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Cloud collaboration: Using (Microsoft) SharePoint as a tool to enhance access services

Author: Diffin Jennifer; Chirombo, Fanuel; Nangle, Dennis
Publication venue: Fourteenth Off-Campus Library Services Conference, Cleveland, Ohio
Publication date: 29/04/2010
Field of study

Outline •About Us •Intranet overview •Cloud computing overview •Move to SharePoint •SharePoint Wiki for Remote Circ Locations •SharePoint as Comprehensive Cloud Intranet •ConclusionCloud Collaboration: Using (Microsoft) SharePoint as a Tool to Enhance Access Services Jennifer Diffin Assistant Director for Systems and Access Services Fanuel Chirombo and Dennis Nangle Library Technicians April 29, 2010 © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleOutline • About Us • Intranet overview • Cloud computing overview • Move to SharePoint • SharePoint Wiki for Remote Circ Locations • SharePoint as Comprehensive Cloud Intranet • Conclusion © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleHistory of UMUC • Founded in 1947 • Primarily distance education serving working professionals • Approximately 86,000 worldwide headcount (~27,000 FTE) • Member of the University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI) • Military contracts © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleInformation & Library Services (ILS) • Staff located in Largo, MD • Previously had physical libraries in Germany and Japan • Remote/satellite locations change • 27 library staff members, 2 graduate assistants © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleDocument Management (DM) Team • 1 Librarian • 1 Library Associate • 3 Library Technicians • 4-5 student workers (shared with other library departments) • Remote circulation points throughout Maryland © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleILS Circulation Locations © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleOverview of Intranets • What is an intranet? • Functions of Intranets • What are the benefits • Limitations of UMUC Intranet © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleWhat is an Intranet? • A private network belonging to an organization’s members, employees, or others with authorization. • “…part of the organizational internal information system, dedicated to the support of group work and mastering of organizational knowledge.” Botazzo, 2005 © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleFunctions of Intranets • Administrative –finance, human resources, records management, course scheduling. • Academic-research, course work, publishing and course administration. • General-communication and public relations. Weiner, 1999 © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleWhat are the Benefits? • Sharing information and documents • Easy updating of documents • Saves time through online discussions • Quick and easy access to vital information Natarajan, 2008 © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleLimitations of UMUC Intranet • Restricted contributors-difficult to update, edit and/or access. • Interdepartmental promotional tool. © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleCloud Computing-An Overview • Became an official ‘buzz word’ in 2006 • Has several definitions and contexts • An ‘official’ definition: – “In cloud computing…the software resides on an [I]nternet server run by or on behalf of the software supplier, and users get to access the features of those applications via the [I]nternet” Venkatraman, 2009 © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleA Helpful Metaphor for Cloud Computing “My attitude towards online information…was pretty close to taking my paycheck in cash, and stuffing it under the mattress because I didn’t trust a bank to hold it for me… Now we can treat the [W]eb much more like a bank with a network of ATMs: it’s a secure repository with a network of points where you can withdraw your information on demand.” Gunderloy, 2008 © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleThe Appeal of the Cloud • Cost-effective • Efficient • Fosters Innovation © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleCloud Concerns • Security • Privacy • Data Ownership © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleThe Road to SharePoint • A Complex History • Initial Obstacles © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleA Careful Approach © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleSharePoint in Context • Departmental Move • Creating a service point without ILS staff • Developing a wiki for the new service point staff © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleEffective Knowledge Transfer © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleDocumentation Pre-SharePoint: Dorsey StationWaldorf CenterCollege ParkAdelphi © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleDocumentation Post-SharePoint: Dorsey StationWaldorf CenterCollege ParkAdelphiLargo © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleDocument Management’s “Cloud Intranet” © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleSharePoint-a Comprehensive Cloud Intranet • Information storage • Coordination • Communication • Collaboration © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleInformation Storage • Wiki for remote location of information • Document library • One-stop location of documents • Secure and easily accessible © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleCoordination • Calendar • Work scheduling • Leave scheduling • Responsibilities © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleCommunication • Discussion Board • Announcement • Sticky Notes © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleCollaboration • Version History • E-mail alerts © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleConclusion • Cloud Intranet – Convenient to access – Secure server – Flexibility • Strategy is essential © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleQuestions? Jennifer Diffin –[email protected] Fanuel Chirombo –[email protected] Dennis Nangle –[email protected] © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis NangleReferences • Bottazzo, V. (2005). Intranet: A medium of internal communication and training.Information Services & use, 25(2), 77-85. Retrieved from http://www.iospress.nl/html/01675265.php • Gunderloy, M. (2008). Is your information under the mattress or in the ATM?.Retrieved 12/11, 2009, from http://webworkerdaily.com/2008/07/30/information-under-mattress-or-in-atm/ • Natarajan, M. (2008). Knowledge sharing through intranet.Journal of Library and Information Technology, 28(5), 5-12. Retrieved from http://publications.drdo.gov.in/ojs/index.php/djlit/article/view/414/286 • Venkatraman, A. (2009). Capture the cloud.Information World Review, (255), 16-17. • Weiner, S. (1999). The university intranet.EContent, 22(5), 66-69. Retrieved from http://www.econtentmag.com © Jennifer Diffin, Fanuel Chirombo, and Dennis Nangl

Process mapping of CMMI for services (CMM-SVC) and IT infrastructure information library (ITIL)

Author: DeSot Julie
Publication venue: University of Maryland University College (UMUC)
Publication date: 29/10/2010
Field of study

The purpose of the research is to provide managers and service professionals with a tool to compare and contrast the two process frameworks.Process Mapping ofCMMI for Services (CMM-SVC) and IT Infrastructure Information Library (ITIL) Julie DeSot Doctor of Management Program, DMGT 892 Key Words: Capability Maturity Model Integration for Services (CMMI-SVC) IT Infrastructure Information Library (ITIL) IT Services Management (ITSM) Business Process FrameworksPurpose and Scope of Research Provide managers and service professionals with a tool to compare and contrast the two process frameworks. Capability Maturity Model Integration for Services (CMMI-SVC)IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL)Research Question Although ITIL is IT industry specific and CMMI-SVC is non-industry specific, what are the similarities to map the two processes to each other?Significance of Research for Management • Determine which framework best suits an organization’s unique needs • Bridge the gap between two frameworks • Assist service professionals to work with either of the frameworksMain Literature Themes • CMMI-SVC Non-industry specific • ITIL IT industry specific • ITSM should be holistic approach • Focus is on processesvs. technology • Business processes • Structured, related activities or tasks to produce service for customers Authors • Software Engineering Institute (SEI) Publisher of CMMI constellations • UK Office of Government Commerce (OGC) Publisher of ITIL • Forrester, E. Business Process Framework • Gupta, D. Holistic ApproachKey Propositions Distilledfrom Literature • Process frameworks are about management and leadership making decisions • Direct and indirect similarities exist between the two process frameworks • Weave service support into all phases of program application –holistic approachConceptual FrameworkCMMI-SVC Process Areas mapped toITIL Core ComponentsThesis Statement The conceptual framework, or mapping, is expected to provide corporate managers and service professionals with a device to determine the commonalities between CMMI-SVC and ITIL, as well as the uniqueness of the two process frameworks.Research Approach &Argument Formation Research Approach • Literature Reviews • SEI Publication Reviews • OCG Publication Reviews • Case Studies Argument Formation • Grounded Theory Search for themes in data Analyze data as collected Develop conceptual model during analysis • Matrices Development Understand each process framework Conduct analysis of data to determine gaps and connectionsFindings Commonalities exist between the two process frameworks to allow a direct mapping. The mapping is a tool for organizations and professionals to utilize, understand and work with either or both of the process frameworks.Implications for Management Practice • Process frameworks assist in the implementation of a new way of thinking and conducting business • Process frameworks are about management and leadership making decisions • Service process frameworks provide a holistic view of providing services and developing those servicesFuture Research Agendas Provide findings to SEI for inclusion in “Mapping Tables” section of SEI’s CMMI Web site Provide findings to OG

Using Flickr Images in Your Instructional Content - DE Oracle

Author: Huston Sharon
Publication venue: University of Maryland University College
Publication date: 2010
Field of study

