Abstract

This short paper is an update on research undertaken by the authors during 2001-2002 on Australian University Web site managers.  It discusses the outcomes of the earlier research and how Australian University Web site managers are developing a more collegial and collaborative environment in the higher education sector.

In the earlier research respondents were asked background info about their experience, qualifications, reporting relationships, size of site, team makeup, management of Web Site content, design and site testing and whether or not they would be interested in sharing their experiences with other Web Site managers.  This short paper discusses some of the outcomes of the research and details the collegial Web site that has been developed as a result.

Introduction

This short paper is an update on research undertaken by the authors during 2001-2002 on Australian University Web site managers.  It discusses the outcomes of the earlier research and how Australian University Web site managers are developing a more collegial and collaborative environment in the higher education sector.

In the earlier research respondents were asked background info about their experience, qualifications, reporting relationships, size of site, team makeup, management of Web site content, design and site testing and whether or not they would be interested in sharing their experiences with other Web Site managers. 

Australia’s proximity to Asia and its increased push to be regarded as part of the Asia Pacific region, these universities are also a potentially attractive choice for Asian and international students (West Review, 1998). Research into the teams that manage the Web sites stemmed from our earlier work into the features and design approach taken by individual Universities (Patterson and Ellis, 2002).  This research sort to find out more about the role of those who created and managed the sites to see whether there were any factors that differentiated Universities further than just design and structure.

An unexpected outcome was that the Web site managers wanted to meet each other and find out what was working (or not) at competing universities (Patterson and Ellis, 2002).

The Site

In the first half 2002 each Australian Web site manager was contacted by phone and interviewed.  They were asked questions relating to the following areas:

• Team structure and work environment.
• Qualifications, training and skills maintenance.
• Reporting relationships and responsibilities.
• Design, site and system testing procedures and policies.
• Usage of Web site statistics.
• Content Management Systems (CMS)
• Whether or not the respondents would find it valuable or would contribute to a Web Site that provided up to date data on the issues discussed in the survey with other people who manage University Web Sites.

The last question was a response to informal comments from initial interview subjects about their desire to see and hear what others in the field were doing.  As a result one hundred percent (100%) of those interviewed during the study expressed interest in reviewing a collegial Web site, with 79% willing to contribute to the site if it was worthwhile.

The collegial Web site is seen as a means of furthering the research into the management of Australian University Web sites and to encourage the ongoing discussion and information sharing amongst the sites' membership (initially those who participated in the above survey, but it is possible that the subject may be of interest to a wider audience).

At the AusWeb03 conference delegates from New Zealand requested that the Web site be made available to them as part of the spirit of collegial information sharing.

The Web site has been setup, though is yet to become completely functional and is viewable at:

http://unisites.scu.edu.au/  The preliminary home page appears in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Preliminary Unisites home page hosted byu Southern Cross University

Initial ideas for the site features included such things as:

• An online forum - both moderated and moderated;

• University site usability and accessibility policies;

• Design and testing of websites;

• A members list (only available to members);

• Research in progress and papers - submitted by participants and members for review and comment; and

• A restricted area for both public and private (member) access;

Discussion about whether the site becomes a body such as an institute (or similar) to further the aims of the research and member Web site managers is still taking place.

Conclusion

An unexpected result of the research undertaken by Patterson and Ellis (2002), the desire of survey respondents to participate in a collegial Web site, will be discussed and examined in the poster presentation at the conference. Participants see the emergence of a collegial Web site for university Web site managers to share information and resources as a positive development.

References

O'Reilly, M., & Patterson, K., 1998 Assessing learners through the WWW, Computer Networks and ISDN Systems, 30, pp 727-729, Washington.

Patterson, K. & Ellis, A. 2002, 'What matters in the mind of educational Web site managers', poster presented to NAWeb 2002: The Web Based Learning Conference. Proceedings of the 8th International North American Web-Based Learning Conference, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.

West Review into Higher Education (1998), Available at http://www.dest.gov.au/archive/highered/hereview/toc.htm