An eStrategy for Universities & Colleges Richard Spencer Executive Director, eBusiness ITServices University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC Canada Intro: My background, faculty, registrar, ebusiness North American perspective I will say something about eLearning, but I am not an expert I hope I can use terminology which isn’t too confusing. I believe what we call a program you call a course, and what we call a course you call a subject or module. PORTALS 2002: An institutional imperative

The University of British Columbia located in Vancouver, BC, Canada 37,000 students many on-line services, 100% web registration 3000 faculty and research staff 6000 other staff Campus is 402 hectares = 993 acres 25,000 uPortal users, 15,000/day an eStrategy

Goals of universities & colleges learning and development scholarship and discovery of knowledge transmission of knowledge community engagement We have to remember that the role of administrators and administrative departments, including IT departments, is to support these goals. intellectual activity is the means of production faculty and students are the key an eStrategy

Faculty and students need: more time fewer administrative tasks less time and effort on remaining tasks better use of time tools to support learning & research better service and support improved morale To be more effective at achieving these strategic goals, faculty and students need..... time & tools for learning and scholarship an eStrategy

Support staff need: less time spent on processes Web self-service for customers improved processes (work flow) tools to support customer service client relationship management (CRM) shared information and knowledge knowledge management (KM) more time for value added work an eStrategy

Opportunity If we use Internet and Web technologies, and radically improve our administrative processes, we can: cut the time to complete key university processes improve service give students, faculty and staff tools and time they can use to learn, teach and work better. an eStrategy

eStrategy vision Enable a new eBusiness and eLearning environment that: supports the University’s strategic goals is simple, efficient and saves people time welcomes, values and respects the end-user is flexible, personalized, and anticipates needs an eStrategy

eStrategy components an eStrategy

Achieving the vision We need: a sense of urgency a guiding coalition a vision and strategy communication short term wins consolidation and more change empowerment to act support for change J Kotter “Leading Change” “Ability to act” is Kotter’s “empowered to act” We also need to support staff through change “hard work and nerve” - UBC President “revolution, not evolution” - UBC VP Academic an eStrategy

eBusiness “ The transformation of key business processes through the use of Internet technologies.” an eStrategy

Paper based processes paper forms – in person delivery of information it is difficult to share information information is duplicated processes are complex and slow staff are responsible for processing paper file storage shaped our organizations information is duplicated we ask the same things many times These are “institution facing” computer systems began to change this… an eStrategy

the Web is a disruptive technology browsers - a universal interface connect to information from anywhere Web applications access processes from anywhere end users can enter data into systems Web services loosely coupled systems a fully distributed systems environment Def: any piece of software that makes itself available over the Internet and uses a standard XML messaging system” Web services are well suited to use in a university - XML messaging and internet protocols make it relatively easy for applications to communicate - we can do discovery off line - we can run them behind the firewall for security Web applications are “customer facing” the Web is a disruptive technology an eStrategy

The old service model: students: “here is our Calendar, you plan your program” “you must know and understand all the rules” faculty: “this is too complicated for them to do” “if we let them do it, they will get it wrong - then we’ll have to fix it” support staff focused on the institution assumed they had to do all the work an eStrategy

“it is your responsibility....” an eStrategy

The new service model: students: “how can we help you achieve your goals?” “we’ll make sure your program meets our requirements” faculty: “what are you responsible for?” “how can we help you with these?” “we’ll give you the support you need” Faculty - “we’ll give you the support you need” we will do this even if we have to deliver information and services from multiple systems and departments focus on the customer’s needs an eStrategy

Our customers want: real time service anywhere, anytime not to be asked for things we already know the information they need, when they need it seamless service from multiple systems zero stop shopping our offices to disappear simple, helpful, self service in person help if they need it an eStrategy

Our processes should: eliminate paper forms keep all information on our systems let the owner of the information enter it apply any necessary rules eliminate unnecessary approvals complete in real time whenever possible be highly scaleable free staff do more value added work an eStrategy

