A centre of expertise in digital information management Emerging Technologies and the Net Generation: Addressing The Barriers Brian Kelly

A centre of expertise in digital information management

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Emerging Technologies and the ‘Net Generation’: Addressing The Barriers

Brian KellyUK Web UKOLNUniversity of BathBathUK, BA2 7AY

UKOLN is supported by:

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/seminars/alt-c-2006-04/http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/seminars/alt-c-2006-04/

Acceptable Use PolicyRecording/broadcasting of this talk, taking photographs, discussing the content using email, instant messaging, Blogs, SMS, etc. is permitted providing distractions to others is minimised.

Acceptable Use PolicyRecording/broadcasting of this talk, taking photographs, discussing the content using email, instant messaging, Blogs, SMS, etc. is permitted providing distractions to others is minimised.

This work is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 licence (but note caveat)


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Contents

• Time To Change The Catch Phrase• Addressing Cultural Change:

The IT/Library Barrier The Conservative Academic Barrier The Conservative Institution

• Addressing The Standards Barrier• Addressing The Accessibility Barriers


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Need To Change Catch Phrases

Computer Says No!

Time to ditch this catch phrase

Wikis? IT Services says noFolksonomies? Library says noSkype? UKERNA says no

Wikis? IT Services says noFolksonomies? Library says noSkype? UKERNA says no

Yer, but, no, but, yer

Time to embrace the ambiguities acknowledged by Vicky Pollard

Yer, like Wikis are well cool, but, OK so I copied my homework, but, like I always copy my homework

Yer, like Wikis are well cool, but, OK so I copied my homework, but, like I always copy my homework

Images from BBC Web site

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Beware The IT Fundamentalists

We need to avoid simplistic solutions to the complexities of (a) technologies and (b) the HE environment:

• Open Standards Fundamentalist: we just need XML• Open Source Fundamentalist: we just need Linux• Vendor Fundamentalist: we must need next version of

our enterprise system (and you must fit in with this)• Accessibility Fundamentalist: we must do WAI

WCAG• User Fundamentalist: we must do whatever users

want• Legal Fundamentalist: it breaches copyright, …• Ownership Fundamentalist: must own everything• Perfectionist: It doesn't do everything, so we'll do

nothing• Simplistic Developer: I've developed a perfect solution

– I don't care if it doesn't run in the real world

IT S

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The Librarian FundamentalistsLibrarians:

• Think they know better than the user e.g. they don't like people using Google Scholar; they should use Web of Knowledge (who cares that users find it easier to use Google Scholar & finds references they need that way?)

• Think that users should be forced to learn Boolean searching & other formal search techniques because this is good for them.

• Don't want the users to search for themselves (cf folksonomies) because they won't get it right.

• They still want to classify the entire Web - despite the fact that users don't use their lists of Web links.

• Want services to be perfect before they will release them to their users. They are very uncomfortable with the concept of 'forever beta' (because they don't believe that their users have the capability to figure these things out for themselves and work around the bugs).

Lib

rary

Bar

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The Problem With Academics

The enthusiastic academics will be:• Encouraged by Web 2.0 descriptions• Cheering the critiques of the service departments

However:• Many academic are conservative & won't care• Many will feel threatened• Many won't like WiFi in lecture theatres, students

chatting on IRC, Googling answers, …• Many will soon ask for WiFi to be removed,

blocked from lecture theatres (including areas where it's not yet available!)

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You can help by adding extra examplesYou can help by adding extra examples


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Problems With Senior Management / UsersSenior management:

• Don't understand technologies

• Can be conservative

• More comfortable with conventional business relations with vendors

• May be over-cautious about being sued

• …

Users:

• Can be conservative

• Many don't understand technologies

• Those that do may use the technologies in dangerous ways

• …You can help by adding extra examplesYou can help by adding extra examples


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Addressing the Barriers

How do we address such barriers:• A change in culture• Being more open (surely what HE is about?)• Revisiting AUPs• Developing more sophisticated models for

standards, accessibility, open source, … (and learning, staff development, assessment, …)

• Integrating IT policies with institutional policies • Developing key principles• Ongoing debate and discussion


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Acceptable Use Policies (AUP)

Is Skype Permitted over JANET?"The Computing Service is frequently asked for a ruling on whether Skype may legitimately be used ... the Computing Service considers that use of Skype contravenes the JANET Acceptable Use Policy, although UKERNA does not concur with this view."

Missing The Point?There may be (religious) debates over the interpretation of UKERNA's words. But

• Did the policy come from God? Is it infallible?

• Why do we hide behind AUPs?

Proposal: An AUP is meant to work on behalf of an organisation, helping to ensure the effective use of IT by its users.An AUP should not be used as a control mechanism to prevent usage which IT staff may frown upon.

Proposal: An AUP is meant to work on behalf of an organisation, helping to ensure the effective use of IT by its users.An AUP should not be used as a control mechanism to prevent usage which IT staff may frown upon.

Rev

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AU

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The Need For An AUPP

AUPs:• Shouldn't be cast in stone: technologies change;

usage changes; culture changes (e.g. AUPs banning social use; email; Web; messaging; …)

• Therefore need for mechanisms for changing AUPs and engagement with users

Proposal:• We need an Acceptable Use Policy Process

(AUPP) • We need mechanisms to ensure users can input

into the discussion process• We need more flexibility in our AUPs (e.g. to

reflect blended learning, pervasiveness of IT; …)

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Example of AUPP For Skype

Background:• P2P applications banned: typically used for

downloading copyrighted materials• Legitimate uses of P2P grow e.g. Internet telephony

Discussions:• Skype is proprietary; lack of management control; can

degrade performance; SIP provides open alternative; …• Skype works; minimal support needed; provides rich

functionality not available with SIP (e.g. video; shared browsing; etc.); my remote colleagues use Skype; …

Pragmatic Solution (Yer, but no, but yer):• Evaluation period• Network problems in halls banned there in response

to user concerns; discouraged on campus, until technical solutions (e.g. network shaper) tested, with plans to then liberalise policy (or SIP is usable)

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A Blairite Vision Of Control?