DE Oracle @ UMUC An Online Learning Magazine for UMUC Faculty Center for Support of Instruction Using Flickr Images in Your Instructional Content Sharon Huston Instructional Support Specialist Center for Support of Instruction Published: September-October 2010 Category: » Online-pedagogy » Teaching-strategies Introduction Today's students live in the most information-rich society of all times. They watch videos on YouTube, listen to new bands on Facebook, converse with professional colleagues on Twitter, and comparison-shop everything from televisions to shoes. This digital lifestyle has impacted the online classroom, and students now expect to find multimedia in their courses. One of the simplest ways to add a touch of media to your classroom is to add high-impact photography that helps drive home the point you are making. The photos could be in a PowerPoint presentation, in lecture/review materials, or even in a conference note. Finding good photos is a challenge for many instructors due to the complexity surrounding photo licensing. This article examines the benefits of Flickr and the use of its advanced search options, briefly discusses some licensing conditions that instructors need to keep in mind, and poses reliability questions that will help you make good photo choices for your instructional content. Why Use Flickr? There are numerous photo-sharing Web sites on the Internet; Flickr is one of the world's largest sites that allow photographers to share their art with the world. Flickr is for photos what YouTube is for videos: The best-known and most-used site for that type of media. Chances are excellent that you will find something that is both relevant and useful for your instructional content. There are many benefits to using Flickr for finding a photo for your instructional content: Cost. Photos in Flickr that have a Creative Commons license are free for you to use. You do not have to create an account in Flickr to be able to download one of these photos. (Note: Some concepts about Creative Commons licensing that you need to be aware of are discussed briefly later in this article.) Volume. As previously mentioned, Flickr's photo collection is enormous. (A recent article from CNN (http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/09/20/flickr.5.billion/) notes that the 5 billionth photo was just uploaded to the site.) At the time this article was written, Flickr contained 155,304,847 photos that had Creative Commons licenses. This large volume just about guarantees that you will be able to find a photo that meets your needs. A quick Flickr search of the recent Gulf of Mexico oil spill, for example, produces thousands of photos on this event. Candid photographs. Many of the photos in Flickr are candid shots of real people engaged in real activities. Stock photography collections, by contrast, are often shot in a studio using models and carefully controlled sets and lighting. Stock photos often feel artificial—but candid shots such as those found in Flickr provide a sense of realism. Legal. While instructors can use copyrighted material (including photos) under Fair Use guidelines and the TEACH Act, these situations are sometimes confusing and limiting. By using Creative Commons- Using Flickr Images in Your Instructional Content - DE Oracle licensed photos from Flickr, you are interacting with people who openly want you to use their content. Using Advanced Search Options in Flickr When searching for a photo in Flickr that you can use in your classroom, your options are almost endless. However, you will want to limit your photo searches via the Advanced Search option to those that have a Creative Commons license (an option that Flickr allows photographers to apply to their artwork) and that allow you to modify, adapt, or build upon that content. Here's why: If you conduct an open/unlimited search of all photos in Flickr, you may come across an image you want to use—but its licensing rights might be "all rights reserved." In these cases, you would need to seek permission from the photographer to use the photo, which could turn into a time-consuming and possibly costly process—and it's possible that the photographer will deny your use of the image. By limiting your search to those photos that are licensed through the Creative Commons—a "some rights reserved" optional licensing system that works within existing copyright law—you will easily be able to find photos that you can use freely and quickly. By also choosing to search only for those images that allow you to modify, adapt, or build upon the image, you are ensuring that you can use just part of the image (cropping) if needed or change the color of an item in the photo—both of which are considered modifications. If you do not choose this search limit, you may come across a photo you really like but will have to use exactly as it is. A related tutorial demonstrates how to find these Creative Commons options within Flickr's Advanced Search function. The Advanced Search options also allow you to fine-tune your search terms, search for a specific type of content (photos, illustrations, animations, etc.), filter the type of media, and search by date. All of these choices can help you further narrow down the thousands (or millions) of returns you might otherwise receive. Understanding Creative Commons License Conditions in Flickr When you select a Creative Commons-licensed photo from your Flickr search results page, the right side of the photo page will contain the image's license information. This section of the page will display small icons of the specific license conditions and a link with more detailed information about those conditions and what you can or cannot do with the photo. Depending on the photographer's needs and desires, the icons displayed will be a "mix and match" of the four Creative Commons licensing conditions. The table below, from the Licenses page of the Creative Commons Web site (http://creativecommons.org/about/licenses/ (http://creativecommons.org/about/licenses/) ), identifies and briefly explains these four icons for those who apply these conditions to their own work: What do these conditions mean for you, the hopeful user of the image? How do they impact your use of Using Flickr Images in Your Instructional Content - DE Oracle the photo? (Note: For full details on all the license conditions, please see the Creative Commons Web site (http://www.creativecommons.org/) .) Attribution: All Creative Commons licenses share one common condition—attribution. Anyone using an image from Flickr that has a Creative Commons license must give the photographer credit in the manner specified by the photographer. Be sure to check how the photographer wants his or her work attributed (consult the photographer's profile page), as this could affect your use of the image. For example, if the photographer specifies that his/her name must be stated directly under the image but you planned to display several images on a page in a grid, then meeting the attribution requirement would force you to sacrifice your design aesthetic. Alternately, you could send the photographer an e-mail explaining the situation and asking for an exception-in which case, you will want to keep a printed copy of the photographer's response. Share Alike: Photos in Flickr that have the "share alike" condition allow you to change or build upon the original photo. However, if you wish to then license/distribute your resulting work, you can do so only under the same, similar, or a compatible license. If you are unwilling to put your work into the Creative Commons and allow others to create offshoots of it, then it is best to avoid images with the Share Alike condition. It is also necessary to avoid Share Alike if your work includes copyrighted material. Non-Commercial: While classroom use of a Flickr image in a public university is obviously non-commercial, it is wise to consider other uses of your chosen photo. Will you possibly be using it in a presentation at a conference for which you will be paid an honorarium? Have you fallen in love with an image and want to use it in a textbook you are authoring? If either of these or a similar commercial issue is at hand, you will need to be sure that your chosen image is acceptable for commercial usage. Otherwise, for regular classroom usage only, you can use photos that are for commercial or non-commercial use. No Derivative Works: Changing the Flickr image in any way constitutes making a derivative. This includes cropping, color correction, applying vignette or framing treatments, and other common photo-editing tasks. The safest route is to avoid using images that bear the "no derivatives" condition. If you select the Advanced Search option in Flickr that allows you to modify, adapt, or build upon an image, you should not be seeing this licensing condition on any of the photos that show up in your search results page. Evaluating Reliability Once you have your search options and photo usage in Flickr determined, you need to select a photo that comes from a trustworthy provider. Because the vast majority of Creative Commons-licensed content in Flickr is created by individuals rather than established organizations, it is important to consider the reliability of the source—especially for an academic endeavor. Some key questions to ask when evaluating reliability include: Did the photographer actually take the photo? In a perfect world, before applying a Creative Commons license to an image uploaded to Flickr, individuals should first consider whether they own the copyright for the image. Some may not. If they do not own the copyright, then they cannot legally license the image through the Creative Commons. Obviously questionable cases, like the Marilyn Monroe photo shown below that was supposedly taken in 2009, should be avoided. Using Flickr Images in Your Instructional Content - DE Oracle Another common questionable scenario is when an individual uploads scans from family photo albums to Flickr. These photos may be years old, taken by various family members who may not even be aware their photos now bear a Creative Commons license. When a user uploads a digital photo to Flickr, Flickr also includes information about the camera that took the picture. This information, known as Exif data, increases the likelihood that the person uploading the photo actually took it. Here is an example Exif data page from the Flickr site: Using Flickr Images in Your Instructional Content - DE Oracle You can view a photo's Exif data by selecting a link on the photo's Web page. In the example provided above, you can see that Exif data provides the camera name, the date and time the photo was taken, the shutter speed, the focal length, and more. Note that Flickr does not display Exif data for scanned images. It is worth noting that Flickr currently asks photographers to select a default copyright notice to be applied to each photo that is uploaded. It is quite easy for a photographer to upload a batch of photos that should not have a Creative Commons license (if that is the photographer's default) and then forget to change the license. In the future, if Flickr will require photographers to choose a license per upload session or per uploaded photo, this may no longer be a potential issue. Who is the photographer? Most photo-sharing sites, including Flickr, have a photographer profile section. This area will often display a photographer's real name (as opposed to his or her site ID), Web site, geographic location, and other basic information. Usually, profile pages also allow photographers to make a brief statement. If the profile page is blank, you may want to consider finding a photo from another source. Has anyone else used this photo or other photos by the photographer? Many photographers like to talk about where their photos have been used. Usually, photographers will note usage in the comments section of the photo's Web page. Documenting Your Use Once you have selected a photo from Flickr, it is good practice to print out the information related to it. At a minimum, you will want to retain: Using Flickr Images in Your Instructional Content - DE Oracle Contact Site Manager Created and Maintained by the Center for Support of Instruction © University of Maryland University College Powered by ArticleMS from ArticleTrader.com The photo The photographer's name The Creative Commons licensing icons The date the image was retrieved As a courtesy, you may want to let the photographers know how much you enjoy their work. Describe how you will be using their images and thank them for their generosity. If a photographer should object to your use, this also gives you the opportunity to find a new (better) photo. Conclusion Flickr provides millions of photos that can help enrich your classroom and help drive home certain points that you want your students to understand and remember. Using Flickr's Advanced Search capabilities, you can quickly and easily find the right photos whose licensing conditions fit your needs and that come from reliable providers. Related Resources Using Flickr to Find and Download Photos with a Creative Commons License About the Author(s) Prior to joining CSI, Sharon was a full-time instructor for the Dallas County Community College District where she taught face-to-face and online web design/multimedia classes focusing on cutting-edge technologies like video podcasting, Flash, and Second Life. Sharon earned an Innovator of the Year Award for her service on the Teaching and Learning Team, a committee charged with bringing innovation into the campus classrooms. In addition to teaching, Sharon also served as a faculty trainer and mentor. In this role she helped fellow faculty design new online and face-to-face courses, fine-tune existing courses, and master course development software. Sharon has a BS in History from Texas Woman's University, and an MS in Computer Education and Cognitive Systems from the University of North Texas. Rating: Not yet rated Comments No comments posted. You must be logged in and be a member of the UMUC community in order to comment. If you are a member of the UMUC community and do not have an account, please register for a FREE one. If you have a guest account but are Faculty/Staff of UMUC please send an email to the DE Oracle Site Manager (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Please Update my DE Oracle Guest Account) so that your guest account can be updated. Using Flickr Images in Your Instructional Content - DE Oracl

UMUC Highlights from the Maryland Distance Learning Association (MDLA) Spring 2010 Conference - DE Oracle

Author: Roberts Ivy
Publication venue: University of Maryland University College
Publication date: 2010
Field of study

