AIR :: Anytime/Anywhere Instructor Resource Copyright 2007 Red River College Anytime/Anywhere Instructor Resource (AIR) Web site Presented

AIR :: Anytime/Anywhere Instructor Resource

http://air.rrc.mb.caCopyright 2007 Red River College

Anytime/Anywhere Instructor Resource (AIR) Web site

Presented at the League for Innovation's Annual Conference on Information

Technology

by

Paddy Burt

Craig Edwards

Mark NelsonMonday, November 12, 2007



Outline1. Introductions2. Project Overview3. Web Site Design4. Site Tour5. SCORE – The digital asset repository 6. Marketing7. Benefits8. The Way Ahead9. Value Added10. Questions/Feedback



Group Brainstorming

• If you were going to build a website for faculty, what features would your faculty like access to on an anytime, anywhere basis?

Please take a few minutes to write down specific features.



Overview of AIR Web Project• Funded by the Council of Post-Secondary Education

(COPSE) and Red River College.

• Purpose: provide anytime/anywhere online accessibility and support for instructors through the use of Web-based technology

• Designed and developed in consultation with instructors and support staff to meet faculty needs

• Provides access to a comprehensive online collection of information and resources to support faculty



Communication and Consultation• Secured support from VP-Academic

• Formed AIR Web Advisory Committee - reps from both academic and support areas of RRC

• Conducted 2 rounds of focus groups with instructors

• Surveyed college staff • Promoted project to a variety of internal and external

stakeholders.

• Solicited content from instructor support areas.



Site Design: Who is our Audience?

• We conducted focus groups with instructors

• From these focus groups we developed personas. These personas were used to focus our design decisions.



Primary PersonasSecondary Personas

Joe Teacher

Jill Teacher

Tech Teacher

TraditionalTeacher

Site Design: Functional Personas



Site Design: What instructors say they need…• access to Certificate of Adult Education

materials, handbook, registration• collaboration tools• tools to communicate with students• links to external resources• information on how to use Learning Content

Management Systems• information and tutorials about using

technologies for teaching and learning

Joe Teacher

Jill Teacher



Site Design: What instructors say they need…• a shared calendar of events • a newsletter or mechanism that notifies

instructors of new information• access to professional development

workshops • searchable access to college information

(HR forms, org. charts, meeting minutes, etc) • class management tools

(such as class lists, test banks, class lists, grade books, assessment tools, tools for detecting plagiarism)

Joe Teacher

Jill Teacher



Site Design: What instructors say they need…• The site should be easy to use. We wanted to

have a user-centric design• The site should have a good search tool• We wanted to have some password protected

resources, but we needed to maintain a single sign-on, compatible with Red River College’s current login.

• We wanted to use ASP and SQL technology, as this was familiar to Red River College.



We Chose Sharepoint• We decided that the site would use

SharePoint to deliver the web pages, as well as provide a communication and collaboration medium.

• However, we did not want the site to look like a SharePoint site. We wanted the site to look professional and promising.



AIR Web site demonstration

AIR Web Site

http://air.rrc.mb.ca/



SCORE – Shareable COmmon REsources

Software Selection and Evaluation Metadata definition – SCORM, CanCore 28 fields Candidate products

Round 1 – D2L, WebCT, D-space Round 2 – 6 more from WCET EduTools report

Evaluation criteria 44 factors from EduTools prioritized for RRC plus stand-alone capability




And the winner is….!The Learning Edge (the company) Equella (the software) SCORE (the RRC implementation)

Customization Home page design – http://lor.rrc.mb.ca Clusters



SCORE – Shareable Common REsources

Digital Assets Any material in digital format that is:

discrete enduring multi-purpose

Learning Objects Any digital asset associated with a learning

outcome or set of learning outcomes.




Forms and Policies - “now I can find them!” “I have found SCORE quick and easy to use and

to be a versatile way to share resources with other instructors as well as quickly link them to online courses.”

“It appears to have a lot of potential for the sharing of materials.”



Marketing Why marketing?

Task team Name that site (win an iPod) Promotions – mints, note pads, fortune cookies

Tie to events College Day – video Site launch – brochure, posters, demos



Brochure and Posters



Marketing

Ongoing Headlines Fresh Air New staff Training



Benefits of the AIR Web site

• Provides a 24/7 self-directed “one-stop shop” for information

• Addresses many RRC operational plan objectives, including:– increase access to information resources – establish strategies to provide uniform support to

faculty in developing and delivering courses and programs.



Benefits of the AIR Web site (cont’d)

• Facilitates sharing of digital assets for teaching, learning, and curriculum development

• Promotes and facilitates communication, collaboration, and sharing among programs, departments, schools, and institutions



Added Value

• Identified a need for focused technology training for faculty

• Promoted discussion of intellectual property rights and copyright of curriculum materials

• Raised need for IT infrastructure support specifically for innovation and experimentation

• Provided opportunities to collaborate with other colleges



The Way Ahead

• Continue to promote the AIR Web site to faculty• Continue to develop resources based on RRC instructor

needs - ie, Technology Tools Matrix, Glossary• Integrate with new RRC portal software• Provide tool for support departments to share info with

faculty• Consult with Manitoba colleges and other Post-

Secondary institutions



The Way Ahead

SHAREPOINT• Continue to provide SharePoint sites as requested.• Provide leadership in the ongoing evolution of

SharePoint.

SCORE• Promote culture of sharing/collaboration.• Encourage use of Creative Commons licensing.• Continue to build inventory of digital assets.• Explore inter-institutional collaboration.



Questions/Feedback?

Visit our site:http://air.rrc.mb.ca

Documents

AIR :: Anytime/Anywhere Instructor Resource Copyright 2007 Red River College Anytime/Anywhere Instructor Resource (AIR) Web site Presented