Complex choices made simple online registration in a modular university Colm Small Head of Support,

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Complex choices made simple - online
registration in a modular university Colm
SmallHead of Support,SySDEM, RegistryUniversity
College Dubline mail Colm.Small_at_ucd.ie
tel [phone]SROC Belfast Tuesday, 1
April 2008
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Complex choices made simple - online registration
in a modular university

• UCDs recent transition to a modular and
  semesterised university has led to a potentially
  richer, but more complex, programme environment.
  We use online registration as a key tool in
  helping students engage with their programme and
  its options. This presentation will give an
  overview of our approach and its overall context.
• A SUPPORT FOCUS

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Overview of Presentation

• Overview of UCD
• UCD Registry SySDEM
• UCD Modularisation the context
• Objectives of Registration 2007
• Preparing for Online Registration 2007
• The Online Registration Application itself
• Student Supports
• Student Survey Key Successes
• Teaching Fellows Research
• UCD HEA Numbers 2007/08
• Further thoughts the future

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UCD Overview

• Founded 1854
• Major Restructuring from 2004/2005
• New University Structures
• 5 Colleges
• 35 Schools
• Programme Offices, School Offices, Registry,
  etc
• c. 22, 500 students
• c. 15,000 U.Grads (incl. Certs and Diplomas)
• c. 5,500 P.Grads
• c. 1,000 Occasionals
• c. 500 Adult Ed
• c. 200 Programmes
• c. 3,000 Modules

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Overview of UCD Registry
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SySDEM Unit in UCD Registry

• Systems, Support, Development and Enrolment
  Management (SySDEM) Who we are and what we do?
• A multi-skilled and multi-disciplinary team,
  delivering support and services to university
  staff and students. Services centre around 6 main
  areas
• Curriculum and Information Management Managing
  and developing the capture of curricular
  information, the configuration of systems and
  publication of curriculum information.
• Registration and Records Management Managing and
  developing enrolment and registration, student
  advance, progression and managing the student
  record.
• Support Training Managing the units support
  to Programmes, Schools, Graduate Schools and the
  other units of the Registrars Office, providing
  training in the systems and processes supported
  by the unit.
• Module Demand, Capacity and Timetabling Managing
  the process of measuring the demand for modules,
  providing sufficient capacity to meet that demand
  and delivering the timetable which supports this.
  
• Systems Driving the development of the various
  systems that support students including
  admission, fees, registration and assessment,
  working closely with IT Services in this
  endeavour.
• Programme School Liaison Providing trained
  staff to liaise with programmes and schools,
  enabling the delivery of linked administrative
  services.

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UCD Modularisation the context

• Why Modularise?
• Quantifying student effort
• Focus on learning outcomes
• Improving transferability of programmes, ladders
  of progression, entry/exit strategies
• Who Benefits?
• Students
• Improved choice, improvement in quality of
  degree,
• Transition away from 100 terminal assessment to
  continuous assessment
• Staff
• Clearer guidelines and regulations
• Support for new and innovative programme
  development
• Future Developments
• Development of a University-wide Education
  Strategy
• Initiating and promoting Innovations in Teaching
  and Learning

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UCD Modularisation

• Commenced in 2005/06 with all Stage 1
  Undergraduate
• 2006/07 with all Stage 2 Undergraduate
• 2007/08 all Stages of Programmes (Undergraduate
  Postgraduate) excluding a small number of Degree
  Programmes (e.g. Stages 5 6 Medicine)
• Concept of New Horizons at Undergraduate Level
  more choice, more complexity
• Cores, Options Electives
• Stages, Progression Compensation
• Resits and Repeats

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The Objectives of Registration 2007

• Getting the students to where they need to be
• Taking part in / engaged with their programmes,
  signed up for their modules, attending their
  lectures, ready for labs and tutorials
• Accessing the support they need in making
  decisions or dealing with complexity
• Registered to their modules, fees paid
• More comprehensive support preparations
• All systems preparations in place earlier
  (timetables, programme structures, systems
  configuration etc.)
• A more stable software platform
• Clearer operational rules and regulations
• A more comprehensive preparation for the various
  student scenarios
• Greater participation in addressing issues and
  decision making
• A more effective integration of the operational
  layer across the university

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Online Module Registration attempts to

• To help students understand the structure of
  their chosen programme
• The number of core and optional modules required
• The number of electives required
• The pathway through the levels of the programme
  to degree level
• To provide information on how to choose subjects
  and core and optional modules
• Understand the requirements in first-year to
  ensure that a student can pursue a particular
  subject area thereafter
• To provide support and assistance
• in registering their module choice during the
  registration period

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Preparations for Online Registration 2007

• End of previous year and up to April 2007
• Review of programme structures and School module
  lists
• Plans for upgrading on-line registration software
• Programme structures and module lists submitted
• Approvals process brokered through the UGBP and
  UUPB
• To end of June 2007
• Information builds complete
• On-line curriculum browser available
• Software and testing completed
• Timetables largely in place
• To end of July 2007
• Timetables complete and programme verification
  process run
• Student registration support planned and in place
• Registration begun at end of July the advance
• First students start registering online in mid -
  August