DE Oracle @ UMUC An Online Learning Magazine for UMUC Faculty Center for Support of Instruction UMUC Highlights from the Maryland Distance Learning Association (MDLA) Spring 2010 Conference Ivy Roberts Instructional Support Specialist Center for Support of Instruction Published: May-June 2010 Category: » University-showcase » Conference-presentations This year's theme for the Maryland Distance Learning Association's (MDLA) annual spring conference was "Meeting the Challenge: Guiding the Next Decade of Digital Learners." UMUC was well represented by its faculty and staff, and many of them presented sessions on topics ranging from the use of technology in the online classroom to the challenges of communication in distance education. Two UMUC staff members also received awards at the conference, as noted below. Award Winners Alana Fennie, Instructional Designer from Course Development, won the Instructional Designer of the Year award for her creativity, skill, and ability to meet client and student needs through her exemplary design and development work. Richard Schumaker, Manager of Worldwide Training in the Center for Teaching and Learning, received the Special MDLA Service Recognition for his outstanding service to MDLA as president and president-elect between spring 2008 and March 2010. Presenters Lisa Bernstein, Collegiate Faculty in SUS, presented Bringing Language Learning to Life through the Evolving Web, explaining that today's faculty need to provide content and context to language learning that is relevant to students' lives and contemporary society instead of rote memorization, artificial situations, and outdated content. She demonstrated how media in the target language—including television, radio, and Web sites—can provide students with authentic experiences in foreign culture, current events, news, and art—all of which help make learning a new language interesting, fun, and meaningful to the student. Irena Bojanova, Telecommunications Management Program Director, and Rana Khan, Biotechnology Studies Program Director, co-presented Acquiring Professional Science Master's (PSM) Designation for Online Degree Programs. PSM is an innovative graduate degree designed to allow students to pursue advanced training in science and mathematics while simultaneously developing workplace skills. Irena and Rana explained the procedures and challenges of implementing PSM components into the Biotechnology and Telecommunications Management programs along with lessons learned and future plans. Les Pang, Database Systems Technologies Program Director, and Irena Bojanova, Telecommunications Management Program Director, explained in Web 2.0, Web 3.0, and Cloud Computing Learning Tools for the Next Decade how utilizing WWW technologies can enhance course objectives. They shared a Virtual Learning Tour (VLT) that was provided to Information Technology Systems graduate students in fall 2009. The VLT introduced students to Twitter, Second Life, and Google Docs; supported the learning objectives of two Information Technology core courses; and UMUC Highlights from the Maryland Distance Learning Association (MDLA) Spring 2010 Conference - DE Oracle identified optimal teaching strategies when using these technologies. CSI Senior Instructional Support Specialists Heloisa Siffert and Deb Schroeder, along with Rana Khan, Biotechnology Studies Program Director, offered perspectives on mentoring programs in their presentation Offering a Novel Online Mentoring program to Enhance Student Experience. They detailed the online community within UMUC's Professional Science Master's (PSM) Biotechnology program, which provides a custom open-source learning management system for mentoring interaction and pairs new students entering the program with industry professionals who serve as mentors. Heloisa, Deb, and Rana discussed the mentoring program development process, challenges and solutions, sustainability and adaptability of the program, and the program's potential impact on student retention and performance. Jay Liebowitz, Orkand Endowed Chair in Management and Technology, tied knowledge management (KM) to e-learning as complementary approaches in his presentation Towards Building Strategic Intelligence: Knowledge Management and E-Learning, using UMUC's long history and leadership in distance and online education to demonstrate some of the leading work being done in e-learning. In this presentation, Jay explained how KM and e-learning are synergistic and highlighted some of the emerging work being accomplished in the field. Mark Parker, Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Professional Writing, SUS, reviewed the results of a mixed-methods study of UMUC undergraduates who speak English as a second or foreign language and who have taken at least some courses fully online in his presentation Non-Native Speakers of English in Fully Online Courses: Benefits & Challenges of Asynchronous, Text-Based Communication. The results of the study suggest that such students, who may face both linguistic and cultural challenges in the traditional face-to-face classroom, possibly prefer and benefit from asynchronous, largely text-based online courses. Stella Porto, Director of the Master of Distance Education (MDE) program, discussed how social software can be used creatively to support students and shared lessons learned from using social software in the MDE program in her presentation Learner Support through Social Software: A Graduate Experience. She discussed various learner support services that go beyond the virtual classroom and addressed the non-standard ways in which learner support for online programs needs to be conceived, planned, and managed. Stella demonstrated how social software can help address numerous challenges, such as providing students with access to an immediate support system, creating a continuous interconnectivity beyond the instructional environment, extending alumni relationships with the institution, and providing opportunities for lifelong learning. Everybody Wave Now! Intro to Google Wave was presented by CSI Instructional Support Specialists Linda Smelser, Laddie Odom, and Floyd Csir, along with Instructional Designer Andrew Rein from Course Development. They discussed how this experimental Web 2.0 tool—mash up of e-mail, instant messaging, and documents with both synchronous and asynchronous collaboration.—has the potential for changing online communication, instruction, and learning. They demonstrated some features of Google Wave, including polling and quizzing gadgets, games, maps, and searches, and discussed how they can be integrated into the online classroom. SUS Academic Directors Darlene Smucny (Social Sciences) and Katherine Humber (Gerontology), along with Assistant Academic Director Cynthia Davis-Sbaschnig (Communication and Writing), presented Academic Advice for All Ages: Bridging Multigenerational Gaps in the Online Classroom, in which they explained that our classrooms of "nontraditional" students also now consist of multigenerational learners. They provided practical tips and strategies for effectively managing the multigenerational online classroom, welcoming and engaging students across generations, and enhancing communication within the classroom. They also discussed how to adapt and apply successful multigenerational workplace practices to higher education to help engage learners of all ages. Participants were also encouraged to share their best practices for teaching multigenerational learners UMUC Highlights from the Maryland Distance Learning Association (MDLA) Spring 2010 Conference - DE Oracle online. Kathy Warner, Assistant Dean of Social, Behavioral, Natural and Mathematical Sciences in SUS and Emily Medina, Assistant Director of Course Development, in association with Christina Sax, Shippensburg University, presented Lessons Learned from the Redesign of a High-Enrollment Course, in which they discussed their approach to redesigning general education biology survey and lab courses from two separate courses into a single combined course using, in part, the principles of the National Center for Academic Excellence. The redesign had several components, including scaffolding of the learning activities, enhancement of the pre-existing leaning objects, and replacement of kitchen labs with virtual labs. They discussed the issues associated with implementing the redesigned course, the impact of the redesign, and the application of this strategy to general online course development. Datta Kaur Khalsa, Director of Assessment for the Master of Education in Instructional Technology program, explained how multicultural e-learning teams exist as an intersection of technology, identity, culture, and community in her presentation Building an Online Teaching and Learning Community: Virtual Team Guidelines and Instructor Techniques. She shared and discussed a framework that included virtual teamwork guidelines and instructor plans and techniques.to help online educators become more efficient in facilitating and supporting diverse student populations. Datta also hosted a showcase roundtable entitled Building an Online Teaching and Learning Community: Matching Free Technology to the Objectives and Techniques, in which she led a discussion on how to take student learning beyond interaction, create valuable virtual teamwork, build social learning communities, and develop collaborative documents and projects. Gretchen Jones, Director of Asian Studies, Hsiang-ting Wu, Collegiate Faculty, Chinese, and Alana Fennie, Instructional Designer, Course Development, presented The Online Foreign Language Class: At the Crossroads of Language Pedagogy and Course Design, in which they detailed the development of online language courses in Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic over the course of several years. They discussed the program vision, available resources, administrative successes and challenges, correspondence with adult learning principles, integration of audio and online activities with course modules, and evolution of the courses from the designer's perspective. Claudia Stier and Akane Shirata, Collegiate Faculty, Foreign Languages, and Gretchen Jones, Director of Asian Studies, demonstrated how computer-mediated communication (CMC) voice software is used in an online foreign language program for both synchronous and asynchronous communication in their presentation Contextualized Language Instruction in the Online Environment: Yes, We Can! They demonstrated the use of Wimba Voice Tools to enhance instructor-student and student-student interaction in Japanese in synchronous and asynchronous activities and discussed the pedagogical implications of using synchronous and a-synchronous CMC voice tools for proficiency-oriented instruction. Katherine Woodward, Program Director, Master of Education in Instructional Technology, and Barbara Schwartz-Bechet, Program Director, Master of Arts in Teaching, presented No Boundaries Online? How to Respond to Culturally Inappropriate and Controversial Online Conversations, in which they discussed strategies for online, Web-enhanced, and hybrid classrooms to transform potentially problematic comments from students into effective teaching opportunities. They opened discussion so that the audience could provide additional strategies and responses to presenter-provided scenarios. To view the presentations listed in this article, go to the MDLA Forum at http://www-apps. umuc.edu/mdla_forums/index.php (http://www-apps.umuc.edu/mdla_forums/index.php) . Click on the presentation of your choice, and you will be directed to create an MDLA account to view the presentation. About MDLA: The Maryland Distance Learning Association (MDLA) is a chapter of the United States Distance Learning Association with a mission to promote education, training and research for distance UMUC Highlights from the Maryland Distance Learning Association (MDLA) Spring 2010 Conference - DE Oracle Contact Site Manager Created and Maintained by the Center for Support of Instruction © University of Maryland University College Powered by ArticleMS from ArticleTrader.com learning. For more information, please visit the MDLA Web site at http://www.marylanddla.org (http://www.marylanddla.org) . About the Author(s) Ivy joined the Center for Support of Instruction in February 2010. She has a background in media instruction, multimedia development, and video production. Prior to UMUC, Ivy worked as a media instructor teaching video and multimedia production to at-risk teens. She holds a bachelor's degree in Film/Video Production & Cultural History from Marlboro College and a master's degree in Media Studies & Cultural Studies from Antioch University. As a committed lifelong learner, Ivy is studying for her PhD in Communications at the European Graduate School. Her professional interests include Web 2.0 technologies, video production, and interactive media. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her dog, hiking, singing, film, and cooking. Rating: Not yet rated Comments No comments posted. You must be logged in and be a member of the UMUC community in order to comment. If you are a member of the UMUC community and do not have an account, please register for a FREE one. If you have a guest account but are Faculty/Staff of UMUC please send an email to the DE Oracle Site Manager (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Please Update my DE Oracle Guest Account) so that your guest account can be updated. UMUC Highlights from the Maryland Distance Learning Association (MDLA) Spring 2010 Conference - DE Oracl

