Soren KaplaniCohere

Social Computing:Trends, Tools & Tricks of the

Trade

Social Computing:Trends, Tools & Tricks of the

Trade

Larry JohnsonNew Media Consortium

NMC Summer Conference

Social Computing Social Computing DefinedDefinedSocial computing is the application of technology to mediate social interaction and collaboration. These technology enabled interactions foster high-quality and efficient communication that results in knowledge sharing, collaborative learning, and collective decision-making.

A variety of tools should be used to ensure effective communication, and social computing strategies need to be carefully constructed to fit the needs of the group or community involved.

Key Trends in Social Key Trends in Social ComputingComputing

Work is becoming more distributed Broadband use is growing much faster than

expected Social computing and knowledge sharing are

increasingly seen as communication strategies The “comfort level” with the basic tools is very high Reductions in travel have increased the readiness

to consider new forms of meeting and collaborating

Describe a time in which a breakthrough in communication, collaboration or learning occurred as a result of “social computing?

What were the enablers that allowed this high quality technology-mediated interaction to occur?

Interview each other for three minutes each. Be prepared to share one story and the enablers with the group.

Breakout Discussion Breakout Discussion (Pairs)(Pairs)

Books & tutorials

Facts, procedures, processes, guidelines

Formal instruction and training

Tacit vs. Explicit Knowledge

Explicit Knowledge

Source: Peter Henschel, “Understanding and Winning the Never-Ending Search for Talent,” 2001

Tacit Knowledge

How things really get done

Difficult to capture, codify and deliver through discrete learning objects and traditional training

Can be captured and formalized via Learning Communities

A Skewed Emphasis

Context

ContentLCMSLMS Learning

Objects

WBTsCBTs

Group

Individual

Project Communities

Communities of Practice

Affinity Networks

Relationship Relationship OrientedOriented

Source: Peter Bartlett, HPSoren Kaplan, iCohere

Learning Communities

Task Task OrientedOriented

LearningLearning

AffiliationAffiliation PracticePractice

ActionAction

Types of Collaborative Communities

Social computing involves 1:1 and group interactions that occur via the internet. Social computing enables collaborative learning by:– Bridging content and context– Encouraging focused interactions– Building on formal knowledge– Capturing informal knowledge– Recognizing best practices– Connecting learning to action

Social Computing & Collaborative Learning

Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve UniversityGlobal Research Project – Business as an Agent of

World Benefit

BAWB Research Focus

Business has become… the most powerful institution on the planet. The dominant institution in any society needs to take responsibility for the whole. Every decision that is made, every action taken has to be viewed in the light of, in the context of, that kind of responsibility… Business is the only mechanism on the planet today powerful enough to produce the changes necessary to reverse global environmental and social degradation.

Willis HarmonFuturistFormer President of the Institute of Noetic Sciences

soren

******

North American Simulation & Gaming

Association

North American Simulation & Gaming

AssociationFour-Day International Online Conference

An international collaboration between museums, universities, government, and industry to build an open-source authoring platform

The Pachyderm 2.0 Project

Taking Pachyderm out of the Taking Pachyderm out of the museum …museum …

The NMC, in partnership with its creator, SFMOMA, is adapting

Pachyderm for more widespread use

An international project team of 5 NMC universities, 5 museums,

and a coalition of library partners is making Pachyderm open-

source

The IMLS has provided financial support to the effort, known as the

Pachyderm 2.0 project

Project PartnersProject Partners

Museum PartnersMuseum Partners

Berkeley Art Museum

Cleveland Museum of Art

Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

Metropolitan Museum of Art

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Project LeadsProject Leads

NMC: The New Media ConsortiumNMC: The New Media ConsortiumSan Francisco Museum of Modern ArtSan Francisco Museum of Modern Art

University PartnersUniversity Partners

Case Western Reserve University

Center for Distributed Learning (California State University)

University of Calgary (Canada)

Northwestern University

University of Arizona

Project GoalsProject Goals

Create a new, open source authoring environment based

on SFMOMA’s Pachyderm

Identify essential interoperability standards and specifications for the new tool

Develop new pedagogical templates for university needs

Develop at least 20 major new

learning experiences

Give the tool away royalty-free to not-for-profit museums,

universities, and libraries

Overarching goalOverarching goal

Bring together the metadata and content management expertise of the library community, the technological expertise of NMC’s university community, and the informal learning expertise of leading museums to create an open-source authoring tool faculty and curators can easily use to create engaging learning experiences

