Technology@Wooster

The Datatel Users Group conference (DUG) is an annual event that brings together Datatel corporate employees with representatives of the more than 700 colleges and universities that utilitze Datatel’s software products. The conference offers hundreds of sessions devoted to a wide range of topics related to Colleague software modules and associated tools. Most of these sessions are conducted by employees of Datatel clients. DUG is also an excellent opportunity to hear Datatel officials discuss the future direction of the company and its products.

DUG 2008 took place between March 9th and 12th in Washington, DC. Despite the challenges posed by the snowstorm that struck Ohio in the days prior to the conference, folks from various offices at Wooster participated in the DUG conference. In addition to the Office of Information Technology, Human Resources, Development, Alumni Affairs, the Registrar’s Office and the Business Office were represented at DUG.

Given the resources and effort that has been and continues to be devoted to the OSCAR project, it is very important that the College fully leverage its investment in administrative software. DUG participation is intended to enable IT and other campus offices to utilize our new ERP system as fully as possible. Our implementation has been aggressive in terms of its compressed timeline, but the implementation has also been aggressive in terms of its scope and the determination to maximize the utilization of the sofware system’s features.

Wooster is among the very first institutions to implement Datatel’s new product to support development operations, Colleague Advancement. Wooster is also among the very first to implement Datatel’s new reporting strategy. This strategy entails the use of data warehouse-style tools for data retrieval and organization, and a complex suite of reporting tools. Chief Information Technology Officer David Waldron, OSCAR Project Manager Monica Crawford and Director of Applications Development Tabby Conwell met at DUG with Datatel Vice President Liz Murphy to discuss our early adoption of these systems, the progress of their implementations and ways to strengthen our collaboration in these arenas. The Wooster group had subsequent conversations with Datatel product managers and developers, and made a number of suggestions for product enhancements. Also at DUG, Tabby Conwell became the newest member of the Reporting Client Advisory Team. This group is charged with identifying and prioritizing reporting-related issues, and with working with the DUG Board Client Advocacy Council to bring these matters to Datatel’s attention.

OSCAR Project Manager Monica Crawford and Director of Development Support Services Pam Stanley participated in a well-attended panel discussion entitled “Implementing Advancement—The Before and After.” As Wooster is among the earliest adopters of Colleague Advancement, the pair were well-positioned to share valuable insights into issues related to implementation. At the conference Pam became a member of the Colleague Advancement Client Advisory Team.

Director of Applications Development Tabby Conwell (left), Datatel Vice President Liz Murphy (center), and OSCAR Project Manager Monica Crawford(right) discuss the progress of Wooster’s OSCAR project.

OSCAR Project Manager Monica Crawford and Director of Development Support Services Pam Stanley serve on a panel discussing issues associated with the implementation of Colleague Advancement.

The College of Wooster invites applications for the position of Programmer/Analyst. The position announcement follows.

Programmer/Analyst is a full-time position reporting to the Director of Applications Development. The position supports key administrative information systems by maintaining and enhancing vendor-supplied software (currently Datatel Colleague).  Duties include, but are not limited to, configuring software, managing user access to data, reviewing and testing software updates, implementing new features, programming approved customizations, writing reports and interfaces, supporting client departments and software system users, developing procedures to solve complex problems and integrate software systems, troubleshooting functional problems, conducting training, writing procedure documentation, and adhering to technical and security standards.

Position Requirements

A bachelors degree in a field related to information technology and four years of programming/systems analysis experience (or equivalent) are required.   Experience with relational databases, desktop reporting tools and utility software are essential. Prior experience must also include maintaining application software, defining requirements by conferring with users, preparing specifications, writing program code, and testing.  Familiarity with web-based interfaces and extensive knowledge of database structures and concepts are required.  Experience with AIX (or other unix), Unidata and SQL databases, Crystal Reports, Business Objects, HTML, and JavaScript is preferred.  The successful candidate must be self-motivated, proactive, and possess solid team and interpersonal skills.  He or she must demonstrate strong written and oral communications skills for both technical and non-technical audiences.  He or she must be highly organized and possess excellent analytical skills to develop technical solutions to business problems.

About the College of Wooster

Founded in 1866, the College of Wooster is an independent residential liberal arts college offering a rigorous and comprehensive education to students with the capacity and motivation to become educated leaders in a complex society. Nationally recognized for its focus on independent learning, Wooster has for more than 50 years required every graduate to complete a two-semester capstone experience emphasizing undergraduate research and culminating in a Senior Independent Study thesis. Wooster values co-education, diversity in its many forms, a global perspective, and the heritage arising from its origin as a college founded by Presbyterians. The college is located in Wooster, Ohio.

Application Procedures

Application review begins immediately will continue until position is filled.  Send letter of application, current resume, and contact information for at least three business references to:

The Department Human Resources
The College of Wooster
536 E. Wayne Avenue
Wooster, OH 44691

or via email to humanresources@wooster.edu

The Office of Information Technology will be upgrading and performing maintenance on a variety of systems over spring break.  In some cases, this will result in brief service interruptions. These activities and their anticipated consequences are summarized below.