Mind Maps_ Visual Tools for Teaching and Learning - December 8, 2010_combined - DE Oracle

Author: CSI Staff
Publication venue: University of Maryland University College
Publication date: 2010
Field of study

DE Oracle @ UMUC An Online Learning Magazine for UMUC Faculty Center for Support of Instruction Mind Maps: Visual Tools for Teaching and Learning - December 8, 2010 CSI Staff Staff Writer Center for Support of Instruction Published: November-December 2010 Category: » De-oracle-live » Archived-webinars Floyd Csir, Instructional Support Specialist in UMUC’s Center of Support of Instruction, hosted a DE Oracle Live webminar on Mind Mapping. He discussed the usefulness of mind maps and demonstrated how free mind map software can be used in online classrooms. Mind maps, according to Floyd, can assist with understanding concepts by offering a visual method of organizing and displaying information, providing context in either a general or specific manner. Archived Recording: Launcher Link: http://umuc.wimba.com/launcher.cgi?room=deoracle_2010_1208_1107_22 (http://umuc.wimba.com/launcher.cgi?room=deoracle_2010_1208_1107_22) Wizard Link: http://67.202.210.31/wizard/launcher.cgi?wc=wms (http://67.202.210.31/wizard/launcher.cgi?wc=wms) Slide Presentation: Printable Version: PDF Creating a Simple Mind Map Using bubbl.us Mind Maps: Visual Tools for Teaching and Learning - December 8, 2010 - DE Oracle Resources: Resources Learning Tools Directory by Jane Hart (http://c4lpt.co.uk/Directory/Tools/collaboration.html) http://c4lpt.co.uk/Directory/Tools/collaboration.html Maximise the Power of Your Brain - Tony Buzan MIND MAPPING (http://www.youtube.com /watch?v=MlabrWv25qQ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlabrWv25qQ Csir, F. (2010). Mind Maps: Visual Tools for Teaching and Learning. DE Oracle @ UMUC. Adelphi, MD. Retrieved from http://deoracle.org/online-pedagogy/teaching-tools/mind-maps-visual-tools-for-the-online- classroom.html Free Mind Mapping Tools Mindomo (http://mindomo.com/index.htm) * - Offers private and public mind maps, allows importing of audio and images, has moveable map features with space for notes and links. Bubbl.us (http://bubbl.us/) - Visually appealing, easy to use, and not constrained by preset hierarchies. MindMeister (http://www.mindmeister.com/) * - Offers preset icons and the option of making public mind maps, and offers collaboration via Skype videoconferencing. Mind42 (http://www.mind42.com/) - Offers preset icons and the option of creating public mind maps, has a minimalist design, offers collaboration via Skype videoconferencing, and is geared towards hierarchies. WiseMapping (http://www.wisemapping.com/c/home.htm) - Geared towards hierarchies, allows words to be dragged and dropped to change their position within a hierarchy, and offers tagging of mind maps. References Adesope, O. & Nesbit, J. (2009). Learning with collaborative concept maps: A Meta-Analysis. In T. Bastiaens et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2009 (pp. 2082-2091). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/32771. Coutinho, C. (2009). Individual versus collaborative computer-supported concept mapping: A study Mind Maps: Visual Tools for Teaching and Learning - December 8, 2010 - DE Oracle with adult learners. In T. Bastiaens et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2009 (pp. 1173-1180). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/32613. Lanzing, J. (1997). The Concept Map Homepage. Web page. Retrieved from http://users.edte.utwente.nl/lanzing/cm_home.htm. Novak, J. D., & Cañas, A. J. (2008, January). The Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How to Construct and Use Them. In Institute for Human and Machine Cognition . Retrieved from http://cmap.ihmc.us/Publications/ResearchPapers/TheoryCmaps/TheoryUnderlyingConceptMaps.htm Novak, J. D., & Gowin, D. B. (1984). Learning how to learn. New York: Cambridge University Press. Images used in the PowerPoint Presentation Slide 2: The Middle Of Nowhere by Trancemist (http://www.flickr.com/photos/trancemist/2289150337/) http://www.flickr.com/photos/trancemist/2289150337/ Slide 4: Playful Subsumption by Steve Jurvetson (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/96972777/) http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/96972777/ Slide 5: XP Game by Improve It (http://www.flickr.com/photos/improveit/521464437/in/photostream/) http://www.flickr.com/photos/improveit/521464437/in/photostream/ Slide 6: HK EPD / McMaster Institute Green Lifestyle Brainstorming_0493 by \!/_PeacePlusOne (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dragonpreneur/2330115543/) http://www.flickr.com/photos/dragonpreneur/2330115543/ Slide 7: fun with color coding by Shira Golding (http://www.flickr.com/photos/boojee/3150530663/) http://www.flickr.com/photos/boojee/3150530663/ Slide 8: Playful Subsumption by Tim Regan (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/96972777/) http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/96972777/ Slide 9: World biggest mind map? by saar* (http://www.flickr.com/photos/saar_cmd/2100719794/) http://www.flickr.com/photos/saar_cmd/2100719794/ Slide 10: The Art and Design Mind Map by Ian Gowdie (http://www.mindmapart.com/art-and-design-mind- map-ian-gowdie/) http://www.mindmapart.com/art-and-design-mind-map-ian-gowdie/ Slide 11: Digital Scholarship Barriers by openpad (http://www.flickr.com/photos/openpad/3987068856/) http://www.flickr.com/photos/openpad/3987068856/ Slide 13: Web 2.0 Tools by Linda Smelser (http://www.mindomo.com /view.htm?m=20f48ec84343418ea1985906d65c5051) http://www.mindomo.com/view.htm?m=20f48ec84343418ea1985906d65c5051 Slide 20: Free School Child Coloring With Green Pencil by D Sharon Pruitt (http://www.flickr.com /photos/pinksherbet/3388098244/) http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/3388098244/ Slide 24: mindmappedia-mind-map-encyclopedia by jean-louis Zimmermann (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeanlouis_zimmermann/3042335648/) http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeanlouis_zimmermann/3042335648/ Slide 26: Brainstormer2 by Jeff Lowe (http://www.flickr.com/photos/29198480@N03/2955700240 Mind Maps: Visual Tools for Teaching and Learning - December 8, 2010 - DE Oracle Contact Site Manager Created and Maintained by the Center for Support of Instruction © University of Maryland University College Powered by ArticleMS from ArticleTrader.com /in/photostream/) http://www.flickr.com/photos/29198480@N03/2955700240/in/photostream/ Slide 27: Tinker Toy Sculpture by Beau B (http://www.flickr.com/photos/beaub/5173268680/) http://www.flickr.com/photos/beaub/5173268680/ NOTE: Images with no citation were created by Floyd Csir Rating: Not yet rated Comments No comments posted. You must be logged in and be a member of the UMUC community in order to comment. If you are a member of the UMUC community and do not have an account, please register for a FREE one. If you have a guest account but are Faculty/Staff of UMUC please send an email to the DE Oracle Site Manager (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Please Update my DE Oracle Guest Account) so that your guest account can be updated. Mind Maps: Visual Tools for Teaching and Learning - December 8, 2010 - DE Oracle Mind Maps: Visual Tools for Teaching and Learning PPT and References: http://bit.ly/fGapnP Floyd Csir Instructional Support Specialist Center for Support of Instruction, UMUC http://www.flickr.com/photos/trancemist/2289150337/ by TranceMist by Floyd Csir http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/96972777/ by Steve Jurvetson http://www.flickr.com/photos/improveit/521464437 by Improve It http://www.flickr.com/photos/dragonpreneur/2330115543/ by \!/_PeacePlusOne http://www.flickr.com/photos/boojee/3150530663/ by Shira Golding http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/96972777/ by Tim Regan http://www.flickr.com/photos/saar_cmd/2100719794/ by saar* http://www.mindmapart.com/art-and-design-mind-map-ian-gowdie/ by Ian Gowdie http://www.flickr.com/photos/openpad/3987068856/ by openpad http://www.mindomo.com/view.htm?m=20f48ec84343418ea1985906d65c5051 by Linda Smelser How to make a mind map (screen capture video) bubbl.us mindomo mindmeister wisemapping mind42 Assignments • Weekly Mind Map • Collaborative Concept Connector • Research Organizer http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/3388098244/ by D Sharon Pruitt Weekly Mind Map 1. Instructor gives criteria and topics (and choices if applicable) about their understanding of weekly readings. 2. Students create mind maps. 3. Assessment is done on critical thinking and instructor’s criteria. Collaborative Concept Connector 1. Instructor tells small groups of students to create mind maps based on related but different topics. 2. After all students have submitted their mind maps, have them make connections to each other's ideas. 3. Are there any common elements? What is different? Research Organizer 1. Instructor tells individual students to develop mind maps for a particular topic. 2. Students use main keywords found in article abstracts (found in library databases) to locate five subtopics. 3. Students provide persistent URLs for at least five articles and insert these links in the mind map. 4. Students export the mind map as a JPG image and submit it to the designated area of the classroom. http://www.mindmappedia.com/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeanlouis_zimmermann/3042335648/ by jean-louis Zimmermann http://www.flickr.com/photos/29198480@N03/2955700240/in/photostream/ by Jeff Lowe Thank you for your time! PowerPoint and References: http://bit.ly/fGapnP http://www.flickr.com/photos/beaub/5173268680/ by Beau

