Purpose of today

• Exploring a Web 2.0 learning environment

• What it might be, how to get there

• What it might means for all concerned

Moving to personalisation for learners, networking for staff and employers

Creative Commons license

David Wilcox http://www.designingforcivilsociety.org Drew Mackie http://www.usefulgames.co.uk

This is based on a workshop at a London college May 2007

1

The college currently uses a Blackboard-based virtual learning environment and wants to explore how they might develop in future using more Web 2.0 tools. The college wants to o!er a more personalised learning experience. In doing this they also want to build on students’ personal use of Web 2.0 tools in social networking and other activities. The new online environment will also have to provide for networking with sta! and with employers.

Agenda

1. What we mean by Web 1.0/2.0

2. A “game” to help design a new environment

3. Insights and issues for development

Our role: guide in the three journeys of discovery, design and development

2

Today’s three-hour session will cover a short presentation on Web 2.0, a game to explore possible developments, and then discussion of what this means.

Web 1.0?

•E-mail•Forums/lists•Web sites•Mainly text and images•Linking pages•Being in one place•Communities

Web 2.0?

•Personal blogs•Collaborative wikis•Shared bookmarks•Shared photos•Shared docs•Social spaces•Audio and video•Feeding items•Being in many places•Networks

Change in technology

3

Before we get into the details, I would just like to check where we all are. There’s nothing wrong with Web 1.0 - it depends what your requirements are.

Change in media

4

What’s happening in the wider world is that people are shifting from traditional media to social mediaThey can create their own content online and read, listen, view other people’s

Change in personal capacityCreate your ownPages are piecesFree servicesFeeds

Many places

Fundraising

Feeds

Profile

Shared photos andbookmarks

http://beth.typepad.com/beths_blog/

5

Taking advantage of new developments does give you as an individual or organisation a lot more capability. Here’s how one blogger - Beth Kanter - is using Web 2.0 tools. See http://socialmedia.wikispaces.com for more about social media, including a presentation from Beth.

Change in relationships

6

The move to Web 2.0 can mean a move from hierarchical, broadcast communication to networks. That involves a change in relationships, and control.

Change in e-learning

http://members.optusnet.com.au/rlubensky/2006/12/present-and-future-of-personal-learning.html

From virtual learning environment to personal learning environment

7

Personal learning environments are where e-portfolios, virtual learning environments and web 2.0 services converge.

Are you Yes 2.0? or No 2.0?

•A human voice•Willing to share•Building on what’s there•Promoting conversations•Ready to experiment•Evolving

•Official voice•Anxious to control•Concerned to “own”•Emphasising publishing•One version for all•Little flexibility

... if there is a cultural change

8

The new Web 2.0 tools will work best in a “Yes 2.0” environment ... and their use in a more controlling environment is likely to prove challenging.

How do we get from here to ??

1. Envisage the system, explore the process

2. The design the system - collaborative?

3. Build - openly?

Today - play through what that involves

9

But how do we explore what a new Web 2.0 environment for e-learning might be like? It may help to think of this as three journeys (see Anecdote http://www.anecdote.com.au/archives/2007/04/knowledge_strat_2.html). First envision what the system might look like, and what the development process might be. Then design the system (for real), and finally build the design. Key issues are whether you collaborate with others and operate openly.

Playing through the journey

• Share an understanding of where we are

• Cards give options for approach, designing, and building

• Choose and organise within 15 point budget

• Tell stories - pathways - for students, staff, administration

10

The workshop game developed by Drew Mackie and David Wilcox is designed to help with the first journey of envisioning the final system, and looking at the development process. The run of the game is: first describe the current situation in the college, and what you hope to achieve; then look at the card set - with cards for approach, development and building. You have a budget limit. When you have developed you system, switch into storytelling mode. What is it going to be like for students, sta! and management?We’ll develop the initial shared understanding together, then break into groups of 4-6 to consider the cards and tell stories.More on games at http://www.usefulgames.co.uk

1. The college now - and in prospect

• What is the current system?

• What are the challenges?

• What changes in prospect?

• What aims for the future?

11

Here’s some issues to start our discussion of the current situation. We’ll do this today and write it up as we go. After that’s we’ll break into groups of 4-6 people. One group can look at development from the perspective of students, another as teachers, and the third as managers.