Business process redesign Making radical improvements case for action end result commitment to implement facilitated redesign process decide if design will produce the end result if yes - implementation redesign first, then choose technology an eStrategy

BPR: payment of student fees Currently fees assessed for tuition, residence, meals, books, library fines, parking, telephone service, internet access, ..... each fee is paid to a separate office credit cards are not accepted for tuition some departments don’t accept on-line payment on-line banking payment for tuition only an eStrategy

* electronic funds transfer Re-design Consolidated billing and payment use web services to allow students to see all amounts owed from a single web application students can choose which fees to pay, how much to pay, and payment method on-line payment by EFT* from any Canadian or US bank for any amount owed refunds and payments to students will be paid using the same EFT process * electronic funds transfer an eStrategy

The role of the portal simple access to information & applications login & run from anywhere, on any platform authentication, authorization and single signon personalization by the institution customization by the user consistent look and feel a framework for presentation Login from anywhere - user preferences are stored centrally - consistent look and feel authentication, authorization, and single signon - all applications use a common service personalization by the institution - present appropriate information and resources - support workflow make it easy for the customer encourage identification with the institution an eStrategy

Services in a channel an eStrategy One problem we have been working on during the last year is delivering Student Services through the Portal to students. Now student services includes a large range of functions….and, if each of these was delivered as a separate channel through a Portal they would simply overwhelm the Portal. What was needed was to aggregate these services within a channel (and not as channels).I think what we ended up doing was building a little Portal within a Portal channel. an eStrategy

Linked portals an eStrategy One problem we have been working on during the last year is delivering Student Services through the Portal to students. Now student services includes a large range of functions….and, if each of these was delivered as a separate channel through a Portal they would simply overwhelm the Portal. What was needed was to aggregate these services within a channel (and not as channels).I think what we ended up doing was building a little Portal within a Portal channel. an eStrategy

A great customer interface make it easy for people let people go back and change things let them track the process tell them when the process is complete integrate information and services from multiple systems no training required keep it simple and consistent an eStrategy

The green bar an eStrategy

PRESS THE GREEN BAR an eStrategy

eLearning Some observations we offer students more than learning traditional teaching models work well for many students and instructors these models are under stress traditional institutions cannot meet the world-wide need for higher education “we offer students more than learning” student development issuing credentials ranking and sorting students “these models are under stress” as the need for higher education increases it is time to think about productivity an eStrategy

The in person learning model earliest form of university learning enhanced by printing press, books proven to work over many centuries instructors hand craft their material each lecture is a new production student/instructor ratio measures quality tested and developed over many centuries - student development can flourish instructors hand craft their courses -3 to 4 hours of preparation for 1 hour of teaching each lecture is a new production - good lectures are exciting and engaging if student/instructor ratio measures quality - productivity falls as quality increases face to face teaching doesn’t scale - more students need more teachers and space we assume: more students per teacher -> lower quality an eStrategy

An eLearning vision reusable learning objects learning that adapts to learners’ needs alternative models for in person support credentials that reflect: learners’ interests and goals institutions’ knowledge, traditions and standards effective use of all appropriate technologies reusable learning objects expensive to produce high quality, low per-use cost learning that adapts to learners’ needs alternative models for in-person support virtual and real communities of learners credentials that reflect learners’ interests and goals institutions’ knowledge, traditions and standards learning models that scale increasing quality and productivity more students meet their learning goals an eStrategy

eStrategy challenges privacy & security administration of distributed systems technology ensuring fast response making the right choices resources money & people connectivity change an eStrategy

