News R3

Take a Micro-break and Complete the R3 Project Crossword

A graphic featuring the R3 Project logo, a cartoon avatar of a person with glasses, a computer keyboard and mouse, and a crossword puzzle.

According to a group of Canadian researchers, taking regular micro-breaks at work can boost your performance and improve your well-being—especially if you can go outside for a little bit. Micro-breaks last only a few minutes, but they can relieve pressure and help us find the focus we need to tackle the challenges we encounter at work.

If you’re ready for a micro-break, we’ve got something to help you unwind and have fun: the R3 Project Crossword. Can you complete it in under five minutes?

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Curious about Course Registration? Watch the July 2024 R3 Showcase for answers!

July’s Showcase event was a continuation of our May Showcase event, which focused on Course Registration. The event was hosted by Laura Stanbra, Vice President of Student Services and R3 Project’s Executive Sponsor, who welcomed more than 220 participants.

Charmaine Childs, R3 Project Manager of Engagement and Communications, provided an overview of which Thesis Student Portal communications will come from Algonquin College and which will come from the R3 Project.

Lauren Draper, Project Manager, Business Transformation, went over the purpose of Pre-enrolment and Re-enrolment and highlighted some popular questions asked during the May Showcase.

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New SIS, No Worries: A Primer on Thesis SM Help Resources

Two women sitting side by side are comparing their notes.

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?

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R3 Project Behind the Scenes: The Question Tracker

A woman with glasses is looking at an unseen person and writing down notes.

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?

Ask away!

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:

  • We answer your question live during the Q&A portion of the event. We keep an eye on the most upvoted questions to answer first.
  • We send you an email with the answer if we didn’t get to your question during the event.

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.

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Confused by the Lingo? Let’s Go Over Student Course Registration in Thesis SM

An Algonquin College student is using a laptop computer while consulting a textbook and a notebook.

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 Course Registration that will help you better understand how this process will work.

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Student Course Registration: Better for learners, streamlined for employees!

An Algonquin College student is sitting in a chair and using a laptop computer.

The new Thesis Student Portal will change how learners register 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 Course Registration 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 Course Registration process.

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How is Course Registration changing? Watch the May 2024 R3 Showcase to find out!

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 Course Registration process.

Haya Majbour, Business Analyst, defined some new Thesis SM terminology, compared the current state to the future state of Course Registration, and explained how the new Course Registration process will relieve administrative pressure for employees and increase flexibility for learners.

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Learner Benefits Part 4: Modernizing Integrations to fit our Learners’ Needs

A group of four college students sitting facing each other at a booth setting. They are smiling.

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.

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