Are you going for an open or closed approach to development and building - tech or people-led?

2. Consider your approach

12

In your groups look first at the cards with the “approach” strip. These are to prompt discussion about your overall strategy.

3. Choose development cards

What methods will you use during development to match your approach?

13

The cards with pink budget points represent possible activities during development

4. Choose tools and activities

What tools and activities will make up the final system in the light of previous discussion?

14

Now you have thought about your approach, consider what tools and activities should be in the final system. You have 15 points for these and the “pink” development cards together. Organise these and the earlier cards on a flip chart.

Network mapping

Map the key interests and their

connections - students, staff,

employers - as part of system design.

Will your approach encourage participation?

Open process

Development group runs an open

process to harness internal and

external expertise, with a public-

facing site.

Does this fit college culture?

Explore Web 2.0

Staff and other involved are

encouraged to spend time exploring

blogs and other social media to

understand the Web 2.0 world.

Will people find the time?

Newsletter on development

Email newsletter keeps everyone

updated on the development process.

Is this enough?

Free Web services strategy

Free tools from Google, Yahoo and

others cut cost of software and

introduce students to their potential.

Prepared for companies to host the content?

Employers network

Employers are part of the system,

with their own areas.

Will they participate?

Instant messaging

Staff and students are encouraging to

be available online for real-time chat.

Is this realistic for staff?

Online forums

Forums play a major part in hosting

online conversations.

Issues of facilitation?

Social networking

The college decides to use a

customised version of an existing

open source social networking

system.

Acceptable use policy?

1 1

1 2

1 1 2

Approach

1

MySpace

Students are able to use MySpace

and other commercial social

networking systems.

Concerns about content?

People first

or tech first?

Which comes first - working with

people, or getting something built?

Open source

There is a commitment to use open

source software where possible - and

license the college system as open

source for development by others?

Any ways to earn revenue too?

Workshops and events

The development programme

includes a series of workshops and

larger events, with continuing

discussion online.

Do you have a people-led process?

Hire some experts

The development group tenders a

contract for consultants to design and

build the system.

Does this fit your approach?

Photosharing

All are encouraged and supported in

the sharing of photos.

Acceptable use issues?

Project collaboration system

Dedicated project management and

collaboration system used internally.

Is there an intranet that will do this?

Skype - Voice over IP

All are encouraged to integrate VoIP

into their learning and collaborations.

Will this be productive?

Social bookmarking/tagging

Students and staff collaborate on

research using social bookmarking.

Will people commit to this?

1 Approach Approach

1 3 1

11 1

Video and podcasts

Staff and students use video clips and

podcasts extensively.

Appropriate system for hosting?

Wikis

Wikis are used by staff and students

for collaborative work.

Any experience of this?

Files repository

The system offers a flexible way to

store and share files, linked to other

components.

Integrate with rest of the system?

Process support

The development group works with us

online and in more workshops on a

collaborative process to develop the

system.

Benefits of external support?

Virtual worlds - Second Life

Run sessions in a virtual world, like

Second Life.

Useful or a diversion?

Co-design

Workshop with champions helps

design the system.

Does this fit your approach?

Sell the system

The college retains intellectual

property rights in order to sell the

system to others

Will you get any free inputs?

Mobiles

Mobile phones and SMS play a major

part in the new system.

Fits student preferences?

Champions

Development group rapidly recruits

champions to help design and

promote the system.

Does this fit your approach?

2 1 1

2 2 1

Approach 1 1

Your idea? Your idea? Your idea?

Your idea? Your idea? Your idea?

Your idea? Your idea? Your idea?

5. Write the stories

In groups, use the storysheets to describe what happens to:• a student• a teacher• a manager

Facilitators may throw in some unexpected challenges and opportunities

15

From previous discussions, you have developed your vision of the development process and the system that you may create. Now - in groups of 4-6 - tell the story of what it will be like to be involved in development and use of the system, from the point of view of a student, teacher, and member of sta!.

6. Keep talking online

Consider using an online collaboration system, like that used to develop a proposal for the UK Cabinet Office http://www.innovationexchange.net

16

The game session will produce a lots of ideas and discussion. It may be appropriate to run another session with a wider group of people. Meanwhile the core group can continue online. For example, we created an online collaboration system for a consortium of interests to develop a proposal for an innovation exchange. We could use something similar.