Thursday, 29 March 2007

New IAT Prototype Online!

The prototype new IAT website is now available for all staff to review and commence actual publishing of their information and services.

Please see: http://www.new.iat-uae.com/

Stay tuned to the blog over the next few weeks as I will be providing direct links and further details and examples on the various new features available and suggested ideas.

Tuesday, 20 March 2007

New homepage photo competition!

Photos for the main graphic space on the homepage of the new website are currently being collected. The current examples used in the prototype can be viewed in this gallery

The photos chosen will be captioned and should reflect the main aspects, messages and selling points of IAT we wish to emphasise or promote.

Please send in your suggestions for the kind of pictures & themes we should use and we'll try and get an illustrative photo. Or if you have a suitable photo, just send it in.

These will be added to the gallery and the best ones will be selected.

Prizes

Apart from the pure joy of winning and having your idea or contribution on the new site - chocolate and gratitude in equal measures!

Tuesday, 13 March 2007

"Web Wonders" Presentation

Topic

Exploring modern teaching & learning uses of online resources that are accessible to everyone.

> Commercial e-learning systems like Blackboard/WebCT or Skillsoft are expensive and only accessible through the organisation.

> Sophisticated, free e-learning systems or tools like ATutor/Moodle normally require a degree of setup and tech-savviness.

> Our focus is on websites, resources & tools that are freely available on the web and have very simple startup and usage requirements.

Interactive Language & Numeracy Practice

> UK DFES interactive learning - literacy, language & numeracy practice.

Fun, Educational Participation/Community sites

> wikiHow - read and write how-to guides for everyday life.

Participation Tools for Class Teaching & Learning

> Wikispaces - Ex 1

> Blogs: Edublogs Ex 1

Podcasts & other Audio tools

> Freelanguage podcast list - specifically for learning English

> podOmatic - create, find and share podcasts

> Chinesepod

Video, Animation & other Rich Media


Finding Online Content for Teaching & Learning

> Wikipedia > Wikimedia > Internet Archive > Podcast Alley > Picasa > Photobucket > Webshots > Yahoo CC

> Reference list

Online Curriculum Resources

> MIT

> Connexions

> Curriki

> Curriculum podcasts > EPN podcasts

> techLearning

Assessment Tools

> Chalkface

Visual & Presentation tools for Learning

> Flashcard Exchange - use and create flashcards to learn anything

> Empressr - online presentations

> Formatpixel - online graphic publishing

Free Online Courses & Units

> Openlearn - free, mainly text-based topics

Online Portfolios

> Digication - Ex 1 Ex 2 Ex 3

Social Networking for Education

> You've heard of MySpace Check out > Elgg.org

> ELGG.net - for teachers: Ex 1

> Ning - Ex 1

Tools for the Classroom

> Quikmaps

> Google Earth Showcase

Website Creation

> Weebly > Google Page Creator

Useful Websites for Students


> World Newspapers

> Global Voices Online

Organisation & Class Tools for Students & Teachers

> Mynoteit

> Schoopy

> Engrade

> Chalksite

Technology Guides for Educators

> Google for Educators

> EdTechLive podcasts

Simple, Integrated Tools for Schools


> Google Apps for Education

Getting your Content Online!

> Google Docs & Spreadsheets

> Slideshare

> Scribd

> Zoho

Tool, Resource & Site Reference Lists

> Web 2.0 Directory

> Web 2.0 Teaching Tools

> Blendedlearning resources

What Else is Going on?

> Second Life meets Moodle

Sunday, 11 March 2007

New IAT site design ideas

The prototype for what will become the new IAT website is in development and will be released in the next week to enable ongoing, active participation in the creation of the new site. Different examples or ideas will be able to be tested on a live, working site.

One of the first aspects to be settled on through the prototype will be the new site's design - its presentation, layout, graphics, style, etc.

Below are selected examples of design features you may wish to consider:

Attractive, engaging, nicely-organised homepages

> Cornell Uni

> Appalachian State Uni

> Azusa Pacific

> Goucher

Homepage main graphic area conveys key messages/themes well

> Azusa Pacific - Video features and photo slideshow that links to main content

> Singapore Polytechnic

> Boston Uni - modern & interactive main graphic area with video, pics, features & integrated content

> Carnegie Mellon undergrad - advanced interactive, visual content

> York Uni - homepage main visual space emphasises main difference ("selling point")

> Appalachian State Uni

Well-designed portals/gateways into site's with extensive info & services

> Lancaster Uni

> Allegheny College - compact, well-organised, gateway

> Uni of Brighton

> Ithaca College

> Baylor

Site design suits the type of organisation

> Cornish College of the Arts - large, art image gallery with contemporary art background.

> DIT Music & Drama

> Leeds School of Design

Simple, organisation of site into areas for each key site audience

> Cornell CALS - simple main menu organised by audience (prospective students, etc...) but also presents key topics (teaching, research, extension) separately.

