Innovations For Innovation’s Sake? Keep the Focus on the Students
Blog Please visit my blog at: digitaledu.blogspot.com
Overview Background Guidelines for Innovation Demonstration Q/A
Background – Our District Two College District (Saddleback and Irvine Valley) 35,000 Headcount, 21,000 FTES Relatively small District IT staff Passion for delivering direct services to students Award-winning online services
Background – Major Systems MySite Web Portal Implemented in August 2000 140,000 unique users SmartSchedule (online class schedule) Implemented in July 2002 6.5 million estimated visits KnowledgeBase & MySite Agent Implemented in October 2003 200,000 queries
Innovation: Definition The introduction of something new A new idea, method or device Our Definition: A new system, or a new approach, that improves the quality or quantity of service to our students
Innovation Guidelines Own your architecture Focus on function, not technology Develop a passion for delivering direct service Implement a real Portal Do something – pick the low hanging fruit Build in feedback Evaluate services based on actual usage
Keep an eye on emerging technologies Source: Gartner Group
Course Management System Leverage Third Party Solutions Course Management System (Blackboard) MySite eServices Suite Student Information System Library Services (SIRSI) This diagram is a representation of our architecture for integrating what we see a our core institutional functions……with a student focus I feel very fortunate to in my career I have been able to combine two things I Love … the first is education… I think we are in a virtuous profession… the second is technology ……full of excitement change …vitality with the power to quickly improve things…. I have the added enjoyment of being able to work work with some truly talented people… you….
Demonstration Visit MySite at: http://mysite.socccd.cc.ca.us Contact Information: Jim Gaston Interim Director of Information Technology South Orange County CCD jgaston@socccd.org