularise? –Quantifying student effort –Focus on learning outcomes –Improving transferability of programmes, ladders of progression, entry/exit strategies Who Benefits? –Students: Improved choice, improvement in quality of degree, Transition away from 100% terminal assessment to continuous assessment –Staff: Clearer guidelines and regulations Support for new and innovative programme development Future Developments –Development of a University-wide Education Strategy –Initiating and promoting Innovations in Teaching and Learning

8. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM UCD & Modularisation Commenced in 2005/06 with all Stage 1 Undergraduate 2006/07 with all Stage 2 Undergraduate 2007/08 all Stages of Programmes (Undergraduate & Postgraduate) excluding a small number of Degree Programmes (e.g. Stages 5 & 6 Medicine) Concept of New Horizons at Undergraduate Level – more choice, more complexity Cores, Options & Electives Stages, Progression & Compensation Resits and Repeats

9. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM The Objectives of Registration 2007: Getting the students to where they need to be Taking part in / engaged with their programmes, signed up for their modules, attending their lectures, ready for labs and tutorials Accessing the support they need in making decisions or dealing with complexity Registered to their modules, fees paid More comprehensive support preparations All systems preparations in place earlier (timetables, programme structures, systems configuration etc.) A more stable software platform Clearer operational rules and regulations A more comprehensive preparation for the various student scenarios Greater participation in addressing issues and decision making A more effective integration of the operational layer across the university

10. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Online Module Registration attempts to: To help students understand the structure of their chosen programme –The number of core and optional modules required –The number of electives required –The pathway through the levels of the programme to degree level To provide information on how to choose subjects and core and optional modules –Understand the requirements in first-year to ensure that a student can pursue a particular subject area thereafter To provide support and assistance –in registering their module choice during the registration period

11. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Preparations for Online Registration 2007 End of previous year and up to April 2007 –Review of programme structures and School module lists –Plans for upgrading on-line registration software –Programme structures and module lists submitted –Approvals process brokered through the UGBP and UUPB To end of June 2007 –Information builds complete –On-line curriculum browser available –Software and testing completed –Timetables largely in place To end of July 2007 –Timetables complete and programme verification process run –Student registration support planned and in place –Registration begun at end of July – the advance First students start registering online in mid - August

12. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Online Registration 2007 & Electives more choice & complexity In-programme electives –All programmes are required to provide their students with a full credit load in programme e.g. other MIS modules for Business students –Access to spare capacity on option modules as electives to those on the programme –Mechanism for associating other modules to provide elective places Provisional electives –All elective registration (general studies and in-programme) is provisional up to September 8th –We randomly allocate, where there is competition, on the 8 th –We keep the students involved up to date with regular e-mails Overall capacity of modules –Challenge to the Schools and Programmes to provide sufficient module capacity both for core/options and for electives (general and in-programme) –Prior to allocation of provisional places there is an opportunity to add capacity in response to demand leading to happier students, more FTEs General Lesson 2008: reduce where possible the pool of provisional registrations for students. Random process of allocating places is complex.

13. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Online registration 2007 - IT preparations Streamline registration for students to majors, minors and subjects so as to make it clearer and easier for students to use online –particularly in Arts and Science Improved search capability for electives –to enable students to more easily see which modules will fit with their timetable Enhanced information for non-standard students (such as repeat and occasional students) –Repeats / substitutions / transfer credits page for continuing students –credit history: you got 50 credits last year, are short 10, are registered to.." Swap and drop –allows students to swap modules without first having to drop existing modules, only dropping the first if they can get the second Blackboard integration (e – Teaching / e – Learning) –Module registration drives Blackboard class lists –Once a day the lists updated – new registrations, new drops

14. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Online Registration – Read Only display for staff Support: staff see what the student sees

15. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Before Students Register Online Support: Reg. Guides and other online info. Big focus on Stage 1 – new Undergraduate students – student packs They should know what modules are part of their programme and the choices they will need to make. www.ucd.ie/horizons and click on Course Search for more information on their UCD Programmewww.ucd.ie/horizons New Undergraduates - UCD Orientation 2007 schedule for details of their Academic Advisory Meeting where they will get more information on programmes and modules Dates to commence Module Reg. provided online to all students. Dates staggered. Online support info. Certain urls are key: e.g. WhatdoIdotoregister, Key Dates, ………………. New Postgraduates – support info. Packs co-ordinated by Grad. Deans Office

16. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Accessing UCD Online Registration UCD Online Registration Accessed via the students UCD Connect account

17. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM The Online Registration Application

18. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM 2 steps to Online Registration

19. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Step 2 - Module Registration Students needing to repeat or resit (i.e. remediate fails) a module from the previous semester will be automatically registered to them prior to registration starting UCD Programme that has core modules – students will be automatically registered to them prior to registration starting Students may then need to choose option modules or elective modules Students advised to get more information on a module on the UCD website before making any decisions Students need to register to any associated labs/tutorials (coursework) for modules

20. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Module Registration 1st Arts, 2nd Arts and 1st Science start in the Subject/Stream screen (Omnibus Programmes) All other students start in the Core/Options screen

21. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Subject/Stream - more complex decisions in certain programmes e.g. 1st Arts students: Need to select their subject choices from the subject grid on the screen. Having completed their choice they click Continue at the bottom of the page. If further information is required regarding these decisions, they are advised to contact their programme office.

22. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Subject/Stream 1st Science students: Need to select their subject choices from the list outlined on the screen. Having completed their choice they click Continue at the bottom of the page. If further information is required regarding these decisions, they are advised to contact their programme office.

23. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Core Modules Core modules that students are required to do, students will see them listed in this screen. They are pre-registered to them if no choice is required. In some cases they may have to select a time to attend lectures at. This is done by clicking on Choose Time.

24. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Choosing a time slot When they click on Choose Time they will see a timetable that shows them what days/times the lecture takes place. They Click on the time that suits best (e.g. Thursday at 3pm) and then they click on the Register button. They will be brought back to the main screen and they will see that the status of that module is now Chosen.

25. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Changing a time slot If a student needs to change the time of a lecture or lab/tutorial they click on Change Time. (If a module says pre-selected they will not be able to change the time).

26. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Choosing Option Modules Students may choose the option module they wish to take by clicking on "Select Module" They will then be shown the available time slots. They Click on the appropriate time slot, and then "Register".

27. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Choosing Labs and Tutorials If the module has labs and tutorials they may need to choose a time for them. To do this they click on "Choose Time" They will then be shown the available time slots. They Click on the appropriate time slot, and then "Register.

28. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Choosing Electives Students can search for elective modules by subject, by school and by keyword search. They choose the module they want and also the level they want. When they click a module they will see a description of that module. They are advised to always read the Am I eligible to take this Module? section before they register to the module.

29. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Choosing labs and tutorials for electives Elective modules may also have tutorials/labs that students need to choose times for. To do this they click on Choose Time as with the Core/Option labs/tutorials.

30. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Viewing the timetable To view their timetable the student clicks on the button called View Calendar They can look at both their Semester 1 and Semester 2 timetables. They can also print their timetable from here.

31. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Online student summary and student self - help during Online Module Registration

32. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Self - help during Online Module Registration in the Application itself Information icons – online help

33. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Self - help during Online Module Registration in the Application itself Also Timeclash icons – helps student build a complete timetable Click on a module title – students will see a description of the module and what they will learn. Am I eligible to take this module? as some modules may have certain criteria attached, such as a specified level of prior knowledge, that may determine whether or not students can take that module.

34. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Student support services for Online Registration & registration generally Call-in service @ UCD Student Desk –Telephone support –Email Online Registration user guides: www.ucd.ie/students/regguides.htmlwww.ucd.ie/students/regguides.html plus: printed Online Registration User Guides for new students Online info. Examples: http://www.ucd.ie/registry/registration/2007/ http://www.ucd.ie/students/provelectives.html http://www.ucd.ie/students/whatdoIdotoregister.htm Assisted Registration Labs Printing and collection of ID Cards Service for students with specific needs Management of physical queues Contingency planning and management Programme Office Support a key School Office Support

35. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Student Survey of Registration 2007 and Key Successes 2,633 / 14,000 (19%) students responded Overall satisfaction level 78% (48% in 2006) Where did they complete their Registration online? 2/3 from home & 1/5 in Assisted Labs in UCD Length of Registration time in total: 2/3 took 1 – 5 hours (less time than 2006) Use of the Online Regist. Application: > satisfactory, good, excellent 84% ease of logging in 82% layout and appearance 72% ease of navigation (56% in 2006) 63% onscreen guidance and help (47% in 2006)

36. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Student Survey of Registration 2007 and Key Successes Access to Options & Electives ½ got preferred modules ¼ got some of their preferred modules ¼ got none of their preferred modules Why? Mainly due to Time Clashing and Full modules Focus for 2008/09 is: strive for excellence in processes, supports and services for students that makes best use of staff time and energy Overall Registration Picture: 80% of students fully registered before start of the 2007/08 academic year 97% of students fully registered at end of two week window into semester 1 when online module registration closed

37. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM UCD Teaching Fellows Research on the First Year Experience First Years were happy with the mechanics of Registration 2007 Undergraduates want to study subjects that interest them Not enough information when making Subject choices stems from pre-CAO in Second Level. Feeds into University, especially where students are in Omnibus Programmes You cant substitute for proper personal advice What is expected of me? Students generally know what is expected of them but dont rise to the challenge in many cases Average time per week engaging with their programme = 25.9 hrs, not the 40 (doing 60% of the workload on average)

38. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM UCD Registered Student Numbers 2007/08 (extracted from Banner on 13 March 2008) Level CodeStudent Programme Degree Level Desciption2007/08 UG certificates & UG diplomasCertificate Undergraduate495 Diploma Undergraduate671 UG certificates & UG diplomas Total1,166 UndergraduateBachelor Degree13,663 Undergraduate Total13,663 Postgraduate taughtCertificate Postgraduate194 Diploma Postgraduate711 Diploma Undergraduate9 Higher Diploma354 Masters Degree2,442 Postgraduate taught Total3,710 Postgraduate ResearchDoctorate1,531 Masters Degree380 Postgraduate Research Total1,911 OccasionalOccasional1,196 Other87 Other Total1,283 Adult EducationCertificate527 Diploma Undergraduate163 Other196 Adult Education Total886 UCD Total22,619

39. UCD Registry Chlárlann UCD SySDEM Further thoughts & the future Continually improve the Online Registration Application e.g. Resits and Repeats drops in 2008, improved time slot search, Stage assignment default Better demand and capacity management = happier students. In 2007/08 many electives offered at same time as core and options - 10,000 unused elective places out of 34,000. Improve for 2008/09 Speed vs quality of module registration (heavy use of Online Change of Mind Window – November to February). CAO dates drive First Year, Orientation dates an issue Online Registration can only go so far - Academic Advisers required in larger numbers. Problematic in some Omnibus, larger Programmes WebCAPP – Banner Curriculum Advice Programme Planning: Self – Service for students in the future Flattening Stages in Programmes from 2008/09 = more advice required for students in the future