E-mentoring research: One year later

Author: Khan Rana
Publication venue: University of Maryland University College (UMUC)
Publication date: 21/10/2010
Field of study

Dr. Khan gave an overview of the mentoring program at UMUC and discussed the results of a program evaluation done in Spring 2010. She included testimonials from participants and outlined challenges and future plans.E-Mentoring Research: One Year Later Rana Khan Arhonda GogosAgenda Mentoring program at UMUC Overview Sustainability Process Web-based components Evaluation of the program Program Growth and Results Testimonials Challenges and Future PlansTo achieve the goal of bridging the gap between the industry and academia we developed a web-based mentoring program that runs parallel with the degree program Mentoring Program ModelFeatures of the Mentoring Model Provides industry guidance to the student from the onset of the program Embedded in the program Offered at graduate level Discipline Independent Utilizes Web-based technologies that enable easy access and participation, provide flexibility and easier management of resourcesKey Participants Mentees Biotech students Mentors Biotechnology Professionals Mentor Assistants (MA) Graduates of the program Mentor Assistants Lead (MAL) Graduate of the programSustainability of the Model STUDENTS MENTORS Professional Mentoring Program GRADUATES MENTOR ASSISTANTS INDUSTRYMentoring Process 1. Students in degree program (within 18 credit hours) 2. Apply and are selected for the mentoring program 3. Assigned a mentor 4. Complete a Professional Action Plan (PAP) 5. Advised by the mentor with assistance from a mentor assistantMA/MAL Roles and Responsibilities Mentor recruitment Student selection Application screening Interview Mentor and Mentee Orientation Reminders and Updates-encouragement Conflict Resolution Assessment collection Web-based Components Application Forms http://psmmentoring.umuc.edu Professional Action Plan http://psmmentoring.umuc.edu/forms/assessment/assessment_paplan.php Assessment Forms http://psmmentoring.umuc.edu/forms/assessment/assessment_student_FirstSem.phpEvaluation 1. Program Growth 2. Comparison between mentees and non participants: – Semester GPAs – Course completion (courses taken vs. successfully completed) – Capstone project performance – Time to degree completion 3. Within the group of mentees, look for trends across: – Specializations – Demographics 4. Semester Assessment Forms for mentors, mentees and MAs – Satisfaction with their interactions – Suggestions for improvement – Recommendations on curriculum changes 5. Follow mentees’ careers after graduationProgram Growth appliedaccepted020406080100302021193219Student participationFall 10Spring 10Fall 09Program Growth Fall 09Spring 10Fall 1001020304050193144Program participantsProgram Growth Fall 09Spring 10Fall 1001020304050191510161519Students per semesterjoined in Fall 10joined in Spring 10joined in Fall 09Fall 09Spring 10Fall 1001020304050191617151314Mentors per semesterjoined in Fall 10joined in Spring 10joined in Fall 09Program Growth Fall 09 Spring 10Fall 1001020304050193144156Participation of UMUC Biotech Alumni as Mentors# of mentors # of alumniSelf employedPrivate sectorAcademiaGovernment05101520253035Mentor Affiliation# of mentors (N=44) Fall 2010: Participant ProfileFall 2010: Participant Profile Biotech ManagementBioinformaticsBiodefense05101520253035Specialization# of mentees (n=44)# of mentors (n=44)MaleFemale051015202530Gender# of mentees (n=44)# of mentors (n=44)Data for Spring 2010 participants Grade distribution for participants vs. non‐participants ABCPFFNWI0.010.020.030.040.050.0Grade distribution: % classes per grade for Spring 10 For participants (n=61)For non-participants (n=405)grade% classes Participants 3.62 (n=26) Non-participants 3.18 (n=181) Average semester GPA: Significant difference according to t‐test (confidence level 96.5%) 31 pairs of mentors‐mentees completed the Spring 2010 semester. a. My mentor is spending sufficient time with me. b. My mentor is accessible. c. My mentor is supportive and encouraging. d. My mentor answers my questions satisfactorily.e. My mentor demonstrates content expertise in my field of interest. f. My mentor broadened my view of the biotechnology field.g. My mentor is helping me set short-term goals and work through them. h. My mentor is helping me develop a long-term plan.i. My mentor facilitates networking opportunities in my field of interest. 0510152025Strongly AgreeAgreeSlightly AgreeSlightly DisagreeDisagreeStrongly Disagree# of mentees (n=25) Mentees’ Program Assessment –Spring 2010Mentors’ Program Assessment –Spring 2010 a. The time spent with my mentee is sufficient. b. My mentee is eager to learn and utilize the career guidance I provide. c. My mentee demonstrates a better understanding of the biotechnology field. d. With my assistance, my mentee set short-term goals and is working through them. e. With my assistance, my mentee developed a long-term plan. f. My mentee has improved his/her academic performance.g. I provided resources or suggestions on what my mentee needs to study. h. I challenged my mentee to extend his/her abilities. i. My mentee has begun taking advantage of networking opportunities. j. I was personally challenged to extend my professional knowledge. k. I would encourage a colleague to join the mentoring program at UMUC as a mentor. 02468101214161820Strongly AgreeAgreeSlightly AgreeSlightly DisagreeDisagreeStrongly Disagree# of mentors (N=20)a. The time spent with the mentees in my charge is sufficient. b. The time spent with the mentors in my charge is sufficient.c. I provided resources and suggestions to my mentees on how they could interact with their mentors.d. I provided assistance to the mentors on how to develop their relationship with their mentee.e. I encouraged my pairs to have regular meetings. f. The mentees in my charge have good communication with their mentors and vice versa.g. The mentees in my charge are benefiting from the mentoring relationship.h. I would encourage a colleague to join the mentoring program as a mentor assistant. i. I would encourage a colleague to join the mentoring program as a mentor. j. I would highly recommend all the mentors I work with for future students.012345# of MAs (n=5) MAs’ Program Assessment –Spring 2010Participants’ program rating in Spring 2010Suggestions –Spring 2010 • Provide guidelines or helpful suggestions as to what the mentees should be learning/accomplishing.(Mentee) • Have webcasts about the mentors: how they got into the industry, their background and current projects.(Mentee) • Facilitate interaction with other mentors/mentees.(Both) • Better pairings: improve questionnaires for mentors/mentees; involve mentors/mentees in the process. (Both)Implemented changes for Fall 2010 • Reassignment of 10 students to mentors with more similar interests. • Created a “10 Useful Tips “ document • Due dates for submitting PAPs • Prepping by MAs on mentoring program and job search using LinkedIn Mentor-Mentee Testimonials • Add links to the Wimbasession Mentor http://umuc.wimba.com/launcher.cgi?room=rkhan2_01_2010_0914_1230_05 1. Why did you want to be part of the mentoring program? 2. Has it met your expectations thus far? 3. Do you think that the mentor and mentee backgrounds have to be a close fit for a mentoring relationship to work? 4. How often do you and your mentee "meet" with each other and what are the topics that you typically discuss? 5. How has the mentoring relationship evolved over the past few months? 6. Would you consider your relationship with your mentee a successful one? 7. If you were to make suggestions to new mentors on how to get the most out of a mentoring relationship, what will they be? 8. If you were to make suggestions to new mentees on how to get the most out of a mentoring relationship, what will they be? Mentor-Mentee Testimonials Mentee http://umuc.wimba.com/launcher.cgi?room=rkhan2_01_2010_0927_1007_32 http://umuc.wimba.com/launcher.cgi?room=rkhan2_01_2010_0930_1224_21 1. Why did you want to be part of the mentoring program? 2. Has it met your expectations thus far? 3. Do you think that the mentor and mentee backgrounds have to be a close fit for a mentoring relationship to work? 4. How often do you and your mentee "meet" with each other and what are the topics that you typically discuss? 5. How has the mentoring relationship evolved over the past few months? 6. Would you consider your relationship with your mentee a successful one? 7. If you were to make suggestions to new mentors on how to get the most out of a mentoring relationship, what will they be? 8. If you were to make suggestions to new mentees on how to get the most out of a mentoring relationship, what will they be? Challenges and Future Plans Challenges • Recruiting more mentors (alumni) and students • Reducing drop rate Future Plans • Ensuring a consistent level of interaction between the mentor and student • Dissemination and Expansion to other programsComment from a new mentee An email message from a new student who was selected this semester IjustwantedtosendaquickmessagetoletyouknowthatmymentorandIemailed4timesyesterdayandarrangedatimetotalktoday.Wetalkedonthephoneat9:30ESTforabout40minutesorso.Youwereright.Kimisaveryniceperson,alsoveryprofessionalandefficient.Shegavemesomegreatideas(andsomehomeworktodo)beforeournextdiscussion,whichweagreedwouldbetowardtheendofthemonth.Sheisverysmart.Shehasanimpressivebackground.Shewasabletodoquiteabitofsortingthingsoutinjust40minutesorso.Ididn’tfindouteverythingaboutwhatshedoesinhercurrentjob,butforsure,sheisaverypro-activeperson.Shefocusedmostlyonwhatmygoalsare(orwillbe,sinceIhaven’tfigureditoutformyselfyet).IthinkthatshewillhelpmeoutquiteabitandIbelievesheisareallygoodmatchforme.Ilikeherwayofthinking.Shehasaverypositiveattitudetowardslifeingeneral,andwork.Comments from two continuing mentees Adam Jennings to his MA about his mentor, Jonathan Jacobs JonathanandIaregettingalonggreat.Myenthusiasmmadehimlookforajobdoingmorebioinformaticsworkandlessbenchwork.Lastmonth,hewasexcitedtotellmeabouthistransition.Ithasbeengreat.Welikealotofthesamethingsandhetellsmethatheseesmeasayoungerversionofhimself. Sandra Lail to Rana Khan about her mentor, Fredric Abramson Thankyouforpostingthegreatsuggestions.IknowPSMisagreatprogramanditwillbecomeevenbetterinyearstocome.Ikeptintouchwithmymentorduringthesummer.Dr.Abramsonprovidedsomegreattips,includingsharinghisresumewithme.IhadafewjoboffersintheBioinformaticsfield,but,thetimingwasnotrightduetofamilyobligations.However,theoffershavegivenmeconfidencetopersevereinmycareer.Acknowledgements Deb SchroederRanee Rotter Yulia NemchinovaSarah Pick Garth GersteinAparna Gurugunti Heloisa SiffertCharles Bestor Syra Sikandar Contact [email protected] Questions

