4-page Case Study - Posted 12/21/2007
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Improving Education Delivery in Queensland with Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007
Brisbane North Institute of TAFE was struggling to increase collaboration between teachers across Queensland. As part of the Microsoft Queensland Spotlight 2007 program, the institute worked with Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Unisys to create a centralized collaboration space based on Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007. The solution has the potential to improve communication and collaboration between staff, increase efficiency and enhance compliance.
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Office SharePoint Server 2007 provides a knowledge environment that is accessible regardless of time or location |
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NameWayne Knack
Director,
Innovations,
Brisbane North Institute of TAFE |
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Business Needs
Brisbane North Institute of TAFE is a vocational training provider in Queensland, Australia. It has six campuses and more than 30,000 students across Brisbane and offers an extensive range of programs to prepare students for the workforce.
As part of the Queensland Skills Plan 2006, a state government initiative to improve the supply of skilled labor, Brisbane North Institute of TAFE was designated the state’s ‘lead institute’ responsible for developing the business curriculum and assessments across Queensland.
The institute developed a Teaching and Learning Network (TLN) to facilitate collaboration between business educators at TAFE institutes state-wide. One of the TLN’s intended tasks was developing and moderating assessment instruments such as exam papers. Assessment moderation involves staff from institutes across Queensland working together to create consistent assessments that accurately reflect the course content taught at each TAFE institute.
However, Brisbane North Institute of TAFE faced significant challenges in implementing and operating the TLN. Staff were located across Queensland, while funding and operational limitations minimized the possibility of face-to-face meetings. This significantly restricted the potential for collaboration, information sharing, quality compliance and version control.
“To implement the TLN, we needed to overcome the tyranny of distance,” explains Wayne Knack, Director, Innovations, Brisbane North Institute of TAFE. “We couldn’t fly 700 teachers across the state so they could sit down and moderate each other’s work.
“We needed a centralized system that would offer features such as record keeping, document tracking, workflow and audit trails.”
Solution
In early 2007, Brisbane North Institute of TAFE was approached by its IT services provider Unisys, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, to participate in the Microsoft Queensland Spotlight 2007 program.
In this program, Microsoft partners undertake training in a specific Microsoft product and team up with an organization that has a business problem to solve. The Partners compete to produce the most innovative, creative and customer-focused solution. The theme of the 2007 program was ‘Integrated Collaboration’ based on Microsoft® Office SharePoint® Server 2007.
“Unisys has a long-term relationship with the institute, having provided services since 1997,” says Stephen Williams, Manager, Unisys. “We assessed their business requirements and delivered a working prototype in six weeks.”
The prototype was designed to address a specific business need: assessment moderation for the Certificate 4 in Business course.
“Although assessment moderation for this certificate is one small component of our work, the prototype was an excellent opportunity to assess the capabilities of Office SharePoint Server 2007 for wider application,” says Knack.
The prototype consists of a single online workspace that allows assessment instruments to be lodged and moderated. The site also includes a repository for quality assurance procedures, tools and workflows to assist with moderation, such as document libraries, message boards and wikis, as well as reporting features.
Office SharePoint Server 2007 provides collaboration, business intelligence, portal and search functionality. Microsoft Office InfoPath® 2007 provides forms and automated workflows, while Microsoft Office Live Meeting allows for online collaboration in a structured environment. The solution integrates with Microsoft Active Directory® and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007.
Benefits
The prototype has the potential to dramatically improve the quality and efficiency of communication and ensure Brisbane North Institute of TAFE can meet its lead institute responsibilities.
Easily accessible system
Using Office SharePoint Server 2007 would greatly increase the ability of different groups to contribute to the assessment moderation process.
“Office SharePoint Server 2007 provides a knowledge environment that is accessible regardless of time or location,” says Knack. “As long as users have access to the internet, they will be able to communicate with colleagues.”
In addition, storing all information relating to assessment moderation in a central location would enable the institute to refer back to its records if required for audit or quality-control purposes.
Improved collaboration
The solution would improve the ability of colleagues to collaborate regardless of location or distance. Office Live Meeting enables face-to-face meetings without transport and accommodation costs.
“Users across the state could work together, sharing documents and knowledge in a structured and intuitive collaboration space,” says Knack. “It will allow us to engage more people across greater distances into a single process.”
Efficient and timely moderation
By streamlining collaboration, workflows and version control, the solution would enable Brisbane North Institute of TAFE to achieve faster and more comprehensive reviews.
“The solution would really improve the efficiency of assessment moderation by making the process logical and automated,” says Knack. “Office SharePoint Server 2007 would eliminate the need to send numerous emails and remove the confusion around which version of a document is current and who made which revisions.”
Flexible solution for future expansion
Brisbane North Institute of TAFE is keen to investigate the solution’s potential for wider application.
“We are impressed by the system’s scalability and flexibility,” says Knack. “There is huge potential to apply this core solution across a number of business areas, processes and problems.”
