http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/seminars/coventry-2006-03/ Web 2.0: Opportunities And Challenges For Higher Education Brian Kelly UK Web Focus UKOLN University of Bath Bath, UK, BA2 7AY This work is licensed under a.
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http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/seminars/coventry-2006-03/
Web 2.0: Opportunities And Challenges For Higher Education
Brian Kelly UK Web Focus UKOLN University of Bath Bath, UK, BA2 7AY This work is licensed under a Attribution NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 licence (but note caveat) UKOLN is supported by:
Acceptable Use Policy
taking photographs, discussing the content using email, instant messaging, Blogs, SMS, etc. is permitted providing distractions to others is minimised.
Also feel free to access the presentation, follow links, etc.
* Subject to confirmation at end of talk A centre of expertise in digital information management
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Contents
• • • Introduction Where Are We Now?
Web 2.0: Web 2.0 technologies Web 2.0 culture • • Deployment Challenges Conclusions 2 A centre of expertise in digital information management
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About Me
Brian Kelly: • UK Web Focus – post funded by JISC and MLA to advise UK HE / FE and cultural heritage sectors on best Web practices • • Based at UKOLN, University of Bath Helped set up Web service in Leeds University in Jan 1993 - first in UK(?) and in first 50 registered at CERN) • • Web evangelist from 1993 (vs. Gopher orthodoxy!) Helped persuade several universities/groups to deploy the Web (Sheffield Hallam, Oxford University, TLTP) • • Attended several WWW confs since first in 1994 Author of many peer-reviewed papers
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About This Talk
This talk uses Web 2.0 technologies & attitude: • PowerPoint slides contain links to relevant resources • Resources bookmarked on
del.icio.us
(with tag coventry-2006-03 ) • • Add your own related resources using the same tag Virtual WiFi network can be used by audience for discussions (you can think about implications) • • • Possibly use of Skype to maximise access to talk CC licence for slides (and talk) Always beta – not everything will necessarily work, but that's not the end of the world Note ~ 50 slides, which you can reread at your leisure!
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National Picture: We're Doing Well
Positive aspects of the UK HE Web community: • Willingness to share experiences (e.g. on web support and website-info-mgt lists) • A well-established annual event (IWMW) • Avoidance of the ghetto mentality: senior managers, information professionals, designers, software developers, trainers, … meet, talk & socialise Challenges we face: • Managing with limited resources • Managing service vs supporting user needs • Role(s) of our Web services • … and the exploitation of new stuff – covered today
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What About Web Standards?
Early Days
• HTML+CSS+WAI WCAG = (Netscape's support for CSS was a problem)
Later
• • • XML a winner New W3C formats (PNG, SMIL, SVG, …) Limited take-up – and other solutions have benefits (e.g. Flash)
More Recently
• Complexity and Confusion: Semantic Web, Web Services, deployment difficulties (e.g. XHTML 2.0), patent issues, process issues, … A centre of expertise in digital information management
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Summary – UK HE Web In 2004/5
State of play in 2004/5: • Web is mission critical • We have Web teams and resources (but we'd like more) • • We have a Web/Information Strategy Focus tends to be on publishing and "stand and-deliver" model of e-learning?
• Key applications areas: Institutional Web site VLEs Digital repositories A centre of expertise in digital information management Intranets Portals …
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Web For 2006+
Significant changes seem to be happening: • Blogs and Wikis • • • RSS and Podcasting Mobile devices Pervasive networks (WIFi, broadband at home, 3G, …) • • • • Integration of services ("mashups") Microformats Google developments SOA
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Web 2.0
Web2MemeMap, Tim O’Reilly, 9 2005
What Is Web 2.0?
Marketing term (derived from observing 'patterns') rather than technical standards “an attitude not a technology”
Characteristics Of Web 2.0
• • • • • Network as platform Always beta Clean URIs Remix and mash-ups Syndication (RSS) Architecture of participation Blogs & Wikis Social networking Social tagging (folksonomies)
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Web 2.0 Exemplars
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Google as a Web 2.0 Exemplar
– developed GMail, Google Maps, … Use AJAX to provide richly interactive interfaces • Is your campus map rescalable (without loss of resolution)?