Engaging, modern sites for students

> Biola undergrad

> Lancaster admissions

> Oberlin admissions

Vocational & Technical Sites conveying their focus, purpose & priorities

> Polytechnics Canada

> Singapore Polytechnic

Tuesday, 6 March 2007

Management Update

Purpose

To review and coordinate the progress of the IAT Website & Online Services Project at senior management level and make/approve required decisions and actions.

Attendees

John McFadyen, Phillip Rutherford, Mohammed Al Nayedi

Agenda

Item
Activity
1
Review & update on current progress of all project initiatives.

(a) Confirm scope of all project activities and how they fit into overall strategic ICT plans. >project list >online systems
(b) Discuss project management and communication. Establish regular Directorate management meetings if desired. >project communication & groups
(c) Review and finalise project plans and timeframes. >all project plans

2
Progress new IAT website.

(a) Overview of new website development plans & activities. >website plan outline >website project
(b) Summary of feedback and reviews of existing sites and organisation needs. >feedback & reviews
(c) Discuss involvement of staff and required resources. >website resources
(d) Establish desired formal project team meetings. >website project groups
(e) Discuss key issues & alternatives and make decisions. >key issues
(f) Run through examples and approve finalized requirements and priorities. >requirement scope
(g) Confirm recommended approach to development (system choice, setup arrangements, prototype creation). >website plan >emirates skills

3
Progress new IAT intranet.

(a) Overview of new intranet development plans & activities. >intranet plan outline >intranet project
(b) Summary of feedback and review of existing intranet usage and needs. >feedback & reviews
(c) Discuss involvement of staff and required resources. >intranet resources
(d) Establish Dept representatives and formal project team meetings. >intranet project groups
(e) Discuss key issues & alternatives and make decisions. >key issues
(f) Run through examples and approve finalized requirements and priorities. >requirement scope
(g) Confirm recommended approach to development (system choice, setup arrangements, prototype creation). >intranet project

4
Summarise Agreed Actions & Outcomes.

(a) See IAT Website decision summary below.
(b) See Intranet decision summary below.





IAT Website Approved Decisions

1. Confirm website plan, timeframes and project management.
2. Define target audiences and level of information & services to be delivered. Resolve key issues & alternatives.
3. Identify current & future staff involvement for design, development, content sourcing/creation & ownership/maintenance, online service provision & website administration and support.
4. Approve requirements scope & priorities.
5. Confirm development approach (system, setup & prototype creation).
6. Confirm roles and interface with associated websites (e.g. VEDC) and other online systems (new Intranet).

Intranet Approved Decisions

1. Confirm intranet plan, timeframes and project management.
2. Define extent of information & services to be delivered. Resolve key issues & alternatives.
3. Identify current & future staff involvement for design, development, content sourcing/creation & ownership/maintenance, online service provision & administration and support.
4. Approve requirements scope & priorities.
5. Confirm development approach (system choice, setup arrangements, sharepoint test site creation).
6. Confirm roles and interface with other systems. E.g. Business systems (HR, Finance, student data), IAT website, other external sites.

Summary of Progress, Conclusions & Agreed Approach

1. All project plans inclusive of timeframes and intended activities have been finalized and published.

2. Reviews and analysis of current and desired website, intranet and online service usage have essentially concluded. The new website, intranet and online services will be developed to replace the existing systems and deliver effective solutions for the identified target audiences and extended information/service needs that will be delivered online.

3. The requirement scopes for the new IAT website and new intranet have been completed with priorities assigned, feasibility noted and recommendations made (e.g. to develop or not; evaluate usage during prototype; deliver through another system).

4. An open invitation for staff involvement has identified several (mostly teachers and not in Dubai) with an interest in contributing their experience and skills when time & location permits. The graphic designer in Dubai (Ismail Ghareeb) is also actively participating. However, it is likely that all near-term development work for websites, the intranet and other web-based services/tools (e.g. online applications, e-learning) will depend on the Project Consultant (Adrian). However, this is a temporary position and future staffing for development (e.g. extension/customization), professional content creation, administration, support & training should be planned and resourced.

Formal allocations of responsibility for dept/school representation & liaison; content sourcing, creation, ownership & maintenance; and online service provision (contact points, administering forms, updating directories, etc) should commence ASAP during the prototype development.

5. Any formal groups & meetings desired for project management, progress reporting, decision-making and consultation/reference should be established early during prototype development by senior management. Informal consultation, liaison and progress updating will continue through the blog, email and ad hoc meetings. It is highly recommended that a formal group for the intranet project be established with representatives from all departments/functions & schools.

6. Principles and guidelines covering all the online systems to be developed as part of this project have been created. This online systems overview indicates what systems are being developed, for which purposes, and how they will interact and be accessed.

7. Given agreement on requirements and system purposes, development will commence on prototypes for the new IAT website and intranet. These prototypes will be developed in flexible systems to allow ongoing refinement of live, working models. Priorities for both the new website and intranet are being identified to ensure these are the first aspects addressed in the prototype development.


