Training Terminology: Get familiar with the lingo

Posted on Tuesday, September 15th, 2026

Training for the new Student Information System (SIS), Thesis SM, is coming in Fall 2026. We’ve already outlined what you can expect before it begins, but with this important milestone comes some terminology that might sound unfamiliar to you.

Not to worry! We’ve compiled a list of all the important terms and definitions to help you understand the lingo and better navigate training. If you’ve already heard of these terms, then this will be a good refresher.

How many new terms are there?

There are seven key terms that will often come up in Training:
• General SIS Users
• Core SIS Users
• Video Tutorial
• Guided Simulation
• Practice Exercise
• Task Guide
• How-to Guide

Depending on what kind of training you will need to complete, some terms might be more relevant to you than others. For example, How-to Guides will only be available for Core User training, as the processes are longer and more complex.

Now, let’s define what each term is to help you gain a deeper understanding.

Student Information System Users: General Users

Are individuals across the College who:
• Perform specific tasks (E.g. Look up Course Offering, look up Program Curriculum)
• Review reports that are written by others (E.g. Degree/Credential Audit)
• Look up student information to assist or advise

Example of General SIS Users:
• Student Success Specialists
• Recruitment Office

Est. 600 General SIS Users

Student Information System Users: Core Users

Are individuals across the College who:
• Learn and perform complex Business Processes (E.g. SWF, Student Finance)
• Create new data (E.g. courses)
• Create new reports

Example Core User Departments:
• Registrar’s Office
• Finance
• Some staff in Academic Schools/Departments

Est. 200 Core SIS Users

Video Tutorial

A recording of a specific task being completed in the system.

Video Tutorials have narrated instructions, use boxes to highlight actions, and help users understand how a task is completed.

Guided Simulation

An interactive walkthrough of a specific task in the system.

Guided Simulations give users prompts in a virtual but realistic environment.

Practice Exercise

An interactive simulation that allows users to complete a specific task in the system without guidance.

Practice Exercises also tell users when they are not completing the task correctly.

Task Guide

A one-to two-page document of a specific task in the system using images to illustrate each step in the process.

How-to Guide

An instructional document that details specific tasks in the system. How-to Guides provide detailed information and screenshots that illustrate how an area of the system works.


There are many new terms coming with the new SIS, but we hope that by breaking them down by theme or module, you can slowly but surely get used to the new lingo!

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Want to learn more about the new SIS? Check out the FAQ page on our website for more information or contact us if you have any questions. While you’re here, feel free to sign up for our next


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