Digital Campus

• Digital Campus Milestones
  • Phase I
  • Phase II
  • Phase III
  • Phase IV
• The On-line Course Management Programs

Modern information technology has greatly impacted the administrative and instructional environment of higher education as we know it. Over the last 20 years, it has steadily been providing ever-increasing benefits to campus operational management and program instruction. The embracing and careful incorporation of information technology has become a clear and vital operational goal for many institutions of higher education as they move steadily toward the digital campus of tomorrow. As an institution with its research and educational focus primarily on the instruction of business and technology, the vision of the digital campus takes on an added importance and imperative. Northwestern Polytechnic University (NPU) launched its digital campus initiatives in the late nineties using a systematic approach to achieve its intended goals. Three phases of activities have been defined and pursued since then.

Phase I: In the fall of 2000, classrooms with computer networks and online capability were developed and implemented. Specifically, all classrooms and laboratories on campus were networked and having access to the Internet. In addition, a Web-based Learning Resources facility was developed to support instructors in their course management and students for information sharing and increasing learning efficiency. As a result, instructors can post course syllabi, handouts, assignments, grades, and other useful learning resources on the website; TAs can post students' homework grades online, entertain student questions, and receive students' homework/project papers through the Internet; the students can use the online facility to check and update their personal contact information, check individual's own grades and study plan through this controlled website.

Phase II: A records management software system was developed in 2001 and the pilot was run in the summer of 2002. It enabled the university administration and academic advisors to provide advice for online registration and to conduct new student record management functions.

Phase III: The distance learning initiative for developing online instruction and distance learning capabilities began in 2002-2003 with the goal of offering alternative modes of instruction for certain approved courses. The NPU-Online program was ready for a pilot run in fall of 2003. By the end of 2003, NPU had received ACICS's approval to offer a limited number of courses online concurrently with those offered in the traditional classroom delivery mode. An initial trial run of NPU-Online took place in the 2004 spring semester. Based on inputs from the instructors and students using the system, the program was enhanced and version 2.0 was released in time for the 2004 summer term students and instructors conducting several approved courses.

Phase IV: A comprehensive digital campus program has been perceived as the ultimate goal for administrative record keeping and management to satisfy the needs of the administrative staff, the students, faculty, and outside users. Its comprehensiveness shall cover all school activities concerning the users. Although the initial version of the user specifications was made available in 2003 spring, followed by partial development work made by the R&D staff then, the official comprehensive design work took place after the NPU IT Department was established in early 2004 summer. The IT team took over the project and made the project development schedule. It was determined that the project would be developed and released in phases. The initial release of the program was scheduled for 2005 February.