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Online Registration 2007 Electivesmore choice
complexity

• In-programme electives
• All programmes are required to provide their
  students with a full credit load in programme
  e.g. other MIS modules for Business students
• Access to spare capacity on option modules as
  electives to those on the programme
• Mechanism for associating other modules to
  provide elective places
• Provisional electives
• All elective registration (general studies and
  in-programme) is provisional up to September
  8th
• We randomly allocate, where there is competition,
  on the 8th
• We keep the students involved up to date with
  regular e-mails
• Overall capacity of modules
• Challenge to the Schools and Programmes to
  provide sufficient module capacity
• both for core/options and for electives (general
  and in-programme)
• Prior to allocation of provisional places there
  is an opportunity to add capacity in response to
  demand leading to
• happier students, more FTEs
• General Lesson 2008 reduce where possible the
  pool of provisional registrations for students.
  Random process of allocating places is complex.

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Online registration 2007 - IT preparations

• Streamline registration for students to majors,
  minors and subjects so as to make it clearer and
  easier for students to use online
• particularly in Arts and Science
• Improved search capability for electives
• to enable students to more easily see which
  modules will fit with their timetable
• Enhanced information for non-standard students
  (such as repeat and occasional students)
• Repeats / substitutions / transfer credits page
  for continuing students
• credit history you got 50 credits last year,
  are short 10, are registered to.."
• Swap and drop
• allows students to swap modules without first
  having to drop existing modules, only dropping
  the first if they can get the second
• Blackboard integration (e Teaching / e
  Learning)
• Module registration drives Blackboard class lists
• Once a day the lists updated new registrations,
  new drops

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Online Registration Read Only display for
staffSupport staff see what the student sees
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Before Students Register OnlineSupport Reg.
Guides and other online info.

• Big focus on Stage 1 new Undergraduate students
  student packs
• They should know what modules are part of their
  programme and the choices they will need to make.
  www.ucd.ie/horizons and click on Course Search
  for more information on their UCD Programme
• New Undergraduates - UCD Orientation 2007
  schedule for details of their Academic Advisory
  Meeting where they will get more information on
  programmes and modules
• Dates to commence Module Reg. provided online to
  all students. Dates staggered. Online support
  info.
• Certain urls are key e.g. WhatdoIdotoregister,
  Key Dates, .
• New Postgraduates support info. Packs
  co-ordinated by Grad. Deans Office

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Accessing UCD Online Registration
UCD Online Registration Accessed via the
students UCD Connect account
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The Online Registration Application
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2 steps to Online Registration
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Step 2 - Module Registration

• Students needing to repeat or resit (i.e.
  remediate fails) a module from the previous
  semester will be automatically registered to them
  prior to registration starting
• UCD Programme that has core modules students
  will be automatically registered to them prior to
  registration starting
• Students may then need to choose option modules
  or elective modules
• Students advised to get more information on a
  module on the UCD website before making any
  decisions
• Students need to register to any associated
  labs/tutorials (coursework) for modules

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Module Registration
1st Arts, 2nd Arts and 1st Science start in the
Subject/Stream screen (Omnibus Programmes) All
other students start in the Core/Options screen
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Subject/Stream - more complex decisions in
certain programmes
e.g. 1st Arts students Need to select their
subject choices from the subject grid on the
screen. Having completed their choice they click
Continue at the bottom of the page. If further
information is required regarding these
decisions, they are advised to contact their
programme office.
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Subject/Stream
1st Science students Need to select their
subject choices from the list outlined on the
screen. Having completed their choice they click
Continue at the bottom of the page. If further
information is required regarding these
decisions, they are advised to contact their
programme office.
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Core Modules
Core modules that students are required to do,
students will see them listed in this screen.
They are pre-registered to them if no choice is
required. In some cases they may have to select a
time to attend lectures at. This is done by
clicking on Choose Time.
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Choosing a time slot
When they click on Choose Time they will see a
timetable that shows them what days/times the
lecture takes place. They Click on the time that
suits best (e.g. Thursday at 3pm) and then they
click on the Register button. They will be
brought back to the main screen and they will see
that the status of that module is now Chosen.
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Changing a time slot

If a student needs to change the time of a
lecture or lab/tutorial they click on Change
Time. (If a module says pre-selected they
will not be able to change the time).

