North Shore Community College Pyramid Project

Pyramid Overview Pyramid Project Foundational Values Technology, engineering and organization Demonstration Project for Commonwealth of Massachusetts/BHE/ITD –Documentation, Project timelines and lessons learned Course Redesign, Academic Transformation, Portal Web site organization Massachusetts E-learning Initiative – Lead by former NSCC Interim president Dr. Laurence Reeves

Major Driving Forces Leadership & Consensus Building –Sponsorship of President – Dr. Wayne Burton –Teamwork of CFO & CIO toward common goal –Marketing and communications –Stakeholder involvement E-Learning Web based services – (self service model) Portal – communication and relationship building

Evolving Culture & Opportunities Anxiety about systems & change Portal technology and Web integration are changing the NSCC culture –E-learning –Faculty and student services –Expectations of students Portal and Web services –Well received with simple interface –High impact –Efficiencies

Strategic Planning Collaboration and Partnerships IT strategic plan Academic Technology Tactical Plan

Vision – to discover the confluence between existing and emerging technologies with pedagogically sound principles Purpose – to augment learning and teaching with technology to achieve a student-centered curriculum

Perspective Paul Frydrych Chief Academic Officer and Dean of Academic Affairs

ATTP - The Three C’s Collaborative Roundtable: meetings with academic, IS, and student support representatives Consensus: polling participants on priority tactical objectives and projects Confirmation: presenting findings through the collegiate governance structure

Driving Principle “How could we achieve anytime/anywhere services, reduce back office work and also ensure that our end users would be able to use the technology in the easiest fashion possible”

Portal Model Admin Apps Process/Wkflow Infrastructure ` People Typical IS Model Web Admin Apps Instruct Apps Admin Apps

Portal Benefits Web-based – Anywhere & Anytime Access Dynamic updates based on events in administrative system Reduced back-office support Customized content based on the “user” One username and password Single sign-on seamless user interface Ubiquitous access to a wide range of services Scalable Alumni relationships

NSCC Systems Portal software Campus Pipeline (3.x on NT ) SCT Banner 5.x Novell GroupWise Course Management System SCT Web products for student and faculty Touchnet payment gateway Smartforce CBT 24 x 7 online tutoring (Smarthinking)

Available Student Services Services and Functionality Web Services: Registration, payment, FA Transcripts, grades, schedules , Calendar & Groups Dynamic Accounts & Self-activation Targeted Announcements Course Resource Areas for Every Class: Threaded discussion Class chat Class links Single Sign-On: Learning Management System CBT tutorials & online tutoring Web services “This technology is the best thing the college has ever done” Student Trustee 2001 Laurette Mordi

Available Faculty Services Services and Functionality Web Services: Advising information Entering grades, schedules, class lists & Calendar Dynamic Accounts & Self-activation Targeted Announcements Course Resource Areas for every class: Threaded discussion Class chat Editable area for class links Automatic distribution lists Single Sign-On: Learning Management System CBT tutorials & online tutoring Web services "Current technology, particularly Campus Pipeline, makes up-to-date information about students in our classes instantly available--as close as the computer terminal whether in our office or at home." - Professor Lori Azzara

Portal Statistics Live with integration-Fall % students web registered-Spring 2001 –80% web registered-Fall 2001 –83% web registered Spring activated student accounts 620+ students enrolled in on-line courses

Portal Statistics

Timeline

Effectiveness Easy to Use! Fixed inefficient registration process Improved support for faculty – , distribution lists, message board –Supports online courses Made us utilize the system capabilities Fostered cultural shift to self-service –Schedule and Class Rosters not mailed –Advising, Degree Audit, Grades Provides consistent interface to all systems Improved support for on-line courses

Reasons for Success Collected data to support vision Executive Management support –Implemented to make a difference Design criteria established Team based implementation Pilots: Phased in with training & support Attractive to all constituents Continued the momentum

Efficiencies and ROI Issues Considered: Strategy for supporting business operations –Investment costs and cost reduction Scalability and enhanced effectiveness Strategic value and value generation Indicators and outcomes – “Are you attracting users, interacting with users, transacting with users, retaining users, and growing with users” (Camille Farhat – GE company)

ROI - HW/SW & Personnel Costs Campus Pipeline servers $30,000 Oracle Appl. Server – NT $ 8,000 SCT Web (Faculty & Student) $60,000 Touchnet Payment & E-check$59,000 IS Resources Estimated $180,000 Training for IS Staff$ 6,000 Pipeline Software $90,000 LMS Server & SW $15,000 CBT Server and Software $ 43,000 Total Cost $ 491,000 NSCC Costs after Grants $ 382,000

ROI Facts In March 2003 all portal costs will be recouped How? Reduced back office support Reduced mailings through self-service & Web services – always expanding In-house support for online courses In-house support for 24x7 services Project completed with no additional IS staff – In fact the staff was reduced by 1

Pedagogical Renewal through Technology Basic Pedagogical Questions: –Why? –Who? –How? –What?

Why? To discover the effective intersections between learning and technology To invigorate innovation and experimentation To foster student-centered learning To design seamless integrations of technology in teaching and learning

Who - Students Mature students Juggling multiple responsibilities Demand for flexibility and convenience Increasing student expectations for technology integration

Perspective: Student Comments “I am a very busy mom and I also work part time, so I need flexibility.” “Time is important. I started college late in life, and I want to make sure that I spend my time wisely.” “Child care can be an obstacle for me. With Web-supported elements I can be home more often.” “I like the independence of working on my own.”

Who? – Faculty Pioneers Later adopters Support mechanisms: –Infrastructure and Instructional Technology Specialists –Helpdesk (8am – 8pm) –24x7 systems support

Perspective Tina Lemoi Instructional Technology Specialist

How? Academic Technology Tactical Plan –Tactical objectives –Projects –Owners Technology across the Curriculum –Faculty run –Juried proposals –Stipends and released time

Perspective Terri Whitney Professor, English Department

What? Pedagogical Renewal –Blending the dynamic teaching and learning process with technology –Augmenting a student-centered curriculum –Harnessing advances in educational technology

CAT Courses Classroom and Technology –Integrated technology enhancements –Web-supported teaching

Perspective Sandra Carriker Professor, Computer Science Department

Perspective Maureen Nardella Professor, Occupational Therapy Department

Online & Web Supported Courses

Perspective Jeff Slater Professor, Business Department

Support Services Instructional technology specialists Online computer lab assistants Help Desk Dedicated online tutors Smarthinking CBT’s Smartforce

Perspective Sharyn Sweeney Student Support Center

Pyramid Project URL:

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Contact Information Presentation URL: Janice Forsstrom – Dean of Administration/Chief Fiscal Officer Phillip Sbaratta – Asst. Dean of Academic Technology & Distance Learning Gary Ham – Collegis/Eduprise Chief Information Officer