Google Scholar vs. Academic Search Premier: What libraries and searchers need to know

Author: Hsieh-Yee Ingrid; Coogan, John
Publication venue: Bridging the Spectrum Symposium, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC
Publication date: 29/01/2010
Field of study

Project objective: Compare how Google Scholar and Academic Search Premier stack up as research tools.Google Scholar vs. Academic Search Premier: What Libraries and Searchers Need to Know Ingrid Hsieh-Yee, ProfessorThe Catholic University of [email protected] John Coogan, Systems LibrarianUniversity of Maryland University College [email protected] Bridging the Spectrum SymposiumCatholic University of America January 29, 2010BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGYProject Purpose: How do these research tools stack up? Google Scholar (GS):Indexes “peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts and articles, from academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories, universities and other scholarly organizations.”(About Google Scholar) Academic Search Premier (ASP):“contains indexing and abstracts for over 8,450 journals, with full text for more than 4,650 of those titles. PDF backfiles to 1975 or further are available for well over one hundred journals, and searchable cited references are provided for more than 1,000 titles.”Includes “full text for more than 3,700 peer-reviewed titles”.(Ebsco Publishing)Methodology: Search Topics Topics in science and technology 1) What are the causes and treatment options for plantar fasciitis? 2) Is brain development in children a good indication of their intelligence? 3) How is hurricane intensity or strength related to global warming? 4) What do we know about the language development of internationally adopted children?Methodology: Data Collection and Analysis Two searchers:Searching the four topics in GS and ASP in 2008 and 2009 Search terms:Combined by “AND” for all searches Date limit:Since 2004 Top 10 items:Top10 items of each search set are examined for relevance, full text availability, full text effort, currency, and overlap. Basic Searches ASP basic searches conducted in six modes: All items: 1) MT:Metadata search -default search mode 2) FT:Metadata+full text search 3) SMT:Smart Text Search Academic Journals only for scholarly publications: 4) MT/AJ:Metadata search -default search mode 5) FT/AJ:Metadata+full text search (most comparable to GS in database scope and retrieval) 6) SMT/AJ:Smart Text Search GS basic searches conducted in default search modeAdvanced Searches ASP advanced searches conducted in three modes: Adv1) SU:all terms in subject field Adv2) SU+MT:one term in subject and the rest in metadata Adv3) SU+MT+FT+RT:one term in subject and the rest in metadata, plus full text and related terms GS advanced searches qualified by specifying subject categoriesRESULTSBASIC SEARCHESR=Relevant MR=Marginally Relevant NR=Not RelevantBest Relevant Results:ASP MT(77% R) Worst Relevant Results:GS(51% R, plus most NR, most MR)Most FT Availability:ASP FT AJ(85%) Second best:ASP MT(70%) Least in FT Availability:GS, ASP SMT AJ(64%)Least effort needed:ASP FT AJ(1.2 clicks) Most effort needed: GS(3.3 clicks)Percentage of one-click full text items: Highest: ASP FT AJ(91%) Lowest:GS(55%) 2004-05:ASP MT(61%) 2006-07:GS(50%) 2008-08:ASP FT AJ(21%), although neither system retrieves manyTop 10 Overlap: ASP Searches:Up to 26% overlap with GS top 10 System Overlap: ASP top 10:Up to 91% indexed by GS GS top 10:71% indexed by ASPADVANCED SEARCHESASP Advanced vs. ASP Basic (MT): ASP Basic (MT) performed better than ASP Advanced. ASP Advanced vs. GS Basic: ASP Advancedperforms better. GS Basic has least R, most MR, and very high NR Best ASP Advanced mode:All keywords searched in the SU fieldGS Advanced vs. GS Basic: GS Basicretrieves more R GS Advanced vs. ASP Basic (MT): ASP Basic (MT)retrieves much more R and fewer MR and NRASP Advanced vs. GS Advanced: ASPoutperforms GS, with more R and fewer MRCONCLUSIONSWhat Searchers and Librarians Need to Know (1) ASP outperforms GS in terms of: Higher Relevance (especially in metadata-only searches) More FT availability and easier access to FT More effective advanced searching GS outperforms ASP in terms of: “Newer” items (slight advantage when limiting by date) GS retrieves more items, plus more ASP items are indexed by GS than the other way around. Covers some types of materials not readily found in library databases (books, grey literature, materials in institutional repositories) Top 10 results: Similar searches in ASP and GS produce very different top 10 results. What Searchers and Librarians Need to Know (2) Recommendations: ASP is a good primary tool, GS is a good supplement. Searchers may want to use both systems to have the best of both worlds.Recommendations for Libraries (1) Integrate GS into library services Library Web sites –include GS in subject guides, add a GS search box, etc. (York) “Library Links” program –add your link resolver to GS results so patrons can connect seemlessly to your online subscriptions. “Library Search” –participate in Open WorldCat so that GS book results will retrieve your catalog holdings. Include GS in your proxy server, for remote access. Information literacy Help users understand the research process and not “just the mechanics of searching databases” (Arendt). Promote GS as a good supplementto other resources, and help them understand when to use GS and when to use databases such as ASP. Recommendations for Libraries (2) Partner with GS To “lend our insight and expertise to its development” (Donlan & Cooke) To “ensure that the Scholar engine is crawling institutional repositories and Open Access directories.” (York) Lobby publishers To “include subscription content in Google Scholar’s index.” (York) Make authentication easier Bring Shibboleth “to bear to break down the cumbersome walls of IP authentication…so that users can anonymously carry their access credentials with them.” (York) Adopt an open attitude Expand “ways for users to take the library with them” when they go to GS, rather than maintaining a “defensive” and negative posture toward GS. (York)QUESTIONS?References Arendt, J. (2008). Imperfect tools: Google Scholar vs. traditional commercial library databases. Against the Grain, 20(2), 26-28. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com Donlan, R. & Cooke, R. (2005). Running with the Devil: Accessing library-licensed full text holdings through Google Scholar. Internet Reference Services Quarterly, 10(3/4), 149-57. Google Scholar. Support for libraries. Retrieved January 27, 2010 from http://scholar.google.com/intl/en/scholar/libraries.html York, M. C. (2005). Calling the scholars home: Google Scholar as a tool for rediscovering the academic library. Internet Reference Services Quarterly, 10(3/4), 117-33. Thank you

Taking electronic resources management to distance: Providing effective worldwide access

Author: England Lenore; Fu, Li; Coogan, John; Hackett, Luella
Publication venue: Catholic University of America SLIS 2010 Symposium
Publication date: 20/01/2010
Field of study

University of Maryland University College (UMUC) is a comprehensive virtual university, focusing on the unique educational and professional development needs of adult learners and serving more than 90,000 students worldwide. The library at UMUC manages extensive electronic resources for students, faculty, and staff for a broad range of programs. A small staff handle multiple and complex functions of electronic resources management that larger departments at a traditional academic library would otherwise manage. As a result, streamlined processes have been developed that are detailed yet efficient, with cross functionality between the staff of the entire library. We are currently undergoing an extensive review of our work flow and developing an in-house electronic resource management (ERM) system that will make our efforts even more efficient by organizing a diverse set of resources and tools. This is in response to the ever changing landscape of managing electronic resources. Three main areas of electronic resources management have been established: Acquisitions, Operations, and Evaluation. There is a cyclical nature of the work in these main areas each fiscal year, although some processes are continuous throughout.Taking Electronic Resources Management to the Distance: Providing Effective Worldwide Access Lenore England, Digital Resources Librarian | Li Fu, Digital Services Librarian John Coogan, Systems Librarian | Luella Hackett, Program Management Specialist The Current Challenge: • Handling complex functions of electronic resources management at a large distance education university with a small number library staff. • Streamlining detailed processes and developing efficiencies. • Managing knowledge to enable cross functionality between staff members in the library and other units. The Next Step: • Undergoing an extensive review of our workflow. • Developing an in-house electronic resource management (ERM) system to organize a diverse set of resources and tools. Prototype, using Springshare: Bridging the Spectrum | The Catholic University of America | January 29, 2010 Acquisitions Negotiation Determine cost and access parameters Licensing Review and maintain agreements Procurement Process requisitions for payment Financial Payment follow- up and budget planning Operations Implementation Set up access to resources Maintenance Troubleshoot problems, implement upgrades Development Customize and improve access to resources Evaluation Process Evaluate and decide on resources Renew/Order Renew, add, upgrade resources Deselection Cancel resource

Online discussion conference grading rubric

Author: Wilke Clifford A.
Publication venue: University of Maryland University College (UMUC)
Publication date: 2010
Field of study

