cloudworks jisc

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

Gráinne Conole, Open University, UKJISC Eluminate session4th November 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: core objects in cloudworks

Cloudscape: collections of clouds

Activity streams: dynamic filters of new activity

Follow & be followed: Personal activity stream and peer recognition

+Key concepts: Clouds

Clouds: IdeasDesign or case studiesTools or resourcesQuestions or problems

+Key concepts: Clouds

Clouds: IdeasDesign or case studiesTools or resourcesQuestions or problems

+Key concepts: Clouds

Clouds: IdeasDesign or case studiesTools or resourcesQuestions or problems

+Key concepts: Clouds

Clouds: IdeasDesign or case studiesTools or resourcesQuestions or problems

+Key concepts: Clouds

Clouds: IdeasDesign or case studiesTools or resourcesQuestions or problems

+Key concepts: Clouds

Clouds: IdeasDesign or case studiesTools or resourcesQuestions or problems

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+Key concepts: CloudscapesCloudscapes:ConferencesWorkshopsCourse teamStudent cohortResearch themeProject

+Key concepts: CloudscapesCloudscapes:ConferencesWorkshopsCourse teamStudent cohortResearch themeProject

+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

+Key concepts: Activity streams

Clouds Cloudscapes

+Key concepts: Activity streams

Clouds Cloudscapes Comments

+Key concepts: Activity streams

Clouds Cloudscapes Comments Links

+Key concepts: Activity streams

Clouds Cloudscapes Comments Links References

+Key concepts: Activity streams

Clouds Cloudscapes Comments Links References Extra content

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+Follow & be followed Similar to following in twitter

Can follow cloudscapes & people

Indicates things & people you are interested

Anything you follow appears in your personal cloudstream

+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 Privacy and provenance Sustainability Barriers to sharing Lack of spontaneous use

“What’s in it for me”? Needs to be: fun,

motivationing, useful

Phase 1 Evaluation

+Design decisions: Phase 2

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 Growing interest and

activity Good around events,

but lack of enough spontaneous use

Navigation needed improvement

Phase 2 Evaluation

+Design decisions: Phase 3

Total redesign, look & feel

Added RSS feeds & email alerts

Embedded content possible

Merged tag categories

Added links & references

Activity streams available

Findings Significant increase in use

of the site as a result of new design and functionality

New patterns of behaviour

New niche, conduit between twitter, blogs and other sites

Divided views about the concept of “clouds”

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

+Summary

Evidence of new practices occurring on the site

Genuine “buzz” about the site increasingly

Mix of web 2.0 functionality and nice alignment with existing web 2.0 tools

Supporting a range of learning and teaching activities, but remaining true to the core principles and vision

Cloudworks champions on the rise

Come and play in the clouds!!!

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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