2003 CAEL Conference An Award Winning Partnership: LexisNexis

1
2003 CAEL ConferenceAn Award Winning
Partnership LexisNexis Sinclair Community
CollegeJ.E.D.I. Certificate ProgramNovember
13, 2003
2
Partners
3
Sinclair Community College Dayton, Oh
4

• Patty Santoianni
• Professor Computer Information Systems Dept.
• 937-512-2750
• patty.santoianni_at_sinclair.edu
• www.sinclair.edu
• http//it.sinclair.edu

5
Dave Finney almost in person!

• Dave Finney
• Manager Retrieval Services
• LexisNexis
• david.finney_at_lexisnexis.com
• www.lexisnexis.com

6
LexisNexis

• Based in Dayton, Ohio
• World class data center, search engine
• Serving Legal and Tax professionals, plus
  Business, PR, Journalism professionals
• Offer information solutions, using world class
  search engine and a data repository of over 4
  billion documents, stories and cases

7
The History
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away
8
The History

• Find the need and endeavor to meet it
• (David A. Sinclair)
• Brainstorming Session (industry, Greater Dayton
  IT Alliance, academic)
• Fast Track Certificate Program
• Goal To create a rapid skill upgrade model for
  workforce development for persons already
  employed within the IT industry as well as
  persons starting second careers.

9
The History

• Expand the regions Information Technology
  workforce
• 9-month certificate program focusing on Data Base
  theory, Latest Programming Languages, Object
  Oriented Design, Team Building
• Industry Steering Committee competencies,
  curriculum, logistics
• Program launch Sept. 1998
• Rollout Aug. 1999

10
The History
Dick Wendling, Senior VP Enterprise Information
Systems Architecture, Can we customize this just
for Lexis?
11
J.E.D.I. Project Objective

• Develop and deliver a nine month training program
  to expand the skills of LexisNexis Systems
  Development personnel in Object-oriented design,
  Relational database and Java technologies
• Utilize components of SCCs existing Fast Track
  curriculum IBM University content and customized
  program development based upon LN requirements

12
Why did we do it?

• Need to modernize segments of our online system
• Developed education program with Sinclair staff
  as joint effort
• Teach contemporary technical concepts to veteran
  development team
• Use new skills to modernize components of search
  engine software

13
Partnership with SCC

• Sinclair helped with program development costs
• Sinclair staff teach classes at Sinclair site
• Our student-employees are registered as Sinclair
  students
• Sinclair awards usual credit hours for each class

14
Project Details

• Team 4-SCC (Chair, Faculty, Project Manager),
  4-LN (Managers, Senior Architect, HR/Training
  Mgr.)
• Nov. 1 1999 Project Contract Signed
• (Original Budget - 40,000)
• (Final budget summary 19,800 - proj. mgt.
  16,560- curriculum development
  36,360 total)
• Phase 1 (Nov. 99 - Jan. 00) Design
• Phase 2 (Jan. 00 Mar. 00) Development
• Phase 3 (Mar. 00 Jun. 00) Finalization

15
Project Details

• Initially defined
• Current LN development environment
• Current DBMS environment
• Current skill set of developers
• Current skill set deficiencies
• 6 course certificate program
• Object-Oriented Design (CIS 113)
• Client/Server Database (CIS 266)
• Advanced Java (CIS 283)
• Web Application Development (CIS 285)
• Enterprise Java (CIS 286)
• Java Enterprise Project Seminar (CIS 288)

16
Needed a cool name!
J.E.D.I. Java Enterprise Development
Implementation
17
Logistics

• Exclusive offering to LN for 2000-2001
• (public offering beginning Fall, 2001)
• Course scheduling
• 2 classes per quarter
• Tuesday 830 am 1150 am
• Thursday 300 pm 620 pm
• Facilities
• Off campus
• Student Enrollment
• 16 students each academic year
• Assessment
• Course evaluations each quarter
• Status meetings each year

18
LexisNexis Costs

• We paid part of program development costs
• We pay regular tuition and book fees to Sinclair
  for current students
• We provide laptop computers for all
  student-employees
• We allow student-employees to attend class during
  business day

19
Student-Employee Costs

• All class work is done on employees time,
  including reading, papers, programming
  assignments, class projects
• Transportation to Sinclair site
• One of the weekly classes extends into the
  evening hours

20
Before Skills

• Understands mainframe legacy commercial databases
• Skilled at procedural programming languages
• Programmers understanding of MVS environment
  users understanding of Windows
• Knowledge of MVS multi-processing
• General knowledge of internet

21
After Skills

• Object oriented design using UML
• Object oriented programming
• Relational and client/sever database concepts
  including db design and SQL
• Web Development including HTML, XML, Cookies,
  servlets, Java beans, JSP
• Java programming
• WebSphere development environment

22
Celebrate!
23
Benefits Received

• Students receive new technical skills
• Company receives enhanced workforce
• New large component released this year, built by
  grads of program
• Significant capability extension, written in JAVA

24
Kudos

• National recognition for LN Ranked 14 (out of
  more than 600 companies) in 2003 Special Edition
  of Training Magazine for training excellence
• JEDI program named as outstanding initiative
• LN credits its partnership with Sinclair as a
  major contributor to its training excellence

25
Lessons Learned

• Consistency of hardware/software environment
  (students and faculty use pre-configured
  laptops)
• Course evaluations are important for continuous
  improvement
• Get course materials into hands of students
  before the classes
• Need class mentor/tutor
• Expectation of students needs to be clearly
  stated

26
Best Practices

• Utilization of Project Manager during
  development
• Approval by both partners of curriculum,
  competencies and delivery
• Manager as student in each cohort
• Shared vision desire to succeed!
• Continuous improvement
• Carefully selected, technically top notch 1st
  class

27
Issues

• Ensure program meets employer needs
• Faculty availability and quality
• Investigating team teaching to ensure technical
  and academic standards are sustained

28

• Questions?
• Comments?
• THANKS!

29
Dedication

• This presentation is dedicated in memory of two
• key contributors and our dear friends
• Donna Gravenstine
• and
• Rosemary Shannon