11 • You will still have work to do, though. For example is your building on the map?
Or do you have a campus map in GIF format: poor quality when printed, not reusable, but at least you own it and you've got the University
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12 A centre of expertise in digital information management Note: • Greasemonkey
Mashups
13
Mashup
– merging information from multiple sources (cf music mashups) Can you merge data from 3 rd party sources with your maps, like this merging of Google maps and BBC traffic data?
See
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RSS
See RSS briefing paper E-mail has its role but: • Why send messages which time-out when many users will read them too late?
• • Why not use delivery channels which are spam-free?
Why not use delivery channels which are more suited to
receiving
information (as opposed to discussions)?
• Why not allow users to select their preferred channels?
RSS: • Syndication of content • A light-weight standard used in the JISC IE • View on Web, using one of many dedicated RSS viewers, Opera or Pluck IE plugin Shouldn't RSS viewers be standard on desktops?
Shouldn't we be creating RSS feed for news alerts – and not just adding to email overload?
Google for "
rss is opt-in authenticated email
"
Netvibes.com
http://www.netvibes.com/ Example of a personalised Web environment – just add your favourite RSS feeds 15 Note that Netvibes has an AJAX interface, so that the windows can be dragged around browser area, closed, etc. A centre of expertise in digital information management Can be: • Conventional news feeds • RSS from email (e.g GMail) • • Dynamic RSS from searches …
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Mobile Devices
Potential of mobile devices in learning, research, etc.
Lectures on iPods; student created Podcasts; ..
16 A centre of expertise in digital information management
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17 Note that Talis (UK library vendor) are publishing Blogs and Podcasts about "Library 2.0" And UKOLN/CDNTL have also been experimenting A centre of expertise in digital information management
http://www.everyobject.net/static.php?page=interactive Are your University Podcasts available through iTunes?
Aren't you missing out on a major distribution channel? (Note Student's Union radio shows 18 are leading the way) A centre of expertise in digital information management
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Blogs (1)
Google "
auricle bath
" for URL http://www.cetis.ac.uk/members/scott/ http://www.technorati.com/ Blogs seem to be ideal for use in HE: • Use by students: sharing learning; reflections on learning; developing writing & social skills; … • Use by researchers: sharing knowledge and ideas; maximising impact; … (plus above) Use Technorati to search new postings in Blogs.
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Blogs And IT Services (2)
http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/johndale/ entry/student_mobile_ownership/ University of Warwick seem to be leaders in the UK with their Student Blogging service: • Listen to Auricle Blog & Podcast with John Dale • Note that "students will say and do the wrong thing" issue has been addressed!
Want to engage with your users? Why not set up an IT Services Blog? Here John Dale has received 20 comments on a posting 20 about student mobile ownership (a typical high response rate) Or read Owen Stephen’s Blog about recent UCISA conf.
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Wikis (1)
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=University_of_Warwick Wikis provide collaborative, easy-to use Web-based authoring. Sounds ideal for HE: • Students, researchers and support staff: collaborative work focus on content, not on authoring tools ..
Issue: (for Web/marketing people) • Shouldn't you be proactive in ensuring content is accurate, … • Should you seek to lead in order to define structure?
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Wikis (2)
How can you not have a Wiki, for (e.g.) • Systems documentation • • Better note-taking Student group working • • Collaborative research work …
Should we be promoting/providing Wikis? UCISA/UKOLN event, Nov 2004
Yes. There could be real benefit and exciting possibilities in every area of institutional activities: teaching & learning, research, administration and user support. We need to get in there first and understand what users need and what they might do. We also A centre of expertise in digital information management
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22 need first make better use of wikis ourselves so we can ..
