Click here to receive your FREE subscription to Campus Technology
Features
2006 Campus Technology Innovators: The Web
7/22/2006
UM’s MAYBAUM: Providing truly
user-friendly website building tools.
Challenge Met
In 1998, the most common request from University of Michigan Medical School faculty was for a system to help them build unique websites and simple databases, flexible enough to let them express their creative scholarly work. “At just about any university that you can name, if a person needs to make a website or database for his own unique, creative purposes, he is given conventional web space, or access to a MySQL/PHP server, and that’s about it,” says Jonathan Maybaum, professor of pharmacology and former director of academic IT at the University of Michigan Medical School. Maybaum set out to provide something much better, and thus the UM.SiteMaker project was born.
With UM.SiteMaker, users can build their own unique database-driven websites and web applications—through a simple webpage, requiring no knowledge of SQL or traditional database administration. “People love the system’s flexibility,” says Maybaum. “It is used for all sorts of purposes, including not only the obvious ones like teaching and research, but also recruitment, support of academic programs, student organizations, and public relations.” There are now more than 5,000 websites published by faculty, students, and staff from all over the university, using UM.SiteMaker.
Perhaps the most telling aspect of UM.SiteMaker’s popularity in the UM community is that the last several rounds of development have been funded by contributions from university units (schools, colleges, departments). “Financial support is a very sincere form of recognition around here!” says Maybaum.
How They Did It
Maybaum and his team began by characterizing their target user’s level of technical knowledge. What type of person would realistically be able to utilize the UM.SiteMaker system? Their conclusion: Users should be tech-savvy enough to be comfortable with spreadsheets; further knowledge of web and database design should not be necessary.
UM then turned to Global Village Consulting to develop and host UM.SiteMaker. Programming was done in Apple’s WebObjects environment. “The cost-effectiveness of developing in WebObjects, and of deploying on the OS X Server platform, were critical in making this project possible within a very small budget,” says Maybaum.
Next Steps
UM open-sourced the application last year as
Recommended Reading
- Where the Risks Are
Knowing what to spend on data protection and where to focus the effort isn't easy. Security assessments help eliminate the guesswork by identifying where your most critical risks lurk.
- Technology Forever
Who says classroom learning has to culminate with a formal degree? Tech-enabled lifelong learning programs are utilizing videoconferencing, vodcasting, and more to reach out to the 50-plus nontraditional student.
- They Say They Want A Revolution
As sustainability efforts ramp up on campuses, educators share eco-friendly dorm practices-- the ideal way to educate students about environmental issues.
- Getting More out of Mobile
Sure, cellular and handheld devices are quintessential communication tools, but savvy institutions are getting extra bang for their mobile tech bucks.
- It's Bandwagon Time
Colleges and universities worldwide are turning to the hosted SaaS model and saying goodbye to issues like patch management and server optimization.
- Waiting It Out
Have you given up trying to bring faculty into the world of emerging technology for teaching and learning?