Can we achieve our vision? for centuries: people knew heavier than air objects could fly there were many attempts to build flying machines - all failed the physical principles were known, but the technology did not exist “Heavier than air flying machines are impossible” Lord Kelvin, President, Royal Society, 1895 I would like you to think about the history of mans attempts to fly Leornardo Da Vinci Most unexpected of all, Leonardo developed the idea of the modern helicopter. Taking his inspiration from a Chinese toy, he designed an aerial structure that was meant to be rapidly whirled for bearing people aloft. Drawn in about 1500 Oville and Wilbur Wright, 1903 The most important flight ever made in a airplane lasted only 12 secs and covered a distance of 120 feet. We all know that the flyer was Orville Wright, who had developed the plane he called the Flyer with his brother Wilbur, and the year was 1903. The Wrights were not dreamers: they brought about a new age by systematic study of their subject and a series of carefully planned tests with gliders. Their practical thinking was matched by mans ability to carry out their thoughts; when they could not persuade any existing company to build them a light, powerful airplane motor, they built it themselves. And their feat of flying was so amazing that several years went by before many people really believed they had done it. Daedalus 88 human powered aircraft shown on its last flight at Dryden Flight Research Centre, at Edwards California The Daedalus 88 aircraft was the ship that flew the 199 km from the Iraklion Air Force Base on Crete in the Mediterranean Sea, to the island of Santorini in 3 hours, 54 minutes. In the process, the aircraft set new records in distance and endurance for a human powered aircraft. an eStrategy

Can we achieve our vision? for centuries: people knew heavier than air objects could fly there were many attempts to build flying machines - all failed the physical principles were known, but the technology did not exist I would like you to think about the history of mans attempts to fly Leornardo Da Vinci Most unexpected of all, Leonardo developed the idea of the modern helicopter. Taking his inspiration from a Chinese toy, he designed an aerial structure that was meant to be rapidly whirled for bearing people aloft. Drawn in about 1500 Oville and Wilbur Wright, 1903 The most important flight ever made in a airplane lasted only 12 secs and covered a distance of 120 feet. We all know that the flyer was Orville Wright, who had developed the plane he called the Flyer with his brother Wilbur, and the year was 1903. The Wrights were not dreamers: they brought about a new age by systematic study of their subject and a series of carefully planned tests with gliders. Their practical thinking was matched by mans ability to carry out their thoughts; when they could not persuade any existing company to build them a light, powerful airplane motor, they built it themselves. And their feat of flying was so amazing that several years went by before many people really believed they had done it. Daedalus 88 human powered aircraft shown on its last flight at Dryden Flight Research Centre, at Edwards California The Daedalus 88 aircraft was the ship that flew the 199 km from the Iraklion Air Force Base on Crete in the Mediterranean Sea, to the island of Santorini in 3 hours, 54 minutes. In the process, the aircraft set new records in distance and endurance for a human powered aircraft. an eStrategy

Can we achieve our vision? for centuries: people knew heavier than air objects could fly there were many attempts to build flying machines - all failed the physical principles were known, but the technology did not exist I would like you to think about the history of mans attempts to fly Leornardo Da Vinci Most unexpected of all, Leonardo developed the idea of the modern helicopter. Taking his inspiration from a Chinese toy, he designed an aerial structure that was meant to be rapidly whirled for bearing people aloft. Drawn in about 1500 Oville and Wilbur Wright, 1903 The most important flight ever made in a airplane lasted only 12 secs and covered a distance of 120 feet. We all know that the flyer was Orville Wright, who had developed the plane he called the Flyer with his brother Wilbur, and the year was 1903. The Wrights were not dreamers: they brought about a new age by systematic study of their subject and a series of carefully planned tests with gliders. Their practical thinking was matched by mans ability to carry out their thoughts; when they could not persuade any existing company to build them a light, powerful airplane motor, they built it themselves. And their feat of flying was so amazing that several years went by before many people really believed they had done it. Daedalus 88 human powered aircraft shown on its last flight at Dryden Flight Research Centre, at Edwards California The Daedalus 88 aircraft was the ship that flew the 199 km from the Iraklion Air Force Base on Crete in the Mediterranean Sea, to the island of Santorini in 3 hours, 54 minutes. In the process, the aircraft set new records in distance and endurance for a human powered aircraft. an eStrategy

eStrategy: a vision we can achieve an eStrategy