Social Bookmarking / Folksonomies
http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/ events/workshops/ucisa-wlf-2004-11/ Social bookmark services introduced "folksonomies": • User-defined tags • Used for bookmarking, shared photos, etc.
Comments: • Librarians point out flaws in approach • But can miss the potential benefits 23 As well as resource discovery, bookmarked the same page.
social bookmarking can help: • Identify impact • Find related resources (cf A centre of expertise in digital information management Amazon)
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http://www.flickr.com/
+
“folksonomies”
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Issues
• Should you "claim your tag" (e.g. "iwmw-2006") • and convention (e.g. "leeds-publicity", "leedsmet-graduation 2006") for your photos, Blogs, etc.?
Should you proactively make you photos, etc.
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Instant Messaging (IM)
IM – popular, widely used, with benefits for collaboration, but banned in some places Meebo: • Web-based IM client • An AJAX application Issues: • • • How do you ban it?
Interoperability Doesn't it break WAI guidelines?
http://www.meebo.com/ 25 Should IT Services ban applications when there are trivial ways around such bans? What is the reason for such bans: ideology; resource management; support; security; …?
Skype / VoIP
Skype
is a good example of Internet telephony: Integrated voice, IM, Web (and now video) Can be high quality Free / cheap calls Conference calls Accessibility benefits Proprietary Network and management issues 26 VoIP is coming, so now’s the time to gain experiences. What are the implications of ‘free’ always-on telephony (i.e. it's not just about software) - you could be broadcasting this talk now!
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27 Creative Commons, UK participants include: Science Commons, Open Access, Open Source, … are National Archives helping to drive Web 2.0.
What's the UK HE's take on Natural History Museum this?
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http://creativecommons.org/ 28 See "
Let's Free IT Support Materials!
" (EUNIS 2005 paper) as an example of what UK HE could be doing A centre of expertise in digital information management
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Deployment Challenges
Such questions: • • How do we go about deploying Web 2.0?
More importantly, should we (isn't it just hype?) Challenges: • The Web policy is owned by the marketing people; they see the Web as a publishing vehicle not as a communications tool • • • We can't use Creative Commons, open access, etc.
We shouldn't make use of commercial services These services are: • • • Technically / philosophically flawed Don't reflect our views on open source / standards Breaking out of our existing culture, software, … A centre of expertise in digital information management
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Technical & Cultural Barriers
Technical Barriers:
• • • Will it work? Is it secure? Is it interoperable?
Is performance acceptable?
Do we have the expertise, resources, … • …
Cultural and Organisational Barriers:
What/who are the barriers?
• IT Services Librarians • • Academics Users Senior management … I may need an escort out of the building after upsetting all of these groups!
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Nobody Likes Us - The Users' View
IT Services: •
Don't understand learning and teaching
and think that students only ever use the Web for messing around.
•
Have no interest in what the users actually want
and generally prefer to give the users what they themselves think they want. (I've seen senior IS staff dismiss the data gathered in formal user requirements gathering exercises because it doesn't fit their own viewpoint.) • Tend to
work in silos
(example: student information systems team which won't talk to the VLE team), and will do anything to avoid working with others outside of their own silo. They have no concept of team working across services or with academic staff.
•
Consultation
usually
what they are going to do
want they don't listen!
consists of them telling you
. If you tell them what you
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Nobody Likes Us - The Users' View
IT Services: •
Don't understand learning and teaching
and think that students only ever use the Web for messing around.
•
Have no interest in what the users actually want
and generally prefer to give the users what they themselves think they want. (I've seen senior IS staff dismiss the data gathered in formal user requirements gathering exercises because it doesn't fit their own viewpoint.) • Tend to
work in silos
(example: student information systems team which won't talk to the VLE team), and will do anything to avoid working with others outside of their own silo. They have no concept of team working across services or with academic staff.
•
Consultation
usually
what they are going to do
want they don't listen!
consists of them telling you
. If you tell them what you
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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 terrorism IT 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.