First-Year Collaborative First-Year Collaborative TeamsTeams

Key Requirements TeamKey Requirements TeamLou Zweier, CSU CDL

Library Specs & Standards TeamLibrary Specs & Standards TeamM. Claire Stewart, Northwestern

Rick Rinehart, Berkeley Art Museum

Metadata & Interoperability TeamMetadata & Interoperability TeamMike Mattson, University of Calgary

Programming TeamProgramming Team Michelle LaMar, CSU CDL

User Interface & Skins TeamUser Interface & Skins Team Tom Hapgood, Arizona

Templates & Pedagogy TeamTemplates & Pedagogy TeamWendy Shapiro, Case Western

The work of the project is being conducted by cross-sector collaborative teams working at a distance

Click here to see the detailed plan of work

Technologies & ToolsTechnologies & Tools

© Etienne Wenger

Communitiesof practice

Kn

owle

dge

exc

ha

nge S

ocia

l structu

res

Fleeting interactions

Knowledgebases

Synchronousinteractions

Discussiongroups

Access toexpertise

Projectspaces

Knowledge worker’sdesktop

Onlinecommunities

E-learningspaces

Ongoing integration of work and knowledge

Intraspect

Engenia

K-station

Infoworkspace

Communispace

PlaceWare

eRoomQuickPlace

Livelink

NetMeeting

Organik

QuestionQuiq

TalkCity

Evoke

Webex

eProject

Blaxxun

eGroups(YahooGroups)

eCircle

(AltaVista)

Athenium Webcrossing

Teamware PlazaTacit

Coolboard

Ichat

Buzzpower

StuffinCommon

Prospero

WebboardWeTalk

PowWow

Motet

PeopleLink

Sharenet

virtualteams

Prism

Centra

Interwise

LearningSpace

VirtualMeeting

MeetPlace

Genesys

SameTime

InterCommunity

Discovery

RealCommunities

Teamroom

ConferenceRoom

BlackBoard

ArsDigita

Caucus

Bungo

SharedPlanet

OpenItems

eShare

OpenTopic

UBB

AskMeClerity

Knexa

DocuShare

DocumentumAutonomy

Geneva

Oracle

Work

Instruction

Docum

ents

Conve

rsat

ion

Verity

WebfairCassiopeia

iTeam

Vignette

Abridge

Mongoose

PlumTree

Tapped-in

Experience

Notes

OneStopMeeting

Marratech

Wiki

WebCT

Tomoye Groove

KnowledgeLead

FirstClass

iCohere

iMeet

eePulse.comCommunityZero

PeopleNet

NinthHouse

Hyperwave

SynchronousInteractions

DiscussionGroups

OnlineCommunities

E-LearningSpaces

Access toExpertise

KnowledgeBases

KnowledgeWorker’s Desktop Project

Spaces

Source: Etienne Wenger

An international collaboration between museums, universities, government, and industry to build an open-source authoring platform

The Pachyderm 2.0 The Pachyderm 2.0 ProjectProject

A range of tools and resources are available to project teams & institutions to help partners collaborate and tell the project story

Collaboration ToolsCollaboration ToolsPachyblog

PachylistBreeze Live

Audio Bridge

Presentation ToolsPresentation ToolsPachyDVD

PowerPoint SlidesMSOMA Content

PachyblogPachyblogDocument Archives

Threaded DiscussionsEssential Links

Email ConnectionsRSS Updates

Technologies & ToolsTechnologies & Tools

Hard Work & Hard Work & CelebrationCelebration

Varied Forms of Varied Forms of CommunicationCommunication

Standards ConformanceStandards Conformance

Collaboration Tools: Breeze Live

Technologies & ToolsTechnologies & Tools

Pachylist

Day-to-Day Announcements & News

Technologies & ToolsTechnologies & Tools

Pachyblog

The Nerve Center of Pachyder

m

Technologies & ToolsTechnologies & Tools

Pachyweb

The Project Archive

Technologies & ToolsTechnologies & Tools

Project Websit

e

External Audience

s

Technologies & ToolsTechnologies & Tools

Team Websites

Requirements Builder

Technologies & ToolsTechnologies & Tools

Team Websites

Interface Developme

nt Area

Technologies & ToolsTechnologies & Tools

Online Conference on Learning Objects

October 14-17, 2003

NMC Fall 2003 Online Conference

Set Context to Affirm a Shared Purpose

Rationale:

A shared purpose is the heart of any community

A compelling purpose leads to compelling value

“Seed” the Community to Engage People Immediately

Rationale:

People become more engaged if they feel like they’re joining an “exciting party.”

