Faculty Focus Group 12/4/2008
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Jump to navigationJump to searchWhat do you like about the MIIS website?
- Provides a good idea of what the Monterey Institute does (but not enough about what it IS)
What do you use the website for?
- Academic calendar for add/drop dates
- Course schedules
- Directory
What don't you like?
- Does not reflect how incredibly kickass the Institute really is
- Needs to appeal to other incredible people and invite them to participate
- I've been on the site 3 times, 2 of which were when I applied
- Presently FirstClass is more often used (and FirstClass stinks)
- "Watch Videos (YouTube)" link sounds like a random link to YouTube
- Faculty are doing exciting things, why aren't they on the website?
- Timeliness: have sent info and it took more than a month to appear on the site
- Too much text, need to diversify communications (pictures, mindmaps, etc)
- ONE person should not be responsible for the website; EVERYONE should be responsible
- Main website + Moodle + FirstClass need to be combined into one platform w/different levels of access (for one-stop shopping!)
Who is the site audience?
Prospective students
- Need to get to know what faculty are working on, where they are, what they've been doing
- Need to see where alumni end up
Current students
- Create a virtual space where students can link up, their achievements can be celebrated, etc.
Alumni
- What is the easiest way to reach out to our alumni instantly?
Blogs?
- "Too many loose cannons on the deck"
- Maybe have student council in charge of a single student blog
- Need some kind of filter for all of the content, like the moderator of a listserv
Items to consider in redesign
- Want to see the PEOPLE of the Monterey Institute
- Need to create a space that shows how far-reaching the MIIS community is
- 5 rockstar alums & what they're doing now, any alums in the Obama administration, etc.
- Want faculty to be able to update their own individual website
- Many faculty will be self-motivated to do this
- Can post conference presentation materials, articles, info about what they are doing, etc.
- Need a centralized events calendar
- Followup on events for those who couldn't attend, include notes + links to YouTube videos
- Consider turning the Foghorn into a student portal site similar to insidecolby.com
Websites we like
- storybank.stanford.edu
- highlights faculty and alums and what they are doing
- usc.edu
- people profiles
- myUSC student/faculty/staff portal
- thedailybeast.com/beast-board
- daily bloggers
- can choose to read more if you are interested in a particular topic