Topics: MiddMedia, ShadowBox theme, Classes Server, Web Redo Updates, e-portfolios, Breadnet, CT and LIS blog, CTLR and CT collaboration, CT IA…
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CT Team Meeting Minutes 9/22/09

Present: Alex Chapin, Joy Pile, Adam Franco, Joe Antonioli, Bryan Carson, Dan Frostman
Minutes joyfully taken and presented by Dan Frostman
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In this meeting we took a step back and reviewed what we have done to date and how to proceed this fall.

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Key Topics and Debates:
Curricular Technology platforms, WordPress, Segue, plugins, themes, configuration, surveys, recommendations, needs vs technologies, migration strategies
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Alex recapped his AD meeting report.

Ian was the guest at the meeting.  RE: LIS Web Team and the curricular resources presence on the LIS website.

• part 1: what key terms do we want to turn up which results?
• part 2: develop the resources that you land on after the search.
• Us: figure out landing pages, presentation.  Develop a process.
• Ian: Will assist with interoperability  of systems.
• Ian will find out how the team can have access to Google analytics so we can determine which of our current web resources is most used.
• Brian will send out to team the project manager workbook and url inventory sheet.

In tackling this, we should think about:

• How to target our audiences (faculty, students, staff) (i.e. as a single group, as separate groups, as overlapping groups…)
• How to determine definitive sources of documentation
• How to contextualize documentation so it is where people need it and is surrounding by related content
• How to distinguish “how to” documentation from “what can I do” documentation

Essentially we’ll need to get an inventory of all the CT related content we have and review it.  Ultimately, what the LIS website team needs is the specifications for a CT “landing page” which would be appear for searches of “curricular technology” (and presumably synonyms such as “educational” and “academic” technology) as well as appearing on the customized search results page for searches of “LIS”

Great work Ian!

Discussed the survey questions.

Newly added:

• Opening paragraph
• Are you Humanities, Languages , etc.  (Divs)
• Whom do you want to access/participate your course site?

We’ll finish this in next meeting.

BreadNet Evaluation: Next Steps

• FirstClass, the platform that is used by BreadNet, has functionality that is similar to email, mailing lists and forums.
• BreadNet has enabled the development of strong community of users who seem to be satisfied with the platform
• the version of FirstClass used by Breadnet is difficult and time-consuming to backup
• newer versions of FirstClass may offer improved functionality and be easier to maintain

Action items:

1. Adam will meet with Rick and get more details about issues with maintaining FirstClass server
2. Dan will research newer versions of FirstClass
3. Summary of Findings to date will be posted to the CT Blog

WordPress Plugins

• SlideShare seems like a useful plugin for embedding presentations, would need to review it.  Does require uploaded presentations to slideshare site and making public.  Google Apps has a presentation tool that may also provide similar functionality
• CommentPress plugins also seem to be useful, again plugin code needs to be evaluated.
• With all of these need to find make sure we don’t force WordPress to provide functionality that it isn’t design to support….
• These plugins and tools that offer similar functionality also need to be evaluated in terms of the “best of breed” strategy vs. using what is available….