You only have one chance to capture people’s attention. If you don’t, they may never come back.

Create a Structure for Contributing

Rationale:

Providing a low-risk, clear and structured way to participate accelerates collaboration and networking

Designing questions to focus the dialogue ensures people stay on target with high interest topics

Use Content to Drive Participation

Rationale:

Relevant “content” from leading thinkers and practitioners creates initial interest and the draw

The “experience” of participating in a collaborative learning event is ultimately what people remember

Provide Tools for Group Collaboration

Rationale:

The most relevant learning occurs through “informal” dialogue in which “tacit” knowledge is shared

Peer-to-peer discussions and mentoring fosters applied learning

Build Momentum though Live Events

Rationale:

Many people need a scheduled, live event to get engaged

Events provide the opportunity to showcase the broader value of a community

Create Ways to Foster Meaningful Connections

Rationale:

Individual networking profiles enable new connections & opportunities

Group memberships create deeper affiliation and collaboration

Provide Tools for 1:1 Networking

Rationale:

Peer-to-Peer real-time networking creates immediate opportunities to innovate or solve problems

Communities are collections of individuals – networks of strong 1:1 relationships creates a strong community

Provide a Fully Integrated Environment

“Functional Requirements” of

Virtual Communities

“Functional Requirements” of

Virtual Communities

Social Computing “Architecture”

Technical ArchitectureTechnical Architecture Social ArchitectureSocial Architecture

Synchronous & AsynchronousSynchronous & Asynchronous Group ProcessesGroup Processes

Technical Architecture

NLII and iCohere have developed “functional requirements” for virtual communities that include:

Social Structures Core Features Integrating Mechanisms

Levels of opennessSubgroupsRole distinctionsPresence

Synchronous CommunicationAsynchronous CommunicationResource/File SharingStructured Data SharingScheduling & CoordinationFinding & Searching

User InterfacePush-Pull OptionsSystem Compatibility

10 Steps to Community

1. Articulate a cohesive purpose

2. Define compelling benefits at the individual, group, and organizational levels

3. Identify technical constraints and enablers

4. Create a technology roadmap that links short-term objectives to long term goals

5. Define a roll-out strategy that starts with the core and expands outward

10 Steps to Community

6. Establish roles and processes that support both structured and organic collaboration

7. Use events to drive participation

8. Keep content fresh

9. Recognize exemplary members and encourage those who are less active

10. Build feedback loops for continuous learning and adaptation

Presenters

Soren is co-founder of iCohere, a software and consulting firm that builds collaborative online communities. He also organizes iCohere's online conference series that includes the Collaborative Learning, Collaborative Communities, and Collaborative Leadership conferences. As a speaker and authority on collaboration, web communities and online learning, Soren has presented at the National OD Network, ASTD, the e-Learning Forum, the Creative Education Foundation, and the Harvard Business School. Quotes and articles from Soren have appeared in numerous publications including Fast Company, Collaborate, Learning Circuits, Strategy & Leadership, and the Journal of Strategic Change. Prior to founding iCohere, Soren held numerous positions at Hewlett-Packard including Manager of Business Strategy Services, an internal consulting group focused on strategic planning and organizational development. Before joining HP, Soren was a consultant with Cambridge, MA based IdeaScope Associates. Soren holds Master's and Ph.D. degrees in Organizational Psychology.

Soren Kaplan, Ph.D. (soren@icohere.com)

Larry Johnson, Ph.D. (ljohnson@nmc.org)

Dr. Larry Johnson is Chief Executive Officer of the New Media Consortium (NMC), an international consortium of colleges, universities, museums and technology companies dedicated to using new technologies to inspire, energize, stimulate, and support learning and creative expression. He is an acknowledged expert on the effective application of information technology in higher education, and has authored a number of books, monographs, and articles on that topic, as well as on the related areas of distance learning, strategic planning, and institutional effectiveness. Dr. Johnson has more than 25 years of experience in the higher education arena, having served a variety of roles, including faculty, senior executive, and as college president. He is currently working on his next book, which will focus on new ways of exploring, sharing, and defining knowledge.