Cloudworks Intro

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An introduction to cloudworks: a social networking site for sharing & discussing learning and teaching

Gráinne Conole, Open University, UKNovember 2009

http://cloudworks.ac.uk

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Teachers/designers want examples, want to share/discuss!

Many repositories of good practice, but little impact

Blogging

Facebook

Twitter Slideshare

Flckr

Youtube

Commenting

Live commentary

Tagging

RSS feeds

Embedding

Following

Harnessing web 2.0 practicesCan we change practices through use of web 2.0 ideas?

+Open design: Social and collective

+Key concepts: Clouds

Clouds: IdeasDesign or case studiesTools or resourcesQuestions or problems











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+Key concepts: CloudscapesCloudscapes:ConferencesWorkshopsCourse teamStudent cohortResearch themeProject



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+Filtering and serendipity

Filtering – personalisation and tailoring RSS feeds for people and cloudscapes Different levels of email alert Activity streams

Public activity stream (all activities on the site), Cloudscape activity streams, User activity streams

Tabbed views – all, clouds, cloudscapes, comments links, references, extra content

Serendipity Active clouds on home page Featured cloudscapes on home page Browse clouds, cloudscape, tags, people Search for keywords

+Key concepts: Activity streams

Clouds


Clouds Cloudscapes


Clouds Cloudscapes Comments


Clouds Cloudscapes Comments Links


Clouds Cloudscapes Comments Links References


Clouds Cloudscapes Comments Links References Extra content

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+Theoretical perspectives

“Social objects”Social networking makes little sense if we leave out the objects that mediate the ties between peopleEngeström

Design framework for socialityEnabling practiceMimicking realityBuilding identityActualising selfBouman et al.

+Approach

Agile development: initially build in Drupal, now Codeigniter

Series of phases: design decisions, development, evaluation

Empirical evidence Web stats including google analytics Interviews “Cloudfests” and focus groups Workshops and conferences Observation and reflective diaries Critical friends group and design summits

+Principles

Open, drawing on web 2.0 practices

Clouds as core objects – social, cummulative, intelligent

Intentionally both built around “communities”/’clusters of interest”

Cross-boundary, both filtering/personalisable and serendipitous

Dynamic and evolving through use alongside real events as well as virtual ones

Variety of types of activities and uses, but focus always on sharing, finding and discussing educational ideas and designs

+Design decisions: Phase 1

Based on cloud metaphor

Seeded the site

Limited social features

Tagging by pedagogy, tool, discipline

No private content

User profiles

Five cloud types

Data from: workshops, focus groups, surveys, “cloudfests”

Findings “What’s in it for me”? Privacy and provenance Sustainability Barriers to sharing Lack of spontaneous use

Phase 1 Evaluation


Amalgamated cloud types

Increased social features

Fostered communities – cloudscapes

Added follow functionality

Set up “My cloudstream”

Data from range of source plus a usability report

Findings Lack of spontaneous use Navigation Quality control

Phase 2 Evaluation


Added RSS feeds

Integrated streams from other web 2.0 sites

Merged tag categories

Improved homepage

Findings New patterns of

behaviour Divided views about

“open” Cognitive barrier to

getting use to the tool and then using it

Significant increase in use of the site as a result of tools

Phase 3 Evaluation

+Some stats….Aspect Everyone Team Non-team

Cloudscapes 117 49 68

Clouds 1386 935 451

Comments 1882 613 1269

Links 1581 1165 416

1360 registered users

Added Sept.

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+Emergent patterns of use

Events: conferences and workshops ALT-C conference, 8-11th September 2009 http://cloudworks.ac.uk/index.php/cloudscape/view/1870

Discussions: Flash debates Is Twitter killing blogging? http://cloudworks.ac.uk/index.php/cloud/view/2266

Eliciting expertise and open reviews Literature review of educational technologist http://cloudworks.ac.uk/index.php/cloudscape/view/1872

Aggregating resources En Rumbo Spanish course http://cloudworks.ac.uk/index.php/cloudscape/view/776

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An introduction to cloudworks: a social networking site for sharing & discussing learning and teaching

Gráinne Conole, Open University, UKNovember 2009

http://cloudworks.ac.uk

Technology

Cloudworks Intro