Developing a Student Information Management System

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Developing a Student Information Management System

• Presenters Randy Doerneman, Mark
  Mitchell, and Lou Vassilev

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Introduction

• Investigative journalism asks
• Who?
• What?
• When?
• Where?
• Why?
• How?
• Well add
• What in the world were we thinking?

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Who?

• OU Center for Independent and Distance Learning
• Randy Doerneman, CIDL Director
• Lou Vassilev, Computer Programmer
• Mark Mitchell, Technology Staff Supervisor
• Other players College IT support and our staff

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What?

• New student information management system called
  OMNI.
• OMNI replaced a previous program called
  Solutions Version 2.0.
• Solutions Version 2.0 replaced another program
  called Solutions.

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When?

• Student information management system development
  timeline
• Department of Independent Study opened at OU in
  the early 1900s.
• All student records were paper based, typed in
  triplicate (using carbon paper) and filed in
  boxes and cabinets.
• Student grades were recorded on 6x6 cards and
  kept in boxes cards were marked with colored
  markers across the top to indicate different
  categories of students (military, VA) payroll
  was recorded in 3 ring binders.

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When?

• Student information management system development
  timeline (contd)
• Computers were introduced to the department in
  1995.
• Microsoft works was used to create mail merge
  documents/labels.
• First database driven custom software (Solutions)
  started out as an MIS project in 1995 developed
  by a series of student programmers and was
  finally launched in 2000.
• Solutions version 2.0 was launched in January
  2004 after 3 months work.
• OMNI was launched in September 2005.

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Solutions Version 2.0

• Launch demo (hyperlink removed)

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Where?

• Norman, Oklahoma
• Thanks for asking

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Why?

• CIDL functions as a kind of mini-university
  within OU, providing
• Administrative services.
• Student services (managing enrollments, charges
  and payments, grades, etc.).
• Curriculum development.
• Comprehensive off-the-shelf student information
  systems are not readily available.
• Need ready access to student data and
  comprehensive reports and statistics.
• Were gluttons for punishment.

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How?

• Original Solutions Visual Basic 6.0 MS Access
  97
• Solutions Version 2.0 ASP (SQL and VB Script)
  MS Access 2003
• OMNI VisualBasic.net, CrystalReports.net,
  PostgreSQL

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What in the World Were We Thinking?

• We were challenged to
• Capture our entire operation in one program.
• Migrate data from legacy system to new system.
• Enlist everyones commitment to making the
  transition succeed.
• Small changes are hard wholesale changes are
  loathsome.