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The Gateway to Ellingsburg University:
Jaime L. ClougherAndrew G. Hill
Kyle D. McCoolKatherine M. Wehner
A portal project proposal
Purpose:
To discuss a portal project for the Ellingsburg University community
Overview of Presentation Identify reasons to implement a portal and not enhance the
website Review general portal research Provide examples of best practices Discuss how a portal will improve EU Discuss the structure and content of the “perfect” EU portal Explain the organization, implementation, and assessment of
an EU portal
What is a Portal “A portal is a gate, a door, or entrance.”
Daigle & Cuocco, 2002, p. 109 “Portals gather a variety of useful information resources into
a single, one-stop webpage that allows users to customize their information resources by selecting and viewing information they find personally useful.”
Student as cited in Jackson, 2002, p. 37
Why a Portal at EU Website v. Portal
Website Static information Passive Does not change for
different users Cannot be modified by users A portal does not replace a
homepage
Portal Can be customized toward user
preference Select roles within portal Consistency Single log in for multiple
services
Jafari, 2003, p. 9
User BenefitsBenefit Prospective
StudentsStudents Faculty Staff Alumni/
Community
Convenience Discover Courses before enrollingCheck status of application on-line
Access course materials, calendars, library materials, and financial information
Access to course rosters and enrollment numbers
Review and update information vital to campus operation including enrollment numbers, revenues and expenditures
Keep up with University athletic teams, access the University calendar, customize to your interests
Cooperation Share enrollment experiences with staff and other prospective students
Collaborate with other students through online communities
Build relationships with peers by creating resources for students
Support the teaching and learning process
Get involved in alumni activities
Communication Live interaction though real-time chats
Stay connected with classmates and faculty
Keep in touch with students about enrollment, grades, and assignments
Stay abreast of changes in events, schedules, and policies
Keep in contact with fellow alum
Capacity Streamline application process through improved services
Post assignments, review grades, change major or home address
Increase productivity by improving and recycling course materials
Update information quickly and easily
Learn about career fairs, counseling, workshops, and job listings
Table taken from Frazee, Frazee, & Sharpe, 2003, p. 137
Literature supporting student needs and benefits When student academic and social interactions are
intertwined, student satisfaction is increased
Students expect both personal and online interactions and opportunities
Student involvement = student satisfaction
Enhances out of class learning experiences
Astin, 1993; Creighton and Buchanan, 2001; Tinto, 1993
Structure and Content Characteristics of a portal:
Security Access to a wide range of information by a single sign-on Protection of individual’s privacy by granting access to information
Content Standardized information of which some can be modified or customized for the user type
Interaction Increased interaction with university affiliates through means, such as, online discussion
forums Knowledge Management
Integration of information from various campus sources Course management tools Access to campus resources, such as, online forms and research tools
Harr, 2002
Structure and Content of a portal How to set up a portal
Single Log In Access to email, personal information, class schedule, registration, online
learning environments, etc… Role Selection
Some users may have multiple roles. Role selection allows portal to know who the user is and the access they need A staff member may also be a student – at work they may need access to
certain aspects of the portal, but when in the student role, those aspects are not necessary.
Tab Feature Decreases information overload by spreading out information to various pages
Structure and Content of a portal Multiple users
Channels and features can be standardized, customized, and personalized Customized
Based on user type e.g. A faculty member would have different access to channels than
a student Personalized
Allow user to modify portal based on preference e.g. A student affairs graduate student can add a channel to access
StudentAffairs.com
Structure and Content of a portal Portal may function as follows:
CourseManagement
Tools
Library
Campus Information
Public Information
Electronic Mail
Collaboration User Tools
FinancialRecordSystem
Human Resource
System
Student Record System
Intranet
AccessIdentification
Personalization Security
Figure taken from Eisler, 2003, p. 70
Structure and Content of a portal Common collegiate portal channels
Calendars and to do lists Announcements and alerts Job openings and career
opportunities Reports and documents Personal human resource
information Search feature Email and address book Library access
Residence hall menus Course schedules, grades, GPA,
transcripts, degree audit News- campus, local, nation, world Weather Maps and images Campus events Directory Instant messenger, such as, AOL, Yahoo,
and MSN
Best Practices Indiana University
onestart.iu.edu Roanoke College
myrc.roanoke.edu See example on following
slides
Denison University mydenison.edu See example on following
slides Rutgers University
My.rutgers.edu/portal/tour A great tour option
Why a Portal at EU Easier for every stakeholder to carry out her or his role in the
institution Communication and cooperation are a priority at liberal arts
institutions Today’s liberal arts undergraduates have come to expect this
type of technology Current website does not offer these capabilities, even after
overhaul
Millichap, 2003, p. 56
How a Portal Will Improve EU Fosters community building
There are many similarities between a virtual community and a traditional community; “inclusivity, commitment, and consensus; realism; contemplation; a safe place; a laboratory for personal disarmament”
Michalski as cited in Strange and Banning, 2001, p. 196
“…virtual time and virtual place extend opportunities for all members of a community to participate, an essential feature of any productive system”
Por as cited in Strange and Banning, 2001, p. 194
Organization of the EU Portal Tabs - all users
My Tab Campus E-mail Library
- My bookmarks - My favorites - My calendar - My e-mail - Search - Other channels
- Campus homepage- Campus events- Calendar- News (campus, local, national)- Weather- Maps- Search feature- Announcements and alerts- Athletics- Technology
- Web mail- Outlook- Pop account- User can change options
- Library homepage
Organization of the EU Portal Tabs - current students
