In the past month, our team has analyzed dozens of questions we’ve received about Student Self-Enrolment. We noticed some recurring themes and have created the following fictional conversation between a member of the College community (like you!) and one of us at the R3 Project.
Some people learn by doing. Some learn by reading. Some like to watch experts at work and copy what they do. And believe it or not, some people even enjoy preparing for and taking tests.
What kind of learner are you? When Algonquin College rolls out its new Student Information System (SIS), Thesis SM, how would you like to approach your learning journey?
This is an online solo version of the game we played with the Change Champion Network (CCN). Keep reading to find out how to play 🏆
You probably already know about the R3 Showcase, right? It’s an event that we host every couple of months to share the latest R3 Project developments with the AC community. But did you also know that it’s the perfect place to ask questions about the R3 Project?
During these events, attendees can use the Questions and Answers feature—or Q&A, for short. You type in the question, and it gets added to the Q&A panel. Then, our team answers your question in one of two ways:
If you think of a question after Showcase is over, that’s OK! You can also ask us questions between Showcase events by sending us an email.
Algonquin College will soon have a new Student Information System (SIS) called Thesis SM. As with any new tool, there is sure to be a learning curve for people switching from the old SIS, GeneSIS, to the new one—but don’t worry! We’ll help you become familiar with Thesis SM so you can hit the ground running when it goes live.
With that being said, we want to tell you about six important terms related to Student Self-Enrolment that will help you better understand how this process will work.
The new Thesis Student Portal will change how learners enrol for courses. Today, Algonquin College assigns course schedules to learners. With the new Thesis Student Portal, learners will be able to create their own course schedules, allowing for a completely customizable experience!
This shift to Student Self-Enrolment is directly tied to Priority 2 of the College’s Academic Plan, which is to provide inclusive program delivery that enables choice. What’s more, most College programs support giving learners more flexibility in the Student Self-Enrolment process.
May’s Showcase event was hosted by Laura Stanbra, Vice President of Student Services and R3 Project’s Executive Sponsor, who welcomed more than 260 participants.
Lauren Draper, Project Manager, Business Transformation, discussed how consultations with Deans, Academic Chairs, and Program Coordinators informed the new Student Self-Enrolment process.
Haya Majbour, Business Analyst, defined some new Thesis SM terminology, compared the current state to the future state of Course Enrolment, and explained how the new Student Self-Enrolment process will relieve administrative pressure for employees and increase flexibility for learners.
One of the biggest improvements the R3 Project is highlighting with the new Thesis Student Portal is its simple and modern look. With a cloud-based, modern system comes modern ways in which students will be able to get things done in the Thesis Student Portal. What’s better, this solution is directly in line with our objective to improve student success and satisfaction, which is also related to Algonquin College’s Mission and Vision!
Another great thing about these learner benefits is that some of our current processes won’t change once we go live with Thesis SM and the new Thesis Student Portal. This is great for our employees who are used to doing processes a certain way – so long as the process is already simple and easy, we don’t need to change it.
The R3 Project is not just about investing in a new Student Information System (SIS). Rethinking and redesigning the many business processes across the College is another important piece of the puzzle, and this is directly in line with the project’s objectives. One of these objectives is to improve student success and satisfaction.
These business processes are also helping us define how the new Student Portal will work. To put it simply, the portal will make our learners’ lives easier as they navigate through their academic journey.
With the launch of a new Student Portal and Student Information System comes a lot of benefits for everyone. Not only that, but the work being done on the R3 Project is directly connected to the Mission and Vision of Algonquin College, which aims to help our learners achieve lifelong success and become global leaders.