Our goal is to create an updated version of Sakai, the UNC-specific platform given to all students, that allows for better communication between professors and students. We want to ensure that all professors and students at UNC use the same platform so that there is less confusion about assignment due dates, messaging with peers and mentors, grade distributions and communication in general.
Through updating to RamChat+, the university will achieve much greater communication through the usage of notifications to a student or professors' cellular device. With that being said, users will also be capable of limiting times at which students/professors can communicate with one other meaning there will no longer be assignments given late at night, frantic emails being sent at 1AM to professors asking questions or any form of communication that interferes with an individual's social life outside of school. Alongside of this, RamChat+ will be the only platform utilized by professors for giving grades, communicating with students about assignments, etc. which will allow for less confusion when using the software, especially for first-year students and transfers.
First Steps:
Our first steps were to analyze the level of communication between students and professors here at UNC-Chapel Hill in order to see if the current platforms being used held a high degree of efficiency.
We also had a goal to find out this information through a student's lens AND a professor's lens. We conducted interviews with both students and professors in order to get their stance on this topic and to understand their pain points and gain.
Survey Results:
Our team analyzed survey responses that we sent out to a plethora of students that are currently enrolled here at UNC. Below are some key takeaways and results that show the need for RamChat+ and how it can be seen as a beneficial upgrade for the betterment of both professors and students.
Unmet Need:
The survey responses helped lead us to the identification of a central unmet need for both professors and students that seemed to be something harped on by many individuals.
There are a few central themes in this, mainly including the necessity for an "upgrade" to Sakai in general. Several respondents also expressed general confusion surrounding Sakai in its totality. Many suggestions were centered around making communication more accessible and for there to be a common understanding of a place where students should go to seek contact for their professors and etc. Lastly, students feel as though Sakai lacks quick and efficient communication, specifically, which would allow for contact with, not only your professors when you need help with an assignment, but also fellow classmates and peers.
Unmet Need: A single platform where all UNC students and professors can communicate easily.
- Sakai is too confusing
- Communication through Sakai is not efficient
- There isn't one site that all professors use to communicate with students and vice-versa.
Solution: A mobile app extension of Sakai designed to allow efficient communication that is required for all professors and students at the university.
- Restrictions for communication hours
- Platform used by everyone so anyone is always accessible
First Prototype:
Our first prototype was the design of the app extension of Sakai that would be required for all students and professors at UNC-Chapel Hill. The app was very simplistic and mainly only consisted of a page for individuals to login with their ONYEN, a page for messaging both professors and students with professors being highlighted at the top of the page and then a notifications page. We previously had planned on enhancing the app in its totality after analyzing this first prototype but we wanted to get feedback right off the bat.
Feedback:
Stakeholder
One of our team members reached out to Ms. Thao Tu, an ITS Educational Technologies Administrator in order to gain some information about Sakai and its progression over time. The following graphic highlights the key ideas our group was able to gain from the meeting.
Focus Group
Alongside of the meeting that we had with Ms. Tu, we also reached out to a focus group comprised of many students that had a specific opinion relating to Sakai and its intended improvement/upgrade. A majority of the participants in this group felt as though the app was incredibly beneficial in terms of our team meeting our goal: to improve communication between students and professors. Suggestions were made including our need for a settings or preferences page which would be used by users in order for them to arrange their timetables for accessibility throughout each weekday. After analyzing all the feedback from our focus group, we were able to construct our second prototype which was the actual app design itself. You can see the app and it's different pages that we based off of the focus group feedback below.
Marketing Materials:
Social Media Posts:
Video Summary:
Audio Reflection:
Credits:
Created with images by Jill Lang - "The Old Well at UNC Chapel Hill during the spring with azaleas blooming" • clsdesign - "UNC Chapel Hill bell tower" • Sharkshock - "A group of female students walk across the campus of UNC Chapel Hill" • clsdesign - "University building at UNC Chapel Hill" • PiyawatNandeenoparit - "Two white paper cup connect with red rope used for classic phone on black stone table board. For old communication system concept" • fizkes - "Multiethnic students discuss project studying at laptop together" • Fractal Pictures - "Emotional excited man winning job interview vacancy offer on email rejoicing good news typing keyboard on laptop at home." • Tom Merton/KOTO - "Professor talking to students in classroom" • Gorodenkoff - "Handsome Male and Beautiful Female Mobile Application Designers Test and Discuss New App Features. They Work on a Personal Computer, in a Creative Office Space they Share with Other Talented People." • stokkete - "Home renovation and project design app" • weedezign - "top view asian ux developer and ui designer brainstorming about mobile app interface wireframe design on table with customer brief and color code at modern office.Creative digital development agency" • blacksalmon - "Customer Experience Concept, Happy Businessman holding digital Tablet with a checked box on Excellent Smiley Face Rating for a Satisfaction Survey" • Sharkshock - "The Old Well is the symbol of UNC Chapel Hill"