Student Self Service Student Tools Residence Hall
- Registration information- Bursar- Financial aid- Update personal information- Unofficial transcripts- Degree audits- To do list- Required text books
- Student directory- Instant messenger- Legal music downloads
(e.g. i–Tunes)
- Movie times- Intramurals- Dictionary- On campus jobs
- Residence hall events- Announcements- Dining menus- Emergency procedures- RA contact- Renewal forms
Organization of the EU Portal Tabs - prospective students
Admissions Other
- Track application process- Missing documents- Alerts- News
- Housing- Campus alerts, such as registration deadlines- Credit transfer- Course schedule
Organization of the EU Portal Tabs - faculty and staffStaff Tools Faculty
AdministrativeHuman Resource Management
Staff Administrative
- My finances- Direct deposit- Tax forms- Calendar- Dictionary- Retirement information
- Class rosters- Grade turn in- Enrollment- Credit transfer- Placement tests- High school transcripts- Student major- Department specific
- Profile forms- Insurance information- Timekeeping- To do list- Professional development- Job opportunities
- Admission- Placement tests- Credit transfer- Loan history- Bill amount- Transcripts- Additional student information- Office specific
Implementation Cross divisional institutional team Current Team
Director of Residence Life Representative from the
Communication Office President of Faculty Senate Technology Liaison
Additional Recommended Members Chief Academic Officer Academic Support Professional Librarian Representative from Student Services Student Government President Alumni Dean of Students Bursar Registrar
Implementation of the EU Portal Additional considerations for the implementation team
Develop a pilot portal providing basic services Span of one semester Gather qualitative and quantitative data using surveys, focus groups, interviews Start with skeletal portal and add features, tabs, channels, options
The data will help determine problem areas and issues prior to the go-live date
Start small with very few channels Indicate which type of users will be implemented first Select students
Utilize focus groups Allow students to being utilizing portal Weekly feedback and meetings
Incorporate additional channels Appoint a planning and implementation team dedicated to the goals of the project
Implementation of the EU Portal Additional considerations
Initial cost Will portal be developed internally or contracted by an outside source?
Operating cost How will EU maintain the portal with the advancements in technology?
Upkeep and maintenance What staff will be assigned to the portal?
Assessment How will the portal be assessed and utilize the information for improvement?
Interfacing with university mainframe How will the image of EU be maintained and communicated through the portal?
Accessibility Is the portal user friendly?
Implementation time Identify resources, prepare budget, design a timeline, implement, evaluate and assess.
Assessment
Improve
Implement
Assess
Plan
Figure taken from Banta, 2004
Assessment By utilizing Banta’s model, EU will continually assess the
portal to determine necessary improvements and strategically plan for the short and long term.
Various forms of assessment will be used including: Feedback from pilot project Random log off questionnaire Benchmarking with similar institutions User comment and feedback option User help line Tracking
EU’s portal project upholds Chickering and Gamson’s Seven Principles of Good Practice in undergraduate education by:
1. encouraging student-faculty contact through ease of communication2. encouraging cooperation among students as a result of creating a virtual
community3. encouraging active learning by utilizing the portal frequently4. giving prompt feedback through access to student records5. emphasizing time on task by simplifying ways of obtaining information6. communicating high expectations through expected use7. respecting diverse talents and ways of learning by providing personalization
and customization
Chickering & Gamson, 1991
Overall Recommendation The development team sees the portal as a logical step to
meet the technological needs of the university. Students expect to have such resources at their fingertips. It would allow staff and faculty to interact in a new way without abandoning the old. It would ultimately be a benefit for all users and stakeholders of the university. Our group recommends that the executive staff proceed with the portal project.
Works Cited Astin, A. W. (1993). What matters in college: Four critical years revisited (1st Ed). San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass. Banta, T.W. (2004, October). Outcomes assessment and evaluation in higher education. Paper
presented in class, Education C565: Introduction into Higher Education Administration. Chickering, A.W., & Gamson, Z.F. (Eds.) (1991). Applying the seven principles for good practice in
undergraduate education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Creighton, J.V., & Buchanan, P. (2001, March/April). Toward the e-campus: Using the internet to
strengthen, rather than replace, the campus experience. EDUCAUSE Review, pp. 12-13. Daigle, S.L., & Cuocco, P.M. (2002). Portal technology opportunities, obstacles, and options: A view
from the California State University [Electronic Version]. In R.N. Katz & Associates (Eds.) Web portals and higher education: Technologies make it personal (pp. 109-121). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Eisler, D.L. (2003). Campus portal strategies. In A. Jafari, & M. Sheehan (Eds.), Designing portals: Opportunities and challenges (pp.68-88). Hershey, PA: IRM Press.
Frazee, J.P., Frazee, R. V., & Sharpe, D. (2003). Begin with the end (user) in mind: Planning for the San Diego State University campus portal. In A. Jafari, & M. Sheehan (Eds.), Designing portals: Opportunities and challenges (pp.127-161). Hershey, PA: IRM Press.
Harr, G.L. (2002). A comprehensive student portal concept paper and proposal. (Report No. IR021970) Jacksonville, FL: Florida Community College of Jacksonville. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED474411).
Jackson, M.E. (2002, Sept 15). The Advent of portals. Library Journal. Jafari, A. (2003). The ABC’s of designing campus portals. In A. Jafari, & M. Sheehan (Eds.),
Designing portals: Opportunities and challenges (pp.7-27). Hershey, PA: IRM Press. Millichap, N. (2003). Building collaborative programs for institutional technology [Electronic Version].
Educause quarterly, 3, 56-59. Strange, C.C., & Banning, J.H. (2001). Educating by design: Creating campus learning
environments that work. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition (2nd Ed.).
Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
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