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Connecting Your Campus with SMS

Discover how Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ) utilizes SMS technology to improve communication with students and faculty. This presentation, led by Russell Lindell and Ravi Kallianpur, covers the implementation of an SMS Gateway, benefits, challenges, and potential use cases. Explore how SMS addresses unique communication needs in a diverse and mobile-centric environment, especially in emergencies, class notifications, and student engagement. Learn about their custom solution and how SMS can transform communication in an educational setting.

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Connecting Your Campus with SMS

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  1. Connecting Your Campus with SMS Russell Lindell, Sr. Software Applications Developer, Texas A&M University at Qatar Ravi Kallianpur, Director of User Services & Instructional Technology, Texas A&M University at Qatar

  2. Overview • Texas A&M University at Qatar • Introduction to SMS • Definitions and terms • TAMUQ’s implementation • Demonstration • Implementation for your campus • Questions

  3. What Is Texas A&M University At Qatar? • TAMU branch campus • Doha, Qatar • Fall of 2003 • Qatar Foundation • College of Engineering • Chemical • Electrical • Mechanical • Petroleum

  4. Our Students • 185 students • Planned enrollment - 600 • 40% International • 27 countries • Very high use of mobile phones

  5. Why Did TAMUQ Choose To Use SMS? • Contacting applicants • Voicemail nonexistent • Lack of an email culture • Unable to reach applicants by phone • High use of cell phones in the local culture • Decided to use SMS

  6. SMS Gateway Solution • Originally used staff cell phones • Ineffective for large groups of recipients • Slow composition of messages • CIO decided on web based interface for convenience of use • Used existing authentication system for only staff and faculty

  7. SMS Vocabulary Short Message Service (SMS):A service for sending messages of up to 160 characters to mobile phones. SMS Gateway:A web site that lets you enter and send an SMS message.

  8. SMS - Short Message Service Also Known As: • Texting • Text Messages • SMSes • Texts

  9. Key Benefits Of SMS Technology • Instant reception of communication • Low bandwidth requirements • SMS equivalent to 1 second of voice data • Targeted audience • Global reach

  10. When Should SMS Be Used? • Time sensitive information • Supplement to other forms of communications • Low bandwidth situations • Natural / Manmade Disasters • Email inaccessible or impractical

  11. Emergencies Natural / Manmade disasters Jeanne Cleary Act Advisories Traffic accident / Unscheduled maintenance Weather advisories Instructor communications Room location Class time Possible Uses For SMS

  12. Reminders Library, Registration and Fees Appointments Campus news and events Sports scores & highlights Student government elections Club news & updates Contact during school holidays Find out what your students want / need “I only wanted one pint today. Didn’t you get my text message?” Possible Uses For SMS

  13. Disadvantages Of SMS • Limited in length • 160 Characters • Less than 100% participation among users • Cell phone ownership • Release phone number • Potential for SMS SPAM • Unverified receipt

  14. Things To Consider • Policies • Purpose of the system • Who can use it • Scope of use • Cost to the recipient • Procedures • Under what conditions is a message sent • Special conditions in an emergency situation

  15. Things To Consider … • Other considerations • Language support • العربيّة (Arabic) • 中文简体 (Mandarin) • ภาษาไทย (Thai) • Ρусский (Russian) • SPAM: Don’t abuse the system

  16. TAMUQ’s Implementation • Custom SMS Gateway • Service provider for message delivery • www.strikeiron.com • www.abctext.com • Development technologies • ASP .NET • C# • Active Directory • SQL Server • Web Services

  17. Features Of TAMUQ’s SMS Gateway • Web based application • Integration with Active Directory • Authentication • Address book • Personal address books • Group messages • Message logging • Message tracking • Usage statistics

  18. SMS Gateway Infrastructure

  19. Demonstration Please turn ON your cell phones!

  20. Utilization • Faculty use to notify students of assignments and exam reminders • Admissions use to contact applicants • Used to notify students of class changes • Emergency notifications • ITS helpdesk • Removed aversion to text messaging

  21. Metrics: Messages Sent By Month

  22. Metrics: Total Recipients By Month

  23. Parameters Of Use • Only faculty and staff have direct access • Students go through the department of student affairs • Both business and personal use • Incidental use • No cost to the recipient

  24. Third Party Solutions • e2Campus • www.e2Campus.com • www.omnilert.com • Rave Wireless - Rave Essentials • www.ravewireless.com • TXT4schools • www.tonicdesigns.co.uk/html/txt4schools.html

  25. Summary • What is SMS • Benefits and Disadvantages • Appropriate Use • TAMUQ’s Custom Solution • Third Party Solutions • Slides on Educause website • Comments / Questions?

  26. Contact Information • Russell Lindell – rwlindell@tamu.edu • Ravi Kallianpur – ravi@qatar.tamu.edu

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