• Monday, March 10
  Between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. firewall components will be upgraded. During this period, Colleague, ScotWeb and the FRx system will be inaccessible. The Pharos servers will also be inaccessible and Pharos printing services will not be available.
• Tuesday, March 11
  Between 4:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. internet router software will be upgraded. During this period, internet access will be unavailable.
  Between 5:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. various servers will be upgraded. Brief email service interruptions are possible. Email system performance may be slower than normal.
• Wednesday, March 12
  Between 5:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. various servers will be upgraded. Brief email service interruptions are possible. Email system performance may be slower than normal. Brief interruptions in the availability of Novell spaces are possible.
• Thursday, March 13
  Between 5:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. various servers will be upgraded. Brief email service interruptions are possible. Email system performance may be slower than normal.

IT will work very hard to minimize the impact of these necessary activities upon the availability of services.

The Office of Information Technology is pleased to offer an introductory Groupwise course. The course will meet between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 13 in room 4 of the Gault Family Learning Center. This course will be especially valuable to new employees and to employees who have recently switched to Groupwise. The following topics will be covered:

• How to navigate the Groupwise environment
• Setting up the home view
• Sending and receiving mail
• Forwarding mail, forwarding mail as an attachment, replying to mail
• Attaching files
• Deleting and restoring messages
• Common Groupwise icons
• Retracting Groupwise messages
• Setting mail properties
• Creating groups in the address book
• Using the calendar
• Using the busy search feature to schedule appointments
• Using Phone messages, reminder notes and tasks
• Adding reoccurring appointments to the calendar

Enrollment is limited to 16. Those interested in attending should email Mary Schantz (mschantz@wooster.edu) by Wednesday, March 12.

IT expects to offer sessions covering more advanced Groupwise topics in April and May of this year.

The College of Wooster invites applications for the position of Director of Instructional Technology. The position announcement follows. It is also available in pdf format.

Founded in 1866, the College of Wooster is an independent residential liberal arts college offering a rigorous and comprehensive education to students with the capacity and motivation to become educated leaders in a complex society. Nationally recognized for its focus on independent learning, Wooster has for more than 50 years required every graduate to complete a two-semester capstone experience emphasizing undergraduate research and culminating in a Senior Independent Study thesis. Wooster values co-education, diversity in its many forms, a global perspective, and the heritage arising from its origin as a college founded by Presbyterians.

Department of Instructional Technology

The Department of Instructional Technology is one of four departments within the Office of Information Technology.  This department champions and supports the effective use of technology in teaching and learning.  It collaborates with faculty and others to identify, evaluate, deploy and assess relevant technologies, and to develop campus spaces that promote teaching and learning.

Position Description

The Director of Instructional Technology is responsible for the overall management of the Department of Instructional Technology, including planning, budgeting and project management consistent with the department’s mission. The director monitors changes in technology and their effect on society in order to lead timely discussions about the impact of such changes on pedagogy, curricula and the mission of the College, and to propose strategies in response.

The director’s specific duties include, but are not limited to:

• Collaborating with the faculty, the Libraries and academic support offices on the development of Instructional Technology’s goals for supporting teaching and learning
• Developing strategic and tactical plans to achieve the department’s goals and communicating those plans to the campus community
• Managing and developing the professional staff to implement departmental plans and achieve departmental goals
• Developing grant proposals individually and in collaboration with faculty and staff
• Serving as institutional liaison to NITLE and similar groups
• Exploring opportunities for collaboration with other institutions

This position reports to the Chief Information Technology Officer.

Position Requirements

A Master’s degree is required; a Ph.D. is preferred.  The position requires significant experience supporting instructional technology in higher education, preferably in a liberal arts environment. Teaching experience in higher education, as well as familiarity with instructional design and educational assessment are essential. Demonstrated excellence in oral and written communication to diverse audiences is required, as is the ability to build and sustain collaborative relationships with a wide range of constituents on campus. Evidence of strong leadership skills and the ability to work independently in a dynamic environment are highly desirable.

Application Procedure

Review of applications will begin on March 24, 2008 and will continue until the position is filled.  Applicants should submit a current resume and a letter of interest to:

The Department of Human Resources

The College of Wooster
536 E. Wayne Avenue
Wooster, OH 44691

or via email to humanresources@wooster.edu

In response to the VPAA’s solicitation of IT equipment requests, the Psychology Department reqested two personal response systems. This request was approved and the department is now in possession of two systems acquired from Turning Technologies. Each system consists of 20 wireless response keypads (”clickers”) and a small receiver that connects to the instructor’s computer via a USB port. Each system also includes software that integrates its operations with Microsoft PowerPoint.

