Only connect
Download the full report
To serve the needs of Bolton’s diverse student body, we have created a new communications environment with the aim of strengthening the bonds between individual learners and the university through the provision of better support, and learning information.
Executive Summary
The new learning environment, based on eCommunications and engagement, is part of a wider university change programme, trying to use new technologies and person centred approaches, including personalised learning to address some of the challenges of the changing student body and curriculum. The new challenges for Bolton’s Professional University model are to communicate effectively with students who are not based on campus or who visit only periodically, say for one three hour session per week; who may be based in a work place or studying at a partner institution.
Objectives
-
Create the means of delivering information to students through their preferred channels via a message brokering service e.g. via email, MSN, RSS, or through widget and gadgets
-
Link this messaging service to information systems that produce messages e.g. timetable changes
-
Give students the ability to choose delivery channels for different types of communication
The project took a web services, service oriented approach to creating the system and processes, where components are reusable. The core systems such as the Student records, library or timetable can be linked into the communications environment via connectors. The project sought to establish a connector for the CELCAT timetable to notify students when a room change occurred as an initial exemplar.
This service oriented approach has allowed other services to be developed that were not originally planned for the project. For example a simple messaging portal has been added to allow students or groups of students to be contacted by staff or administrators, without the need to know contact details or preferences. This is also being lined up as an emergency announcement service for critical events – site closure due to swine flu outbreak.