The SCALE Partnership’s Collaborative Workspace

David J. SleasmanKnowledge Managerdjsleasman@wisc.edu

SCALE Mathematics and Science Partnership

Wisconsin Center for Education Research

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Why are collaborative software tools interesting to librarians?

System-wide Change for All Learners and Educators (SCALE)

Research project (2003-2007) focused on improving mathematics and science teaching and learning through systemic change

http://www.scalemsp.org/

Funded by the NSF (Award No. 0227016)

Partner institutions Denver Public Schools California State University, Dominguez Hills Los Angeles Unified School District Madison Metropolitan School District Providence Public Schools University of Pittsburgh University of Wisconsin-Madison

Problem: How to Support Collaborative Work for This New Partnership?

- Existing IT networks and email exist as many isolated knowledge silos.

- Most partners have little pre-existing relationship prior to the grant writing process.

- Partnership is an “organization” with little traditional hierarchy and accompanying lines of communication.

- Lines of work involve individuals at different levels within each partner institution hierarchy.

- Little ability to easily learn and share work done within the partnership.

Provides a central platform for collaborative work (exchange and discovery of information) that is independent of each institution’s IT support (networks, email, and information systems).

Provides for the security of data depending on the role, group membership or line of work.

Also allows other advantages like: Stores material for discovery and re-use, Allows asynchronous collaboration, Building services for the partnership, and Building efficiencies to solve operational problems.

Collaborative software

SCALE Considered Solutions

Basic Support for Cooperative Work (BSCW)

http://bscw.fit.fraunhofer.de/

Vignette Business Collaboration Server (VCBS)

http://www.vignette.com/

Selected VCBS because:

- Customizable

- Flexible security

- Many built-in tools to facilitate work

- Track record with large corporations

- Interact via Web, email, etc.

- Personalization features for individuals and groups

- Easily accommodate users outside partner organizations

VCBS Under the hood… Java application and relational database

API consists of Python scripts and 1400+ templates files (syntactically similar to JSP pages) which are a mixture of HTML, proprietary ISPECT code, JavaScript, and Java call methods

Convera Search engine indexing metadata (non-standard but can be easily customized) and document contents

What user features are ‘out of the box’?

Stable, unique URLs and email addresses for objects

Integrates with email Calendars with email invitations Discussions Task management and reminders Polling Flexible ‘views’ of folder(s) and object(s) Internal linking Subscriptions and notification Web monitoring Secure mini-work spaces (C-spaces)

However… The rich feature set is intimidating in the complexity of

potential interactions.

Users generally unaccustomed to being able to create discussions, calendars, etc. unilaterally.

Lack of established organizational structure was daunting both for creating workspaces and navigation.

Employs metaphors that might not be familiar for all users.

Created as a business tool NOT for research.

Users had little understanding in these information tools and a lack of trust.

Initial Strategy for Adoption Hire Knowledge Manager to focus on organization,

management, and development (preferably a librarian) Reduce barriers to use including interface complexity Assist with organization of information Build library of useful resources Improve/customize most important features Identify and use role models (social/cultural leaders)

and emphasize social aspects Train/coach users at speed they are comfortable Establish conventions Build trust and comfort levels over time.

How is SCALEnet organized?

Who has access to the material in SCALEnet?

Accounts are created for those involved in SCALE-related work.

Terry Millar, SCALE’s PI, has requested a generally open policy.

Restricted (financial or human subjects data, for example) material will be invisible without appropriate group membership.

How is SCALEnet growing?

August 2005 Statistics

532 Users – Project Administrators, Researchers, Curricula Developers, District Administrators, and K12 Teachers

48,794 + Objects in the Database

8-11% Growth Monthly

What can be found in SCALEnet?

Meeting notes Calendars Contact information Email correspondence NSF reports Project graphics Information on each of

the SCALE partners Travel information

Evaluation Tools Presentations Calendar of Events Agendas and meeting notes Event photographs and

media files Related research and

scholarly publications

Example of how SCALEnet being used? Co-construction of curriculum units between STEM faculty,

district representatives, and SCALE curriculum developers. Harvest material to produce monthly newsletter Collaboratively write NSF reports, etc. 100+ email discussions on practically every line of work Fill gap for partner when they need a collaborative

workspace. Deliver ancillary material to NSF program officer. Track development of lines of work.

Now in the next phase of adoption…

Developing new features that focus on solving specific operational problems

Emphasizing advanced features

Constructing specific views of folder hierarchy

Continue to build trust in the system and collaborators

Returning to the question…Why are collaborative software tools interesting

to librarians? - Advantageous to aid work as we form our own partnerships

that cross traditional boundaries.

- Allows us as professionals to document our work and learnmore about our organizations

- Allows libraries to go “further upstream” in the scholarly process to capture a richer collection of digital artifacts which illuminate the creation, thoughts, and evolution of intellectual work

- Build those artifacts into Archives, Special Collections, Digital Libraries, etc.