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

Posted on Friday, April 26th, 2024

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.

As usual, though, we’re keeping our focus on our learners. The main difference for this upcoming benefit is the timing – students will no longer have to wait so long when they’re waiting to hear back on the status of their application!

On that note, the last learner benefit on our list is Modernized Integrations.

What do we mean by Modernized Integrations?

As we replace our Student Information System (SIS), we have the opportunity to modernize the supporting technology. And we are doing just that!

One area of significant change will be in Integrations, which simply means how the SIS “talks” to other systems. One of the most important integrations is between the SIS and the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS) using their Domestic on Demand (DoD) solution. It is through this service that we receive applications to our programs, and we send offers of admission to domestic learners.

The way that OCAS and the DoD solution will communicate with the SIS is a great example of how our Modernized Integrations will help streamline the overall process for employees and domestic learners alike.

What are the benefits?

Let’s stick with the integration between the SIS and leveraging OCAS’s DoD solution as an example. When we go-live with Thesis SM, prospective learners will apply to Algonquin College, and AC will receive their application within five minutes. This differs greatly from the current state where AC often receives the application within a few days. After AC’s Admissions Team reviews applications, learners will no longer have to wait anxiously before receiving their accepted application. Yes, that’s right – we are talking about the receipt of applications, and offers, going from days to minutes!

This is also great for the entire AC Community. Since learners will be able to respond to offers that arrive more quickly, this gives us a competitive advantage. As this process only affects domestic learners, this is why they call it Domestic on Demand.

We went over the integration between the SIS and OCAS at our March 2024 Showcase event! Jason Taker, Manager, Student Information System Implementation and Digital Transformation, and Wade Stewart, Business Systems Analyst, presented a live demo of what the Domestic Admissions Process will look like by applying to AC through OCAS Domestic on Demand.

And that’s all for our Learner Benefits series! To recap, we highlighted the Personalized Learner Experience, Improved Communications, Streamlined Processes, and Modernized Integrations. And as you can imagine, this was just a small glimpse at some of the benefits that our learners will be experiencing with the new Thesis Student Portal. There are many more benefits that we’ll be uncovering as we get closer to go-live.

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