how php is transforming wellesley college (158523455)

8/22/2019 How PHP is Transforming Wellesley College (158523455)

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Wellesley College";

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Chris Card, Web Developer

Wellesley College



PHP is an open-source server-side scripting language

designed for Web development to produce dynamic Web

pages.

Can be directly embedded in HTML documents instead of

having to call separate files to process data.

Allows Wellesley developers to collect, save, manipulate,and present persistent data in our web applications.

What's PHP?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Server-side_scripting

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_development

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_Web_page




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_development






The Drivers and Our Philosophy

What inspired this

transformation?



NEED DATA

What inspired this

transformation?



• Data Collection

Data challenges

facing higher ed



• Data Collection

• Data Processing

Data challenges

facing higher ed



• Data Collection

• Data Processing

•Data Storage

Data challenges

facing higher ed



• Data Collection

• Data Processing

•Data Storage

• Data Cost

Data challenges

facing higher ed



• Transform old, paper based workflows into

standardized, database supported, PHP

Applications

• Corral legacy forms and update them using

our PHP Framework

Wellesley College's solution

to data challenges



• Allows Developers to Create base level

Apps in ~45 seconds

• Supplies Developers with a Standard Library

of Oracle, MySQL, and Utility Functions

• Governs the "Look and Feel" of the

Applications

• Handles User Roles, Allowing for Role

Based Access Control

Highlights of

our PHP Framework



Highlights of

our PHP Framework

• Administrators can Proxy Login as Any Other

User

• Automatically Loads JQuery and YahooUI

Datatable Libraries

• Allows "Single Sign-on" between our

Fac/Staff/Student portal "MyWellesley" and the

application



Transformation in ActionStudent Checklist Application



Create a solution to help enrolled

students manage required formsubmission prior to arrival on campus,

and allow administrators to easily

monitor student progress and compiledata

Student Checklist:

Goal



• Transform all paper based forms into PHP

forms supported by a MySQL backend

• Create a UI layer to easily show students

what they had/hadn't completed with easy

access to the required forms

• Allow Administrators to keep tabs on meta-

data as well as drill down to individualstudents

• Automate Administrator data

compilation/workflow where applicable

Student Checklist:

Proposal



Used an Agile design philosophy to

simultaneously develop and test different

parts of the application

Allowed Departments to drive the Application

design (within the established scope) and

manage as much of the Application aspossible

"Forever Beta" gave the understanding that the

Student Checklist:

An agile approach



Student Side:

Checklist has between 7 to 29 Items depending

on the type of student

All Items Include:

• Complete, Incomplete, Untracked Indicator

• Due Dates

• Titles and Toggleable Descriptions

• Link to PHP (or other) Form

• Priorit Ratin

Student Checklist:

Functionality



Student Side (continued):

• Items are updated in real-time based on

student completion

• All form progress can be saved and

submitted later

• All forms follow a standard "look and feel"

Student Checklist:

Functionality



Student Checklist:

Functionality

Student Functionality Example

https://webapps.wellesley.edu/checklist





Administrator Side:

• All checklist items are fully updateable

• Meta-data for student completion is

calculated automatically and updated in real-

time

• Department specific content is available

based on Administrator "role"• All data is downloadable in CSV format

• "Super" admins have ability to open or close

the application to students

Student Checklist:

Functionality



Student Checklist:

Functionality

• Application Automates the Process of Assigning

Students to First Year Seminars and Writing

Courses based on Student Preferences



Student Checklist:

Functionality

Administrator Functionality Example






• Extraordinary response to all checklist items

(except "I Am Here")

•Student needs were met through better communication and having a "tool" to help

them act more independently

•Exposed weaknesses in some existingCollege processes, ability to adjust

workflows, and Administrator response times

Student Checklist:

The results

Source: NASPA presentation by Anne Manning and John O'Keefe



• Requests for applications have grown

substantially

• Visibility and positive perception of LTS on

campus has increased

• Staff efficiency and time effectiveness has

increased

Effects across campus



• Significant cost savings vs. commercial

solutions

• Better able to provide commercial solutions

when the need occurs, or, can invest the

savings in other aspects of the department

• Data collection, processing, and storage cost

reduction

Financial impact



Less Paper Consumption and Waste

Environmental impact



PHP Apps

• are a fast, efficient, reliable way to address

data related challenges across Campus• can accurately model complex workflows

• increase the efficiency and time

effectiveness of the departments using them

• relieve a huge amount of budgetary pressure

• are good for the environment

• can drastically increase the "good will"

towards and ositive erce tion of our

The takeaway



If you have a question at a later date,

feel free to contact me via email at:

[email protected]

Questions?



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