Anita Simpson
As you read this edition of the Math Newsletter online, you may notice that the Department of Mathematics website has a new format this year. Thanks to the College of Arts and Sciences Technology Services, our website was migrated to the updated Drupal 8 content management platform during the December 2020 winter break. Their expertise and dedication to prepare our site for migration created a more user-friendly, searchable and accessible website.
Since 30% of the traffic to the site is accessed through mobile devices, it must adapt to mobile-friendly formats. The math website is now fully functional when using a smartphone or tablet. The display of information in well-designed columns, accordions and tabs draws the user to the information they seek efficiently. With customizable headings and links, the user will see desired content first and not be distracted by topics irrelevant to their query.
Looks aren’t everything but do contribute to an attractive presentation. Before the migration to the new format, the math website was inconsistent with trends in our Ohio State online presence. Searching the math site for hidden popular links was difficult and time-consuming for newcomers. Now, images and icons are front and forward and easily lead to important and frequently searched pages. This makes the user experience more engaging and intuitive. Photos and colors evocative of the Buckeye spirit and current university branding make the site particularly Ohio State. This update makes our math pages a cohesive part of the standard university online style.
In the past year, over 200,000 users have visited, resulting in over 1 million pageviews on the math website. Much of the traffic surges around the start of autumn and spring semesters as students use the website for information and contacts to begin their term. Most of the webpage traffic originates from within Ohio, but during this year of remote learning we experienced increased traffic from all over the world. Without timely and functional information that is remotely searched and accessed, the recent semesters would not have been as successful. The math website is a centralized hub where students, faculty and staff can gather for the kinds of links and experiences that had to stand in for our typical in-person learning environment.
Undergraduate students are far and away the biggest cohort utilizing the information on our pages. Searches for topics such as the math placement test and course descriptions dwarf the statistics on the pageviews for the entire department. This allows us to make announcements and answer frequently asked questions in a real-time searchable setting. Such timely, accurate information can make a huge difference in how a student experiences the math department and continues their math pathway at Ohio State. A homepage link to the site for the Math and Statistics Learning Center ensures students can access resources they need for success in their studies. Although offices such as Math Advisors are always available for support, the math website is a companion for spreading the best possible current, consistent standards and responses.
The greater mathematical community at Ohio State has a strong presence on the homepage as well, with important links and features to inform and engage. Listings for graduate students, teaching assistants, faculty and staff can be located easily in our People section. Department events such as lecture series, featured speakers and clubs offer enrichment opportunities for students, staff and faculty to participate in informative events and discussions. When our department shines, our news section brings awareness to the accomplishments of our department members. Important groups such as the Mathematics Research Institute and Mathematical Biosciences Institute have a presence on our homepage tabs. Prominently displaying the activities of the department outside the classroom is key to the message we want to share. When the public can see the exciting happenings in the department, we showcase Ohio State mathematics and bring future talent to the university.
One feature that makes the math website unique is our course listing page. This feature made the meticulous migration process to Drupal 8 an incredible achievement for the ASC Tech team. The ability to have a searchable course description with sample questions and exams, syllabi, textbook listing and semester offerings is an invaluable resource to students and staff. Individual courses such as Math 1148 and 1151 garner thousands of pageviews every year, as these courses are filled with students of different majors from across the university. We are pleased to offer this resource for students to review materials or look ahead to the topics covered in our courses.
The Department of Mathematics owes a debt of gratitude to the ASC Tech team, whose countless hours of attention and dedication to this project ensured a robust web presence that will serve well into the future. Thanks go to Web Services Director Eva Dale, Web Developers Brian Weaver and Brian Canini, Michael Lee of training and support, and Chris Wallace of digital accessibility. Please take a moment to tour the features of our new website and explore all the department has to offer the campus and wider mathematics community.
