Living our Core Values - Transform

Education Commons has developed five core values that we strive to live daily: 

• Inspire
• Transform
• Collaborate
• Learn
• Sustain

Previously, our team shared with the OISE community how we embody the values of "Collaborate", “Learn”, and “Sustain”. Now, let’s look at how we exemplify the value of “Transform” – becoming agents of technological change through innovation and its application.

Transforming service delivery procedures to deliver more to the OISE community 

Service Delivery Specialist Maï Aba Limane points to the growth Education Commons has achieved in responding to service requests from the community, especially for in-person needs. "We do our best to fulfill service requests within an hour or less,” says Maï.

Adds Daniel Marinos, IT Service Management Coordinator, “At Education Commons, we aim to give you an immediate response, whether you make a request via the Online Service Hub or through our Interactive Service Hub on the third floor.” 

Troy Juan, another Service Delivery Specialist, adds, “We’re also updating how we prepare new devices that will come with Windows 11, so they can go directly to a community member without much waiting.” 

Want to know more about the numbers behind Education Commons’ services? Please check out our latest service highlights for the 2022-2023 academic year. 

Transforming OISE learning environments with the latest tools for hybrid support 

As an Audio/Video and Business Solution architect at Education Commons, Azeem Khan leverages a range of cutting-edge technologies to drive the evolution of OISE into a digitally enabled environment. 

“I continuously look for solutions that empower our community to embrace hybrid work arrangements, fostering productivity and collaboration,” says Azeem. 

Technologies introduced to OISE, such as the DTEN Zoom KIC stand and Owl Labs’ Smart Video Conferencing, work to break down physical barriers and create a cohesive environment — where, as Azeem says, “Both remote and on-site attendees can collaborate and contribute equally.” 

Transforming procurement and accounting strategies 

“There is a high level of collaboration between finance and procurement,” says Sung Kim,  Budget and Financial Analyst. Regarding a work strategy for procurement of goods and accounting, Sung and Hasan Ali, IT Procurement Officer, believe that dividing and focusing their efforts is the way to go. 

Says Hasan, “We believe that this transformation of how these duties are managed has improved our internal controls.” Sung adds, “This ensures Education Commons adheres to policies such as the University’s Guide to Financial Management & CFI Policy & Procurement Policy.” 

Transforming OISE digital services into a more modern and responsive digital experience 

Education Commons’ Drupal Developers, Hentry Mathias and Jed Dela Cruz, speak of the transformations made to the OISE website, both on the front-end (what everyone sees when they visit oise.utoronto.ca) and the back end (the internal structure that keeps the site running). 

“We are not building the site just for one person,” Hentry says. “On the front-end, we ensure our websites are more accessible, up to the latest Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) standards, WCAG 2.0 standards, colour contrast, and more.” 

“On the backend, we want to make sure there’s less downtime for the site,” Jed adds. “Pages load faster, and there’s an easy process for site editors to make changes to the site.” 

Education Commons also introduces transformation by migrating OISE's data centre to the cloud. 

"Moving to the cloud allows us to scale and change without hardware expenditures, enabling a more agile experience,” says Solutions Architect and Senior Developer Todd Vernon. “Through this, we are also encouraging the use of newer cloud services, transforming how our digital services are provided. 

Transforming OISE apps to be more secure and accessible 

Recognizing this need for progress in how our digital services are provided, Education Commons’ Full Stack Developers, Bahman Yaghoobi and Thomas Lynch embarked on an ambitious journey to re-imagine and revitalize OISE applications. As Bahman says, “This transformative effort has yielded numerous benefits.” 

For one, he and Thomas have bolstered security for these apps, ensuring that these systems remain resilient against evolving threats. He continues: “This commitment to transformation has fortified our defences and enhanced the overall user experience.” 

The re-development of OISE apps also allows more focus on ensuring responsive design. “[We are] optimizing the user interface across multiple devices and platforms,” Bahman says. “Through the core value of Transform, Education Commons has truly revolutionized our digital ecosystem at OISE, which can propel us to new heights of innovation and excellence.”