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Choosing Option Modules

Students may choose the option module they wish
to take by clicking on "Select Module" They
will then be shown the available time slots.
They Click on the appropriate time slot, and
then "Register".
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Choosing Labs and Tutorials
If the module has labs and tutorials they may
need to choose a time for them. To do this they
click on "Choose Time"
They will then be shown the available
time slots. They Click on the appropriate time
slot, and then "Register.
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Choosing Electives

Students can search for elective modules by
subject, by school and by keyword search. They
choose the module they want and also the level
they want. When they click a module they will see
a description of that module. They are advised to
always read the Am I eligible to take this
Module? section before they register to the
module.
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Choosing labs and tutorials for electives
Elective modules may also have tutorials/labs
that students need to choose times for. To do
this they click on Choose Time as with the
Core/Option labs/tutorials.
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Viewing the timetable
To view their timetable the student clicks on the
button called View Calendar They can look at
both their Semester 1 and Semester 2
timetables. They can also print their timetable
from here.
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Online student summary and student self - help
during Online Module Registration
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Self - help during Online Module Registration in
the Application itself

• Information icons online help

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Self - help during Online Module Registration in
the Application itself

• Also
• Timeclash icons helps student build a complete
  timetable
• Click on a module title students will see a
  description of the module and what they will
  learn. Am I eligible to take this module? as
  some modules may have certain criteria attached,
  such as a specified level of prior knowledge,
  that may determine whether or not students can
  take that module.

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Student support services for Online Registration
registration generally

• Call-in service _at_ UCD Student Desk
• Telephone support
• Email
• Online Registration user guides
  www.ucd.ie/students/regguides.html
• plus printed Online Registration User
  Guides for new students
• Online info. Examples
• http//www.ucd.ie/registry/registration/2007/
• http//www.ucd.ie/students/provelectives.html
• http//www.ucd.ie/students/whatdoIdotoregister.htm
  
• Assisted Registration Labs
• Printing and collection of ID Cards
• Service for students with specific needs
• Management of physical queues
• Contingency planning and management
• Programme Office Support a key
• School Office Support

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Student Survey of Registration 2007 and Key
Successes

• 2,633 / 14,000 (19) students responded
• Overall satisfaction level 78 (48 in 2006)
• Where did they complete their Registration
  online?
• 2/3 from home 1/5 in Assisted Labs in UCD
• Length of Registration time in total 2/3 took 1
  5 hours
• (less time than 2006)
• Use of the Online Regist. Application gt
  satisfactory, good, excellent
• 84 ease of logging in
• 82 layout and appearance
• 72 ease of navigation (56 in 2006)
• 63 onscreen guidance and help (47 in 2006)

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Student Survey of Registration 2007 and Key
Successes

• Access to Options Electives
• ½ got preferred modules
• ¼ got some of their preferred modules
• ¼ got none of their preferred modules Why? Mainly
  due to Time Clashing and Full modules
• Focus for 2008/09 is strive for excellence in
  processes, supports and services for students
  that makes best use of staff time and energy
• Overall Registration Picture
• 80 of students fully registered before start of
  the 2007/08 academic year
• 97 of students fully registered at end of two
  week window into semester 1 when online module
  registration closed

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UCD Teaching FellowsResearch on the First Year
Experience

• First Years were happy with the mechanics of
  Registration 2007
• Undergraduates want to study subjects that
  interest them
• Not enough information when making Subject
  choices stems from pre-CAO in Second Level.
  Feeds into University, especially where students
  are in Omnibus Programmes
• You cant substitute for proper personal advice
• What is expected of me? Students generally know
  what is expected of them but dont rise to the
  challenge in many cases
• Average time per week engaging with their
  programme 25.9 hrs, not the 40 (doing 60 of
  the workload on average)

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UCD Registered Student Numbers 2007/08(extracted
from Banner on 13 March 2008)

• Level Code Student Programme Degree Level
  Desciption 2007/08
• UG certificates UG diplomas Certificate
  Undergraduate 495
• Diploma Undergraduate 671
• UG certificates UG diplomas Total 1,166
• Undergraduate Bachelor Degree 13,663
• Undergraduate Total 13,663
• Postgraduate taught Certificate
  Postgraduate 194
• Diploma Postgraduate 711
• Diploma Undergraduate 9
• Higher Diploma 354
• Masters Degree 2,442
• Postgraduate taught Total 3,710
• Postgraduate Research Doctorate 1,531
• Masters Degree 380
• Postgraduate Research Total 1,911
• Occasional Occasional 1,196
• Other 87
• Other Total 1,283

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Further thoughts the future

• Continually improve the Online Registration
  Application e.g. Resits and Repeats drops in
  2008, improved time slot search, Stage assignment
  default
• Better demand and capacity management happier
  students. In 2007/08 many electives offered at
  same time as core and options - 10,000 unused
  elective places out of 34,000. Improve for
  2008/09
• Speed vs quality of module registration (heavy
  use of Online Change of Mind Window November to
  February). CAO dates drive First Year,
  Orientation dates an issue
• Online Registration can only go so far - Academic
  Advisers required in larger numbers. Problematic
  in some Omnibus, larger Programmes
• WebCAPP Banner Curriculum Advice Programme
  Planning Self Service for students in the
  future
• Flattening Stages in Programmes from 2008/09
  more advice required for students in the future