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DEPARTMENTAL ADMIN. FAQ

What is IDEA and why do we have to use it?

IDEA is the replacement for ICES. This replacement is needed because UNM's Information Technology Service (ITS) group is retiring the 30-year old mainframe computer that runs ICES, and there is no updated version of the ICES software available.

What's the difference between ICES and IDEA?

The main difference is the forms:

What do I have to do to administer IDEA?

You don't have to do anything that you don't already do for ICES. We have tried to keep the procedure for administering IDEA as similar as possible to the procedure you use for ICES:

Comparison ICES / IDEA Procedure
ICESIDEA
1. You order Red Forms from ITS 1. You order Blue Forms (Faculty Information Forms—FIFs) from ITS
2. ITS mails Red Forms to You 2. ITS mails Blue Forms to You
3. You give Red Forms to Faculty to complete 3a. You give Blue Forms to Faculty to complete (one for each class they are teaching)
3b. Faculty visit the UNM IDEA Order Forms web page to select either the Long or the Short Survey Form & to indicate the # of forms needed. Note: This step is unnecessary if you are using the modified blue forms that have the option for short vs. long.
4. Faculty return completed Red Forms to You 4. Faculty return completed Blue Forms to You
5. You send completed Red Forms to ITS 5. You send completed Blue Forms to ITS
6. ITS mails envelope with Green Forms to Faculty 6. ITS mails envelope with either Maroon-Long-Forms or Red-Short-Forms to Faculty
7. [Students complete surveys-varies w/ dept.] 7. [Students complete surveys-varies w/ dept.]
8. [Dept. sends folder w/ completed surveys to ITS] 8. [Dept. sends folder w/ completed surveys to ITS]
9. ITS mails folder w/ report + completed surveys to Faculty + summary to Dept. Chair 9. ITS mails folder w/ report + completed surveys to Faculty + summary to Dept. Chair

What do I have to remind instructors about?

IMPORTANT!!! Remind instructors about two items:

  1. To select between 3-5 objectives when completing their blue faculty information forms. (Note: if instructors have questions about selecting objectives, have them read the article: "Some Thoughts on Selecting IDEA Objectives")

  2. To visit the UNM IDEA Order Forms web page and select between the long student survey form or the short student survey form. (Note: if instructors have questions about which form to use, have them read the article: "Short vs. Long Form")