In the online classroom environment, the primary interaction and sharing of information and viewpoints between students is through the conference discussion. Students post responses to the topics of the respective week, and respond, interact and engage each other on the subject matter during the discussion week. At the end of the week, the student receives a grade from the instructor based on the grading rubric. As conference discussion is used by nearly every university program that has an online presence, I researched and compiled discussion grading rubrics from other accredited universities and colleges to find best practices and build a sample conference discussion rubric.The Online Discussion Conference Grading Rubric Presented By: Professor Clifford A Wilke UMUC – Spring Semester 2012 1. ABSTRACT: In the online classroom environment, the primary interaction and sharing of information and viewpoints between students is through the conference discussion. Students post responses to the topics of the respective week, and respond, interact and engage each other on the subject matter during the discussion week. At the end of the week, the student receives a grade from the instructor based on the grading rubric. As conference discussion is used by nearly every university program that has an online presence, I researched and compiled discussion grading rubrics from other accredited universities and colleges to find best practices and build a sample conference discussion rubric. 2: METHODOLOGY: My research methodology included locating and capturing discussion grading rubrics from over 20 accredited university programs that offer facets of learning online. I compiled the various grading attributes of each online conference grading matrix rubrics as detailed in Appendix I. After review of each respective conference rubric, I captured the attributes of each individual institution’s grading methodologies as detailed on Table I contained at the end of Appendix I. Based on the matrix, I built a sample discussion grading rubric based on best practices derived from research. Through this project, I was able to identify the qualities that are most effective for grading assignments in ways that appear fair to students, and links grading to the assignment objectives by comparing and contrasting rubrics from the surveyed accredited universities and colleges with online learning management systems (LMS) to get a wider perspective of the dimensions of correlating the online discussion to the grade that is awarded to the student. 3. FINDINGS I captured the key attributes of university grading methodologies and found the grading focused on the following major areas: Initial Discussion Posting Response to the Initial Posting Participation/ Interaction with classmates Quality of Communications/ Grammar Some institutions also included APA formatting and references, while some focused on maintaining the interaction between students should be less formal and more connected to professional practice and personal experience. Through this research, I was able to identify qualities that are most effective for grading assignments in ways that appear fair to students, and qualities that best link scoring to the assignment objectives by comparing and contrasting rubrics from several accredited universities and colleges with 1 online learning management systems (LMS) to get a wider perspective than just using two points of view. The range of grading scales ranged from the traditional 1-100 grading matrix to a 1-2 grading scale. Under the area of initial discussion postings, further grading attributes within this area included the initial postings responsiveness to the topic presented, the critical thinking and analysis of the initial posting, the uniqueness of the posting and new ideas presented, extending the conference discussion, organization of the initial posting, the quality of the posting and ideas presented, level of preparation, reflection and synthesis and conciseness of the initial posting and the initial postings correlation to the assigned class text readings. In the area of the student’s response to the initial posting, grading facets included the responses to classmate’s postings, the length of the response and the relevance of the response. In evaluating the level of participation and interaction with classmates, grading attributes included the level of participation, the number of postings and the timing of the postings through the discussion week. When evaluating the quality of communications and grammar, the grading attributes included the quality of the discussion writing and the student’s ability to articulate their postings and responses in a clear and concise manner. The grammatical quality and scholarly dialogue with classmates, and the quality of the interaction between students was a consistent grading perspective. Appendix I details over 20 conference grading rubric examples that were collected during the research period. Appendix II details a sample rubric that captures the best practices of the rubrics surveyed. 4. NEXT STEPS I plan to review the findings with my academic sponsor and provide additional feedback to link the conference grading rubric to assignment objectives. This will be followed with a conference call with selected UMUC peers that provided initial feedback and were engaged in the previous rubric discussion. In addition, I have reached out to present my findings at the upcoming UMUC conference and Faculty Research Poster Session/ShareFair. 5. SUMMARY I would like to thank the UMUC community for the opportunity to collect, evaluate and disseminate the research on the conference grading rubric. I plan on completing additional research in this area to improve the quality of the UMUC programs that will benefit future students in the UMUC programs. 2 The Online Discussion Conference Grading Rubric Appendix I Rubric Examples Presented By: Professor Clifford A Wilke CA Wilke University of Maryland University College Spring 2012 Discussion Rubric - Table of Contents Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion from UMUC – Pre 2012 Conference Rubric 3 Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion from UMUC – 2011 Conference Rubric 4 Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion from Boston University 7 Online Discussion Rubric from the University of Wisconsin – Stout 8 Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion – California State University- Long Beach 11 Online Discussion Grading Rubric from Boise State University 13 Sample Online Discussion Grading Rubric from Mercy College – New York 16 Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion – Middle Tennessee State – Example 1 18 Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion – Middle Tennessee State – Example 2 19 Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion – Middle Tennessee State – Example 3 20 Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion – Middle Tennessee State – Example 4 22 Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion – Middle Tennessee State – Example 5 23 Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion – Middle Tennessee State – Example 6 25 Worcester Polytechnic Institute Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion 1 26 Worcester Polytechnic Institute Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion 2 27 Worcester Polytechnic Institute Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion 3 28 Worcester Polytechnic Institute Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion 4 29 University of Missouri Basic Grading Rubric for Online Discussion 30 University of Missouri Detailed Grading Rubric for Online Discussion 31 University of Hartford Discussion Grading Rubric for Online Discussion 33 Virginia Commonwealth University Online Discussion Grading Rubric 34 University of Delaware Rubric for Asynchronous Discussion Participation 35 Northeastern University Discussion Grading Rubric for Online Discussion 36 Grid Matrix of Rubric Attributes 37 References 38 Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion from UMUC – Pre 2011 Conference Rubric 3 Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion from UMUC – 2011 Conference Rubric Criteria Outstanding Contributor: A (90+) Good Contributor: B (80-89) Unsatisfactory Contributor: C or less (below 80) Level of Participation (15%) Participation in the conference activity on four or more days during the week, plus more than three original postings, plus significantly more than two responses to classmates. The latter should include a topic for which the student did not post an original response. Participation in the conference activity on three days during the week, plus three original postings and two responses to classmates. The latter should include a topic for which the student did not post an original response. Participation in the conference activity on less than three days during the week and less than three original postings and/or less than two responses to classmates, and/or no postings for one of the topics. Timing of postings (10%) Postings are well distributed throughout the week, with all three original responses (i.e. first level responses) occurring on Wednesday or earlier. Postings are distributed throughout the week, with at least one original posting (i.e. first level response) occurring on Wednesday or earlier. Original postings (i.e. first level responses) occur after Wednesday. 4 Quality of Answers for Topic Question (25%) All answers are substantive, consistently responsive to the Topic Questions and demonstrate significant understanding of the subject (e.g., illustrate a point with examples, suggest alternative perspectives on an issue and seeks to draw a new or original conclusion). Uses citations in a way that reflects a complete understanding of course modules, of required readings, and/or other external scholarly sources. Most answers are substantive, often responsive to the Topic Questions and demonstrate sufficient understanding of the subject (e.g., uses limited examples, takes a narrow perspectives on an issue) and reflect a reasonable understanding of course modules and required readings. Answers are not substantive, are weakly responsive to the Topic Questions or provide few, if any, insights, understanding or perspectives, or reflect a limited understanding of course modules and required readings. Quality of Discussions (25%) All discussions are substantive and consistently responsive to other students’ postings, plus ideas provide excellent insights or perspectives, and. significantly enhance the quality, breadth and direction of the classroom discussion (i.e., illustrates a point with examples, suggest new perspectives on an issue, includes citations to support views, asks questions that help stimulate further discussion, responds to questions posed by classmates or the instructor). . Most discussions are substantive and often responsive to other students’ postings, plus ideas provide relatively good insights or perspectives, and generally enhance the quality, breadth and direction of the classroom discussion (e.g., uses limited examples, takes a narrow perspective on an issue). Discussions are not substantive, are weakly responsive to other students’ postings or provide few, if any, good insights or perspectives. Has limited effect on the quality, breadth and direction of the classroom discussion. 5 Clarity and Coherence of answers and discussions (10%) Ideas are persuasive, always expressed in a clear and coherent manner, without spelling or grammatical errors. Ideas are usually persuasive, are expressed in a clear and coherent manner, with no or very minor grammatical and spelling errors. Ideas are disorganized and/or contain grammatical and spelling errors. Level of Preparation (10%) All answers and discussions are based on required readings, class materials and a thorough review of the literature (e.g., scholarly sources) and no assertions are made without appropriate citation. Most answers and discussions are based on required readings, class materials and a thorough review of the literature (e.g., scholarly sources) and most assertions are made with appropriate citation. Few answers and discussions are based on required readings, class materials and a thorough review of the literature (e.g., scholarly sources) and few assertions are made with appropriate citation. . APA Format (5%) In-line citations and summary reference lists properly reflect all sources used and are consistent with APA 6th Edition standards. In-line citations and summary reference lists properly reflect most sources used or are reasonably consistent with APA 6th Edition standards. In-line citations and summary reference lists are limited and reflect few sources used or are inconsistent with APA 6th Edition standards. Your Grade: Additional Comments: 6 Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion from Boston University 7 Online Discussion Rubric from the University of Wisconsin – Stout Criteria Unsatisfactory - 0% Limited - 80% Proficient - 90% Exemplary - 100% Score Critical Analysis (Understanding of Readings and Outside References) Weight for this criterion: 40% of total score Discussion postings show little or no evidence that readings were completed or understood. Postings are largely personal opinions or feelings, or "I agree" or "Great idea", without supporting statement with concepts from the readings, outside resources, relevant research, or specific real-life application. Discussion postings repeat and summarize basic, correct information, but do not link readings to outside references, relevant research or specific real-life application and do not consider alternative perspectives or connections between ideas. Sources are not cited. Discussion postings display an understanding of the required readings and underlying concepts including correct use of terminology and proper citation. Discussion postings display an excellent understanding of the required readings and underlying concepts including correct use of terminology. Postings integrate an outside resource, or relevant research, or specific real-life application (work experience, prior coursework, etc.) to support important points. Well-edited quotes are cited appropriately. No more than 10% of the posting is a direct quotation. Participation in the Learning Community Weight for this criterion: 30% of total score Discussion postings do not contribute to ongoing conversations or respond to peers' postings. There is no evidence of replies to questions or comments or as new related questions or comments. Discussion postings are at midpoint or Discussion postings sometimes contribute to ongoing conversations as evidenced by ...affirming statements or references to relevant research or, ...asking related questions or, ...making an oppositional statement supported by any personal experience or related research. Discussion postings contribute to the class' ongoing conversations as evidenced by ...affirming statements or references to relevant research or, ...asking related questions or, ...making an oppositional statement supported by any personal experience or related research. Discussion postings respond to most postings of peers within a 48 hour Discussion postings actively stimulate and sustain further discussion by building on peers' responses including ...building a focused argument around a specific issue or ...asking a new related question or ...making an oppositional statement supported by personal experience or related research. Discussion postings are distributed throughout the module (not posted all on one day or only at the beginning or only on the last day of the 8 later in the module or contributions are only posted on the last day of the module. Discussion postings respond to most postings of peers several days after the initial discussion. period. module.) Consistently responds to postings of peers within 24 hours. Connections to Professional Practice Weight for this criterion: 10% of total score Discussion postings provide little or no evidence of reflective thought pertaining to personal perspectives and professional development. Discussion postings provide some evidence of reflective thought pertaining to personal perspectives and professional development. Discussion postings provide evidence of some reflective thought pertaining to personal perspectives and professional development. Discussion postings provide evidence of strong reflective thought pertaining to personal perspectives and how the module's learning objectives relate to professional development. Etiquette in Dialogue with Peers Weight for this criterion: 5% of total score Written interactions on the discussion board show disrespect for the viewpoints of others. Some of the written interactions on the discussion board show respect and interest in the viewpoints of others. Written interactions on the discussion board show respect and interest in the viewpoints of others. Written interactions on the discussion board show respect and sensitivity to peers' gender, cultural and linguistic background, political and religious beliefs. Quality of Writing and Proofreading Weight for this criterion: 5% of total score Written responses contain numerous grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors. The style of writing does not facilitate effective communication. Written responses include some grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors that distract the reader. Written responses are largely free of grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors. The style of writing generally facilitates communication. Written responses are free of grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors. The style of writing facilitates communication. TOTAL 9 * Open class discussion is an important and significant part of an online course. While class discussion whether online or face to face, can be characterized by free flowing conversation, there are identifiable characteristics that distinguish exemplary contributions to class discussion from those of lesser quality. The criteria found on the rubric above will be used to assess the quality of your initial postings and responses to the postings and comments of peers during class discussion. Note: Initial postings are your comments based on the discussion prompt posted by the instructor. Responses to others are your replies to your peers' initial postings. Original rubric developed by: Lynn E. Nielsen, Professor of Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls IA Used with permission and adapted by Joan Vandervelde 10 Sample Grading Rubric for Online Discussion – California State University- Long Beach 11 12 Online Discussion Grading Rubric from Boise State University Grading Rubric Discussion Participation About the Minimum Requirement I have an absolute minimum requirement of three messages per week. If you post less than three messages a week, then you cannot get better than a D for discussion. I don't even bother to evaluate the messages. Once you have met the minimum requirement, only then do all the considerations below kick into effect. What's a Week? If you're fretting over this, you're fretting over the wrong stuff. My class weeks run Monday through Sunday, for no particular reason, but you should not be planning to do all your posting on Sunday night, or some such. While I understand time constraints and the demands of work and family (I went through all that myself), I have found that students who post only once a week don't get a good grade. This is not a judgment on my part, but an observation made from over ten years of teaching in this medium. Once-a-week posters are like the student in a live class who comes only once a week. You can get by, no doubt. But you won't learn much and only the exceptional student will be able to pull an A doing that. It's your call; I'm telling you how things look from my vantage point. If you read the student advice in the Study Guide, you'll hear the same message there. Sometimes, things happen, and you wind up posting two messages in a week. This never happens to students who participate at a high rate. It tends to happen to the student who posts the minimum three and rarely or never more. You walk a tightrope, sometimes you fall off. If it should happen, don't worry about your grade. I look at the pattern of your participation over the course of the semester, and a week or two just doesn't mean much. Do worry, however, if it happens early in the semester and then happens again, because it may turn into a habit. You could easily find yourself eight weeks into the course in which you failed to meet the minimum for half those weeks. This is a problem because you cannot make up the work. I'm not actually interested in volume, I'm interested in participation. You cannot go back and make up a week of participation any more than you can go back in time and make up attending a live class. You miss it, the damage is done. So, don't fret over minimums and don't fret over which messages "count" for which week. Do worry about being fully engaged in the course, and the rest will take care of itself. Evaluation Enough of minimums, which are necessary but not uplifting. On to how I evaluate your discussion participation. All evaluation of your discussion is subjective. I give this rubric not so you can "figure out" your discussion grade, because you cannot. Only I can. 13 Still less do I provide this as a template by which you can aim for a particular grade. This is not a checklist. Learning is not a guaranteed process and it doesn't happen the same way for every person. I do provide the rubric as one tool to help you understand that discussion plays a crucial role in my course, and that there are ways to judge the quality of the participation. I hope that you can use this rubric as a way to improve the quality of your discussion,