Monday, 5 March 2007

Website Design Principles

The elements of effective website design which will be used to develop the new IAT website are outlined below (reference source) with conclusions about what they imply for IAT's new site design.

Content

Content is the information provided on the site - including text, sound, animation and video. Good content should be engaging, relevant, and appropriate for the audience. You can tell it's been developed for the Web because it's clear and concise and it works in the medium.

Structure and Navigation

Structure and navigation refers to the framework of a site, the organization of content, the prioritization of information, and the method in which you move through the site. Sites with good structure and navigation are consistent, intuitive and transparent. They allow you to form a mental model of the information provided, where to find things, and what to expect when you click. Good navigation gets you where you want to go quickly and offers easy access to the breadth and depth of the site's content.

Visual Design

Visual design is the appearance of the site. Good visual design is high quality, appropriate, and relevant for the audience and the message it is supporting. Visual design should be consistent in overall "feel" but also customized within individual spaces when the site is serving distinct, multiple audiences.

Functionality

Functionality is the use of technology on the site. Good functionality means the site works effectively in using contemporary website capability to provide information and services. It should load quickly and work regardless of the user's system or browser. The design and implementation of technology should be as intuitive as possible and enhance the typical user's experience and satisfaction - not the developer's.

Interactivity

Interactivity is the way that a site allows and encourages you to do something on it. Good interactivity facilitates the engagement of users by: (1) making content & services more engaging and interesting, (2) facilitating participation by users - whether getting in touch (enquiries), providing their input (polls, feedback) or obtaining services (forms & applications, directories, payments, etc).

Overall Experience

The overall experience encompasses content, structure & navigation, visual design, functionality, and interactivity, but it also includes the intangibles. The quality of the overall experience determines how long people stay on a site, whether they make an enquiry or participate, if they'll come back or refer the site to others, and, most importantly, whether they obtained what they were looking for.

Implications for new IAT website

> The visual design and interface of the new site should be re-created in an attractive and professional way that meets contemporary expectations.

> IAT needs to determine the main target audiences for its website. E.g. (1) prospective students and their parents, (2) prospective staff & partner organisations, (3) existing students & staff, (4) government, GHQ & community stakeholders.

> Information & service needs for these users that will be met through the new website to be fully identified. This will determine the scope & amount of detail to be made available on the website and also delineate between information to be provided on the website and the new intranet. E.g. For current staff.

> The content and functionality for delivering the required information and services on the new site needs to be created & developed in effective ways. Content cannot be simply copied from existing documents or sources. Delivering services online should also be done in effective ways - e.g. not just linking to a Word doc form but creating online forms that can be submitted directly through the site.

> For the information and services on the new site to accurately and effectively service site users, all content and services need to be connected with the relevant IAT organisation areas. E.g. Enquiries and applications from prospective staff with HR. Enquiries and applications from students/parents will connect with who? (a centralised point or a position in each School?)

> The structure & navigation of the site must: (1) make it extremely simple for all users to find the area, content & service of interest; (2) allow for a considerable amount of content to be made available without the site being confusing or overwhelming through efficient organisation & hierarchies; (3) enable the site to expand in scope as IAT grows while maintaining an effective structure; (4) allow re-use of content and services in separate areas or ways without creating duplication.

Emirates Skills Demo!

The Emirates Skills site prototype is now available online for review. >> View Demo Site

While a simple site, it serves as a pilot for the new IAT site, allowing an early, practical demonstration of the type of functionality that will be made available in the new IAT website and how it will work.

Please take a look and add your feedback. Note, the site (including design and content) is still undergoing refinement.

You will find examples of contemporary presentation, dynamic images and news, interactive content, photo galleries and events listing among other things.

Contact Details

Ismail Ghareeb. Graphic Design. Email: ismail.ghareeb@iat.ac.ae

Adrian Lobo. Web Development. Email: adrian.lobo@iat.ac.ae

Thursday, 1 March 2007

Current IAT e-learning Activity

In developing new e-learning initiatives & solutions, it's important for us to identify all existing uses of technology for teaching and learning at any school or program in IAT. These existing examples will be very valuable in generating ideas & discussion and making sure that the new solutions developed support these needs.

Many of these examples will be online and we will link to them here. However, other electronic resources (e.g. multimedia, desktop applications, etc) should also be listed here.

Websites, Blogs & Wikis

> Omar's EFL site - used for teaching English by Omar Al Nousri at Al Ain.

> Al Ain GHQ Wiki - GHQ Global English

> Al Ain IAT Rocks blog - a simple tool for students to think, reflect and interact in English.

> IAT 10.07 web journal - allows students to post their reflections about the class on an individual page during the program and receive feedback from the teacher.

> Stewart's ICT site - contains material for Dubai ICT classes and photos.

Learning Management Systems (e.g. Moodle)

> Metwally's Moodle classroom - interactive tools & learning in an online environment

Online Video, Audio, Pictures & Multimedia

>

Desktop Applications & Resources

E.g. language programs, presentations, media.

>