The government wishes to introduce:• ID cards• Greater powers of arrest• …

in order to minimise the dangers of global terrorismIT Services (esp. networking staff) seem to wish to:

• Manage applications used by users• Ban certain software • …

in order to minimise dangers of computer attacks The rational for organisations to wish to introduce greater control mechanisms is understandable.But citizens / users may regard such measures as not also necessary and may tolerate some level of risk-taking.(And do any of the above "sex up" the information to achieve these goals?)

The rational for organisations to wish to introduce greater control mechanisms is understandable.But citizens / users may regard such measures as not also necessary and may tolerate some level of risk-taking.(And do any of the above "sex up" the information to achieve these goals?)

IT S

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Possibly UK-centric analogy?


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Need For Shared Understanding

UKOLN/UCISA/CETIS workshop on “Disruptive Technologies” agreed on potential benefits for principles on mutual understanding between user community and IT Services

Draft Principles for Service ProvidersUser Focus: We will ensure that priority is given to a user focussed approach to our services. Avoiding Dogma: We will develop policies (e.g. standards, open source, accessibility, …) would these will evolve and won't be used in a dogmatic way.Responsive to Change: We will seek to be responsive to changes in technology, user needs, cultural and political developments.Good Communications: We will establish (and monitor) effective communications channels Learning: We recognise that HEIs will seek to make use of IT in innovative ways and we will support such innovation

Draft Principles for Service ProvidersUser Focus: We will ensure that priority is given to a user focussed approach to our services. Avoiding Dogma: We will develop policies (e.g. standards, open source, accessibility, …) would these will evolve and won't be used in a dogmatic way.Responsive to Change: We will seek to be responsive to changes in technology, user needs, cultural and political developments.Good Communications: We will establish (and monitor) effective communications channels Learning: We recognise that HEIs will seek to make use of IT in innovative ways and we will support such innovation


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Proposed Principles (2)Draft Principles for DevelopersScalability: Developers will recognise that there will be scalability issues to be addressed if innovations are to be deployed into service. Sustainability: Developers will recognise that innovations need to be sustainable if they are to be deployed into service.Reliability: Developers will recognise that a high level of reliability is needed if innovations are to be deployed ...Integration: Developers will recognise that innovative services may need to be integrated with existing systems. Consistency: Developers will recognise that innovations need to be harmonised with existing systems (e.g. avoid replicating functionality, …)(Also need something on security)

Draft principles availableDraft principles available


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Framework For Diversity: Standards

Open Standards – the ChallengesOpen standards? Yer, great. Like, Bill Gates is SO evil. But, well RDF, hmm. OSI? Coloured Books? How old do you take me for? No, but, I always use MS Windows for playing games.

Contextual ApproachA contextual approach to standards has been developed:

• Recognises context (not one-size-fits-all)

• Scalable for use by others• See "A Standards Framework For

Digital Library Programmes", ichim05 conf & "A Contextual Framework For Standards" at E-Government: Barriers & Opportunities workshop, May 2006

Purpose Governance Maturity Risks …

Sector Funding Research …

External Self assessment Learning …

Context: Compliance

External factors: legal, cultural, …

…

Context: Policies

Annotated Standards Catalogue

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Framework For Diversity: Accessibility

Accessibility – the Challenges• WAI WCAG – important area and high visibility• But the model is flawed, fails to take into account

developments e.g. can you use Podcasts?

Holistic / Approach Blended Holistic approach to e-learning accessibility developed

• Accessibility of learning outcomes (not necessarily digital resources) is paramount

• WAI WCAG are guidelines• See "Implementing A Holistic Approach To

E-Learning Accessibility" prize-winning ALT-C 2005 paper

• Follow up paper at W4A 2006, May 2006 will further develop model

WAI

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Framework For Diversity: Accessibility

Holistic framework for e-learning accessibility published in CJLT (2004):

UsersNeeds

• Focuses on the userand recognises importance of:

• External pressures e.g. funders, QAA, …

• Technical infrastructure • Resource implications• Learning & teaching outcomes

(cf blended learning)Requires QA based on documented policies & systematic checking

Follow-up work awarded prize for Best Research Paper at ALT-C 2005 E-learning conference

Follow-up work awarded prize for Best Research Paper at ALT-C 2005 E-learning conference

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Tangram Model (1)

Generic model is being developed:• W3C model has severe

limitations

WCAG

Usability

Flash OS …

• Jigsaw model implies single solution

• Tangram model encourages diversity of solutions

This approach:• Encourages diversity

of solutions• Focus on 'pleasure' it

provides to user

This approach:• Encourages diversity

of solutions• Focus on 'pleasure' it

provides to user

Paper on work to be given at W4A workshop, Edinburgh, May 2006Paper on work to be given at W4A workshop, Edinburgh, May 2006


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Tangram Model (2)

Guidelines/standards for/from:

• WAI• Usability• Organisational• Dyslexic • Learning difficulties• Legal• Management

(resources, …)• Interoperability• Accessibility

metadata

Model allows us to:• Focuses on end solution rather

than individual components• Provided solutions tailored for

end user• Doesn't limit scope (can you do

better than WAI AAA?)• Make use of automated

checking – but ensures emphasis is on user satisfaction


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Questions

Any questions, comments, etc?

Documents

A centre of expertise in digital information management Emerging Technologies and the Net Generation: Addressing The Barriers Brian Kelly