33 But citizens / users may regard such measures as not also necessary and may tolerate some level of risk-taking.
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Beware The IT Fundamentalists
34 • • • • We need to avoid simplistic solutions to the complexities: •
Open Standards Fundamentalist:
we just need XML • •
Open Source Fundamentalist: Vendor Fundamentalist:
we just need Linux we must need next version of our enterprise system (and you must fit in with this)
Accessibility Fundamentalist: User Fundamentalist: Legal Fundamentalist:
use we must do WAI WCAG we must do whatever users want it breaches copyright, …
Ownership Fundamentalist:
must own everything we • •
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 Director, March 2006 "
I could give names of the individuals in my department!
"
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The Librarian Fundamentalists
Librarians: •
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
folksonomies) because they won't get it right.
(cf • 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).
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The Problem With Academics
The enthusiasts academics will be: • Here, 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!) A centre of expertise in digital information management
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Problems With Senior Management / Users
Senior 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 • … A centre of expertise in digital information management
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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, … • Integrating IT Policies With Institutional Policies • • Developing key principles Ongoing debate and discussion A centre of expertise in digital information management
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Need To Change Catch Phrases
Computer Says No!
Time to ditch this catch phrase Wikis? IT Services says no Folksonomies? Library says no Skype? 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 A centre of expertise in digital information management Images from
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Implement An Open Approach
Implementing an open approach should not be difficult: • We have tradition of sharing & using OSS • The HE sector is now more open to discussing open access issues (e prints, financial issues, …) • Creative Commons (CC) provides a legal framework What can we do: • Make support services resources available with CC licence: see paper on "
Let's Free IT Support Materials!
" • Exploit UKOLN's QA Focus briefing documents: 90+ documents available with CC licence • Contribute to UKOLN's Wiki on Best Practices For CMSs (being planned) • … Using other's resources and service may be unpopular (job security, ideology, …). For example, should IT services host email, … when this can be outsourced?
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?
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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
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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; …) A centre of expertise in digital information management
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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
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Framework For Diversity: Standards Open Standards – the Challenges
Open standards? Yer, great. Like, Bill Gates is SO evil. But, well RDF, hmm. OSI? Coloured Books? How old do 44 you take me for? No, but, I always use MS Windows for playing games.
External factors: legal, cultural, …
Context: Policies
Sector Funding Research …
Context: Compliance
…
Annotated Standards Catalogue
Purpose Governance Maturity Risks … External Self assessment Learning …
Contextual Approach
A 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 &
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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
WAI
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 A centre of expertise in digital information management
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Liberalising Our Policies
Nothing New
Derek Law pointed our arguments for a more liberal approach at IWMW 2002 (see video clip from 09:50-11:00).
Issues: • Should we ban dubious (but legal) use if students have paid?
• How strongly do we enforce bans of P2P apps (Napster)?
These issues related to clear 'social' use of IT – and didn't consider use of P2P, etc. in a work-related context.
Wider Context
We need to think about policies in a wider context: • Blended Policies which reflect wider University culture (e.g. blended learning; blended accessibility; …) • Policies which describe principles, but allow flexibility in implementation (e.g. to allow academics flexibility in exploring learning issues )
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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 47
Draft Principles for Service Providers User 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, …) but 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 A centre of expertise in digital information management
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Proposed Principles (2)
Draft Principles for Developers Scalability
: Developers will recognise that there will be scalability issues to be addressed if innovations are to be deployed into service.
Sustainability
service.
: Developers will recognise that innovations need to be sustainable if they are to be deployed into
R eliability
: 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 available Notes on Wiki available A centre of expertise in digital information management
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Keep Talking
In a period of rapid change it is important to have wide open debate and discussion Web 2.0 deployment issues were addressed at the UKOLN/UCISA/CETIS workshop on "
Initiatives & Innovation: Managing Disruptive Technologies
" at University of Warwick on 24 Feb 2006. A Wiki kept a record of the discussion group summaries.
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Discussion
Questions, comments, etc. welcome 50 A centre of expertise in digital information management
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