These systems can be used to conduct anonymous polls and to assess the students’ collective understanding of particular points. Special slides are created in PowerPoint to present questions and possible answers. Students’ responses are entered via the keypads and captured by the receiver. Responses can be automatically summarized for presentation via PowerPoint. Instructors can then tailor subsequent instruction and activities based upon the results. Responses can also be retrieved for later analysis. It is also possible to use the system to track and record the responses of individual students.

The personal response system is easy to use—instructors already familiar with PowerPoint can become comfortable with the system’s essential functionality in less than five minutes. If you would like more information on personal response systems or would like to see a demonstration of this technology please contact Jon Breitenbucher or Joe Benfield. You can also learn more about personal response systems by visiting the vendor’s website.

IT is pleased to offer day-long introductory and intermediate courses on Microsoft Word 2003. Each course is conducted in an on-campus computer lab and meets from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The introductory course will meet on Monday, March 24. Topics to be covered include:

• Creating and Saving Documents
• Editing Documents
• Using Automatic Text Features
• Printing Documents, Envelopes and Labels
• Formatting Text
• Formatting Paragraphs
• Formatting Document Pages
• Using Find and Replace
• Checking Spelling and Grammar and Using Research Tools
• Working with Templates

The intermediate course will meet on Monday, April 7. Topics to be covered include:

• Working with Graphics
• Using Advanced Formatting Options
• Working with Headers and Footers
• Working with Columns
• Using Styles
• Creating Tables
• Formatting Tables
• Using Basic Collaboration Features
• Protecting Data
• Using Charts, Diagrams and Organization Charts

All College employees are eligible to participate. Enrollment is limited. To register, contact Mary Schantz, Manager of User Services, at mschantz@wooster.edu.

IT is pleased to offer day-long introductory and intermediate courses on Microsoft Excel 2003. Each course is conducted in an on-campus computer lab and meets from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The introductory course will meet on Thursday, February 28. Topics to be covered include:

• Creating Workbooks
• Modifying Worksheets
• Formatting Worksheets
• Printing Worksheets
• Working with Formulas
• Working with Basic Functions
• Enhancing Worksheets
• Using Templates, Styles, Worksheet Backgrounds and AutoFormats
• Finding and Replacing Data

The intermediate course will meet on Wednesday, March 12. Topics to be covered include:

• Working with Multiple Worksheets
• Adjusting the Screen Display
• Working with Advanced Functions
• Using Advanced Formatting Features
• Using Advanced Print Options
• Filtering Data and Using Comments
• Naming Worksheet Ranges and Formulas
• Working with Charts
• Protecting Data
• Using Basic Integration and Web Features

All College employees are eligible to participate. Enrollment is limited. To register, contact Mary Schantz, Manager of User Services, at mschantz@wooster.edu.

The 2008 Horizon Report has just been released.  The report is a joint production of the New Media Consortium and the EduCause Learning Initiaitive and has been produced each year since 2004.  The purpose of the report is to “identify and describe emerging technologies likely to have a large impact on teaching, learning, or creative expression within learning-focused organizations.”

This year’s report identifies the following key emerging technologies:

• Grassroots Video
• Collaboration Webs
• Mobile Broadband
• Data Mashups
• Collective Intelligence
• Social Operating Systems

The report also identifies the following critical challenges facing learning organizations over the next five years:

• “Significant shifts in scholarship, research, creative expression, and learning have created a need for innovation and leadership at all levels of the academy.”
• “Higher education is facing a growing expectation to deliver services, content and media to mobile and personal devices.”
• “The renewed emphasis on collaborative learning is pushing the educational community to develop new forms of interaction and assessment.”
• “The academy is faced with a need to provide formal instruction in information, visual, and technological literacy as well as in how to create meaningful content with today’s tools.”

The Horizon Report identifies the following significant trends affecting the areas of teaching, learning and creative expression:

• “The growing use of Web 2.0 and social networking—combined with collective intelligence and mass amateurization—is gradually but inexorably changing the practice of scholarship.”
• “The way we work, collaborate, and communicate is evolving as boundaries become more fluid and globalization increases.”
• “Access to—and portability of—content is increasing as smaller, more powerful devices are introduced.”
• “The gap between students’ perception of technology and that of faculty continues to widen.”

Download the full report from the EduCause Learning Initiative.

A Datatel trainer was on campus this week to conduct the first training session on the Colleague Human Resources module. This training marks the beginning of the final phase of the OSCAR project. The final module is slated to go live at the beginning of January, 2009. Natalie Richardson and Kim Nadin chair the Human Resources Inmplementation Team charged with leading this phase of the implementation. Programmer/Analyst Connie McCarty will serve as technical lead.

The OSCAR project began in January, 2005. Since that time the College has successfully implemented the finance module (general ledger, purchasing, accounts payable), the budget module, the admissions module, the financial aid module, the student records module (including online registration), the degree audit module and the housing module. Colleague Advancement, Datatel’s new product for development and alumni affairs, is currently running parallel with the legacy system and will soon be fully live as the system of record.

Participants in Datatel’s personnel training enjoy a meal together to mark the beginning of the HR implementation.