1

Alert Driven Communications Management for Distance

Learning

Dickson K.W. Chiu, Senior Member, IEEEDickson Computer Systems, Hong Kongkwchiu@acm.org, dicksonchiu@ieee.org

Samuel P.M. Choi School of Business and Administration,

The Open University of Hong Kong. schoi@ouhk.edu.hk

Alerts for Distance Learning EEE05-2

Introduction Increasing mobility of students and educators Awareness, accessibility, and responsiveness Using innovative technology to facilitate learning Process integration and data integration are

required among education partners Managed multi-channel communications Alerts - urgent requests and critical messages Experience from healthcare alert system Alert Management System (AMS)

Routing, monitoring, and logging the alerts Find suitable service - application specific

considerations like costs, waiting time, service time

Alerts for Distance Learning EEE05-3

Stakeholders of Distance Learning: OUHK

Both human and computerized systems involved Different degree of computerization

InternetInternet

Shenzhen Office

Course CoordinatorCall Center

Distant LearningPlatforms

AdministrativeIS

Partner Institution

Tutor

Staff

Student

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Main problems and requirements

Traditional communications are no longer adequate online learning platforms web-based administrative services cellular phones and pagers email or instant messenger

Main problems and requirements Large number of messages require timely communication Managed multi-channel communications Seamless Integrations

Web Services supports both type of interaction in a single framework

Both human and computerized systems involved Different degree of computerization

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Role of Alerts in IS

Information Systems and Workflows

Event /Exception Handling

Data/Process Requirements

Alerts Managed by AMS

Web Services and Mobile Devices

What are Alerts? Different from general events, alerts

have more specific attributes, e.g., urgency and service requirements.

Different from exceptions, they need not relate to abnormal behaviors.

asynchronously received by external events / exceptions, incoming E-service requests

synchronously generated by internal E-service application.

handled by the AMS by requesting services:

internal information systems human service provider external E-service providers

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Alert Conceptual Model

Schedule

Response

Flexible Task

Role

1..*

require

Specific Task

1..*

Human Sevice Provider

1..*1..*Web Service Provider

Service Provider

0..n

1

0..n

11..*1..*

Capability Profile

11

specify

Devices* 1..** 1..*

Service Access Points1..*1..*

Alert

0..1

1

0..1

1

0..*0..*

send send

Data Request

Process Request

AMS Task

0..*1 0..*1

generates

generates

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System Architecture

Database

The Outgoing Alert Monitor

Process / AlertDefinition Module

Alert Management System (AMS)

Process Execution Module

alerts

Role Matching Module

Urgencies Strategy Definition Module

Service ProviderMonitoring Module

Incoming Alerts

Incom

ing A

lert

Mo

nito

r

Outgoing Alerts

Response o

f In

com

ing A

lerts

Web ServicesServer

AMS

Web Server

Counterparty

AMS

Web Server

Counterparty

AMS

Web Server

PartnerInstitutes

Internet

Responses for Outgoing Alerts

Incoming Alerts

Responses for Incoming Alerts

ICQ, SMS, Email alerts

Use

r Inte

rface

Distant Learning Platform and Workflow

Web, WAP, SMS, email reply

ExecuteAlert Handlers Create

Alerts

Call CenterPersonnel

Human Service Providers: Tutor, Staff, and Course Coordinators

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Phased System Implementation

Phase 1 – Call center support system Phase 2 – Upgrade existing system to

support also alerts Tutoring and discussion system Venue management system Assignment management system Student and tutor monitoring system Complaint and exception management

system

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Alert Life Cycle

Send alert

Log Alert

Check if response received by deadline

Check if service performed upon service due

Find matching service provider

Generate new alert to admin staff

[ no ]

Increase Alert Urgency

[ no ]

Determine device / web service access point

[ yes ]

[ yes ]

[ flexible task ]

[ specific task ]

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Alert Urgency Strategy Definition Defining the policies according to which

the urgencies of the alert will evolve Example

dtdtdtTdtdtT CriticalVery

dtdtTdtT Critical

dtTTt Very Urgen

(default) T Urgent

)(002

32121

211

1

t

t

t

t

tU

Urgency002 Action

Urgent default

Very Urgent Submit a second alert to the same service provider, notifying about the approaching deadline

Critical Redirect the alert to another SP that has the best response time

Very Critical Send the alert to several SPs and accept the results of the one that response first, notify an administrator

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Advantage from student’s perspective

full-time job during their part-time study senior management positions: travel frequently availability of flexible, anytime, anyplace help

from tutors though quality responses are often more

important than the response time AMS reliably routes their questions finds alternative tutors for assistance communications among peer students for

discussions and group work communicate with the course coordinator upon

exceptions: assignment extensions, attending another tutorial class, changing the tutorial group, or even deferral of examinations and studies

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Advantage from educator’s perspective

similar anytime anyplace requirement for the access and management of messages

AMS help keep track of the messages, esp. important and urgent ones

avoid being overwhelmed by the large amount of messages from the students

full-time course coordinators monitor the performance of the tutors (e.g. marking lateness)

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Advantage from administrator’s perspective

coordinates the partner institutions’ communication with the students and the tutors

especially upon exceptions such as changes in tutorial venue and tutor absences or substitutions

call center automation forming a tutor pool to answer student queries:

better response time and substitution monitor the tutors’ performance data integration with the partner institutes

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Conclusions A conceptual model for specifying alerts

based on the requirements of distance learning

A practical architecture for the AMS based on contemporary Web Services – supports human and programmatic interfaces

matching service providers to alert requirements

A mechanism for (re-)routing alerts and increasing their urgency when alerts are not acknowledged or processed within deadline.

Applicability for distance learning flexible and reusable AMS can be plug into

other systems

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Future Work

Interfacing and platform-specific issues Inter-relations among alerts Failure of commitments and their relation to

contract enforcement managing the diary of the personnel with

agents Impact of cancellations, other possible

exceptions Tradeoff between quality/response time and

cost, and service negotiation Location dependent applications

Workforce management Mobile CRM