APAS and the Empowerment of the Learner on the Web

1. APAS and the Empowerment of the Learner on the Web Oct 5th 2007

2. Agenda • WoW • WoW versus Online Application Services • Benefits • History • Going Beyond Stand Alone Systems • Project Principles • How we are building it • How it will Work….. • Progress and Next Steps • In the End

3. World of WarCraft • An Alternate Reality with Some Significant characteristics • Players have an identity • Players are powerful • Players are not alone (collaboration) • Provides real value to the players • Intuitive • State of the Art Technology and Functionality • Capable of change and evolution

4. World of Warcraft vs Online AppsA totally unfair comparison • MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing game) versusLAAOMICLI (Learner all alone online with massively intimidating and complex learning institutions) • A person versus anonymous and sentenced to endlessly repeating data entry tasks • Addicting versus Repellent • Powerful versus Supplicant • Few consequences versus life altering consequences

5. Benefits to the Learner of Online Systems • They work as demonstrated by all twenty-one participating institutions (we do have some world class, state of the art systems) • Less paper, postage etc. • Better guidance (context sensitive help) • More timely? • More certainty about the data supplied • Much more supplementary information (depending on the system) • More Convenient

6. Ancient History of Common APPS • Institutions have been creating common application services for over 30 years • To expand the pool of applicants • To save dollars on processing • To more closely match applicants to institutions • To provide benefits and additional information to learners

7. The ALIS Online Application 1997 • Student Driven • An Alternative to everyone building their own • Government Created and Therefore Doomed • Based on the Best Technology of the Time

8. Access to the Future Act “ When we have a common application process, a student will be able to apply online through one portal, pay one deposit if a deposit is necessary, and be able to indicate which institutions they would like their application considered by. We’ll be able to track the success of each applying student to make sure that there is a space for every student who wants a space, for every Albertan who’s qualified to go.”

9. Access to the Future Act The Minister, in consultation with public post‑secondary institutions and such other persons as the Minister considers appropriate, shall identify and evaluate and, where appropriate, implement plans, arrangements or processes that enhance the access to and affordability of advanced education, including but not limited to the following: (a) a common application process for entrance to public post‑secondary institutions;

10. Going Beyond Stand Alone Systems • Students will be able to log on to central site and have their core information transferred to all institutions. • Students will be able to log on to institutional sites and transfer their core information to the central site. • APAS will provide an online post-secondary transcript transfer service and will integrate with the Alberta Education High School Transcript Service. • Students will be able to establish an identity that can be shared. Integrates with the Government Security System. • Does not eliminate or consolidate fees

11. APAS Principles • Applicant/learner support is a key priority • The APAS solution will complement existing postsecondary institution systems • APAS will minimize the impact on Institutional Systems • Use industry recognized standards to promote compatibility and integration now and in future developments • Support stakeholders’ data custodianship responsibilities • Ensure flexibility for the future

12. How we are Building it • Collaborative model with all 21 institutions • 21 members of the APAS society • Board of Directors (8) • Task Team (Steering Committee) • Business Contacts • Technical Team • Ad hoc groups (FOIP) • Short on Learner Input but we are working on that

13. How it will work…………. • Learners will be able to start at any institution site or APAS • The first step will always be to identified and to get an Alberta Student Number if they already don’t have one. • The learner will input data at APAS and at Institutional sites • The learner will authorize transcripts • Once the submit button is activated the application becomes the responsibility of the institution and is handled by the admission process • APAS retains a profile

14. Progress • The society is about to be formed • System ready to demonstrate Oct 22nd • Pilot and Implementation starting late 07 or early 08 • Development of a operating model is underway • Many other issues; marketing, branding and FOIP

15. Next Steps • APAS could provide a foundation that could facilitate the delivery of future services such as; • Program information • Support to help the student make choices • Information on available space • Better linkage to financial support • Most importantly APAS will not work in Isolation. These services could be provided by other sites such as ALIS and integrated with APAS • Note, to date none of this future functionality has been agreed to.

16. Why APAS is like WoW • Learner no longer a transient bit of data (profile) Learner has an identity • Clearer more effective paths to relate to many institutions (institutions are speaking the same language) • More Powerful. Power to carry out Transactions (authorize transcript) • Potential to make the learner even more powerful in the future

17. In the End…… • Working application and transcript systems in the next few months • A foundation for the future • A collaborative model • A more powerful learner (perhaps more motivated to enter post-secondary education)