Cultural Homestay International, San Diego and Orange County Region
Alison Fishman
alisonfishman@gmail.com
October 11, 2009
EDTEC 541, Thursday 7pm Section
 
Problem, Need, or Opportunity
 
Cultural Homestay International (CHI) only recently re-established itself in this part of California (2007) and the priority has been to develop school and community contacts. With the successful placement of 30 exchange students for the 2009/2010 academic school year, compared to 3 in the prior year, the local program has found itself somewhat overwhelmed with how to communicate information efficiently and professionally. This is an opportunity to create a website that will provide a common place for all to receive consistent information about events and meetings, find local forms and ensure that coordinators throughout the region are providing the same instruction and policies on issues that may come up. This website will also be tailored more to the regions needs, compared to the main corporate site, which is more general. This web-based media is appropriate because it can be accesses anywhere and anytime as long as there is an Internet connection.
 
Audience
 
The audience includes potential and current host families, exchange students, academic coordinators and program administrators of CHI.
 
User's Needs
 
After listening to members of the community, host families, exchange students and CHI employees and volunteers, I've been able to compile some of the more important items these groups would like to have readily available.
 
1. For CHI employees - needs to be password protected

• Commons forms used - posted
• Job aids posted for new Academic Coordinators
• Upcoming Deadlines
• Contact List and ability to listserv those on the contact list

2. For Host Families, Students and CHI Employees

• Upcoming events - when, where, cost, details
• Newsletter
• Events Photo Page
• Rules
• Access to orientation packets

3. Community - Potential Host Families

• Description of the local program
• Information on being a host family
• Sign-up for more information

 
These needs will be met through providing an employee page, main page and current host family/exchange student page. Navigation will include an index that they can click on to access a page or links to other pages.
 
Environment
 
The user will be accessing the site through their home, school or business computer. I will be creating a site which CHI local employees will direct interested parties to. The site may have videos in the future but at the present time only pictures will be loaded as the program can't afford video cameras. A fast modem will be needed if anyone decides to download pdfs. Users will also need access to printers if they are printing out any of the forms that require signatures. The site will mostly be accessed by individuals.
 
Resources and Limitations
 
The resources needed to complete this project are readily available. I have access to the software, computers, forms and information needed. I have direct access to information through the Program Manager. I will need to write any content initially and CHI employees can then provide updates to the site in the future as needed. Pictures will come from events taken by families, students and CHI employees and volunteers.
 
General Solution
The San Diego/Orange County CHI program is in need of a website that will provide a one-stop shop for the exchange students, current and potential host families and academic coordinators to find and communicate information. This site will be not only organize and streamline the information that is available and use, but also create consistency in handouts, trainings, forms and flyer, provide timely information about current events and program news and provide quick access information for users.