Creating Connectionsfor Next Generation UW–Madison

Web-based Services

Joanne Berg and Karen Hanson, Division of Enrollment Management &

Office of the Registrar

James Phelps, DoIT

Brian Yandell, Horticulture & Statistics

Our approach today…

• A brief overview of what we might do differently to allow students to make informed choices (next generation web services)

• Group discussion

• An overview of where we are with course guide today

• Making connections

What will you learn about?

• Course-related web-based service enhancements– New ways to collaborate– New ways to build continual feedback – What’s working now? What can we all do better?

• Web-based course-related projects in the works to improve services– Course Guide project– Web Content Management System– Enhancing Faculty & Student Centers in MyUW

What might we all do differently?

• Think about how we capture web content

• Think about how that content is used

…BUT WHY?

….good information should be just a click away

About course

offerings

The Past: Student Choosing Classes

Ask friends

Ask friends

Reminders

- Postcards

- emails

Check campus

resources

Check campus

resources

Check with

advisor

Check with

advisor

Eligible to register Registered

The Present: Students choosing classes

Ask fellow studentsE-mail

advisor

See advisorAnonymous chats

Social networking sites

Web resources

Advisor

Self publishing sites

RemindersMore and different

Eligible to register Registered

We think a course guide can help manage this chaos…

...an enhanced course catalog with interactive features

Course Guide Operations

• Display course information– official title and instructor(s)– official catalog description– department/program links– instructor's course content

• Modify course information– various levels of authentication– formal content vetted by campus governance– informal content provided by instructors and campus units

• Develop interdisciplinary areas of study– description of (interdisciplinary) area – list of inter-related courses– core contact person (instructor or administrator)– links to sponsoring organizational units

Making the right connections to get the right information…

Small group discussions

• The student perspective

• The faculty/instructional staff perspective

Student Perspective

1) How do you get information about courses

- In what media?- From whom?

2) What kind of information are you looking for?

3) When do you need it?

Faculty Perspective

1) How do you get the word out about your unique course offering?- In what media?- To whom?

2) What do you want to say about your course?

3) By when do you have this information available?

So is the Course Guide responsive?

• A single place to get rich information about courses, 4 year plans, links to other resources

• A place to manage information

• A place to store notes and build a plan

• A bridge to advisors

• What else?

How it can work with web-based enhancements

• Capturing the content– Course Guide

• aggregates data from diverse sources

– Web content management system• stores and tracks data

• Populating the Course Guide – draw formal content from course registry (what we

already have available)– build search and cross-linking infrastructure

• housed in MyUW

– market idea & tools for instructors to add content

Building the “one-stop shop”

• Customized entry for diverse users– start with department/program, area of study,

instructor, …– use topical search engines or favorites lists– search for classes offered– build a 2-4 year program of study

• streamlined maintenance of material– type once, use many times– standardized content template– customized presentation formats

It can be done with a web content management system

• type once, use often• process

– enter data locally, “on” your machine– commit information to data center– develop or modify web pages

• customization tools• access to appropriate information from data center

– view published web pages• public or limited access as appropriate

Instructor's course content

• Personalized description of the course– written & maintained by the instructor– course as currently offered

• Information useful to the student– beyond catalog description– syllabus, text– details about course structure and content– pedagogy approach, learning objectives, philosophy– interactive components

example: vetted informationZOOLOGY 260: Introductory Ecology

• Catalog: 260 Introductory Ecology. (Crosslisted with Botany) I, II; 3 cr (B-E). For nonbiology students: the relationships of organisms and the environment. Population dynamics and community organization, human-environment relationships, action programs. P: Open to Fr. Does not count toward Botany or Zoology major.

• Timetable/Class Search:Course 260 Introductory Ecology SS A1 CR 3 geBLC __BECPrerequisites Open to Fr. Does not count toward Botany or Zoology majorNotes Crosslisted with Botany. Disc 301 for Fr/So Honors students ONLY & must enroll for Honors credit. Disc 302 is optional/review for Non-Honors students ONLY. SectionsSeats Class Section Time Day Place Instuctor83 297823 LEC 1 9:55MWF 145 BIRGE Waller,Donald MFinal Exam05:05 P.M. TUE. DEC

Note: This course entry is an informational guide only. It may not be current and is subject to change by the instructor. Please refer to the class search and catalog for officially approved information.

Faculty Course Description: This survey course is designed to expand your interest in natural history and ecology and to motivate you to care how human activities are affecting biotic systems. It is aimed at non-scientists who want to learn how to critically evaluate ecological issues of public importance. We consider questions like: How do organisms adapt to their environments? What makes plants and animals from one place look different (or similar) to those from someplace else? How do species interact? How do species evolve? Why are so many exotic species invasive? Why do pesticides usually stop working after a while? Why are so many species declining or going extinct? Can we improve how we live and use land and water? You will enhance your understanding of biotic systems and how human activities are driving a number of current ecological crises.

Class Format: Medium lecture class (about 120) Lectures involve visual presentations and are interactive. Discussions and field trips are optional (required for Honors). Written field report due in September. In-class quizzes and 3 objective exams, graded on a curve. Final grade is based on total point score.

• Keywords or phrases: ecology, organismal biology, enivironmental science, environmental policy.

• Typical topics schedule: Part I. Adapting to environmentsPart II. How do species and ecosystems work?Part III. Applying ecology

Browse - serendipitous discovery!

what you see, what you don’t see

Four coupled levels1)data entry

– formal: course title, dept chair, etc.– informal: instructor web page content

2) web display– customizable for look & feel of dept, instructor

3) data center– storage & authentication

4) data retrieval– aggregated from various sources

How do we (UW) share information?

• Outreach beyond campus– Interacting with life-long learners– Improving alumni connections– Improving K-12 communications

• Outreach on campus– Understanding what advisors & advisees need– Knowing how instructors share information about their

course & their teaching style– Knowing how interdisciplinary groups can increase

visibility for various areas of studies

Course-related

Course Guide Details

• DoIT team is building tools– technical, state-of-the-art choices– continual dialog with campus technical units

• ISIS, DARS, MyUW, Learn@UW, etc.

• CG Advisory Group– connects stakeholders

• CG Policy & Content Subcommittee– oversees broader policy & content issues

follow-up activities

• How can you continue to participate?

• How would you like to interact?– www.registrar.wisc.edu/courseguide – email – face-to-face meetings – a new interactive forum

• What are our goals?– enhanced course catalog rich with interactive features– enhanced web services responsive to UW community