It happens every fall at Barton Community College: New students wander around the campus, studying maps and class schedules as they try to figure out were they should be at any given moment.
This fall, technology savvy students can get help from their smartphones by downloading a free BCC application from their app store. Dean of Information Services Charles Perkins said the application is available for iPhone and Adroid under the brand name Ellucian GO.
To make it even easier, Perkins spent an hour last week creating a Quick Response (QR) code that can be scanned to take users directly to the app.
Several colleges use the Ellucian mobile application, but since “Barton” starts with a “B” it is relatively close to the top of the electronic list. Once installed, the application can be used to access a course schedule, check midterm and final grades, receive notifications, find important telephone numbers such as campus security, or call up a map of any Barton campus (including Fort Riley and Grandview Plaza).
Students can also access the faculty and staff directory, find books needed for their courses and access the college Book Store, check resources at the library, receive notice of events and tie into social media.
Ellucian’s website notes that mobile applications are changing how students – and faculty, alumni and the entire college community – experience the world. “We’re hoping students will find all kinds of way to use it,” Perkins said.
Adding Barton to the Ellucian service costs the college $6,000 a year – far less than it would cost for the college to create its own application – and it’s easy to maintain, Perkins said.