Improving success with technology using an organizational epistemology

Author: Powell Chris R.
Publication venue: University of Maryland University College (UMUC)
Publication date: 05/03/2010
Field of study

Abstract: - IT research should also focus on the socially constructed and emergent nature of IT as IS. - Structured dialog, (human felt needs and technological aims), may improve the process of technology realization. - Methodology -- Analysis of IT/IS failure factors using case studies. -- Pilot of a survey profiles and tests elements of structured dialog through BPA (Business Process Analysis) tools - Practical output: Conceptual decision framework5 March 2010 (c) Chris R. Powell 1 5 March 2010 (c) Chris R. Powell 2 5 March 2010 (c) Chris R. Powell 3 5 March 2010 (c) Chris R. Powell 4 5 March 2010 1. Contention – yellow box (define failure) 2. Two major bullets, with definitions of IT and IS 3. There is a fundamental problem in IT – it is based on computer science and engineering, and, as such, research concerning it just doesn’t reflect its social nature. When IT becomes IS (IT in an organizational context), it is clear from the literature that it changes. It changes in ways that IT developers really don’t understand, and this disconnect causes great difficulty in IS cost, schedule, and performance. My research aims to reconcile that by focusing on the early part of the creation of IT/IS – analysis of requirements and their implications on the organization. 4. The main issue, from Habermas’ Theory of Cognitive Interest, is that positivism disavows reflection as a valid form of inquiry, so its ideal of knowledge is confined to serving the technical interest. Yet IS is a function of the organization, requires focus on communicative interest (including reflection), practical knowledge (praxis, meaning political knowledge), and emancipatory interest. Need a more integrative approach. (c) Chris R. Powell 5 5 March 2010 1. IT requirements need to be broken down somewhat. They are about felt needs which are imperfectly translated into explicit knowledge of various forms shown here. These requirements then result in an IT product, with the knowledge discovered in the previous processes embedded in it. As the IT becomes an IS in the organization, it becomes more socially constructed and the results of its use are more emergent than they are dictated by the features provided. 2. A significant issue is the lack of double-loop learning back up the chain back to the felt need. Many consumers of IT are left wondering if anyone ever really gets it as far as their needs go. In reality, most of the time, the answer is no. This causes, and reinforces, failure in IT implementation. This failure ranges as high as 95% based on empirical analysis. Even very conservative estimates range upwards of 40%. This is a huge sink of human and financial capital. 3. Structure – medium and outcome of the reproduction of practices. -A continuous ongoing practice (rather than static property) of social systems. -“virtual order” of transformative relations that exists only its instantiations in social practices. System – regular social practices (c) Chris R. Powell 6 Structuration – conditions governing the continuity or transformation of structures and is reproduction of systems 5 March 2010 (c) Chris R. Powell 7 5 March 2010 (c) Chris R. Powell 8 5 March 2010 (c) Chris R. Powell 9 5 March 2010 Team Dynamics Team Roles Individual perception of success/failure •Qualitative •Quantitative Individual perception of success/failure factors (c) Chris R. Powell 10 5 March 2010 In this figure, the statements on the x-axis are basically contained in two groups of meaning. The leftmost four are essentially the opposite meaning of the rightmost four. Thus, in the first item, the survey asked how strongly the respondent agrees or disagrees with the point: “BPA tools quickly help the organization structure information,” whereas in the 6th item, they are agreeing/disagreeing with “BPA tools take a long time to structure information.” This was a quick way to ensure responses were consistent. Now, we looked for whether support for the cross-tab item (in this case, team collaboration, ranging from 1 [strongly agree] to 5 [strongly disagree]) corresponds with the responses that were seen in the individual survey item. So, in the first item’s case (BPA quickly helps structure organizational information), we would hope to see the respondent agree or strongly agree that BPA also helps with team collaboration. Indeed, that is the case—the first item shows lower bars whereas the 6th item (BPA takes a long time to structure organizational information) shows higher bars (meaning the respondent disagrees that team collaboration is well-supported). (c) Chris R. Powell 11 5 March 2010 (c) Chris R. Powell 12 5 March 2010 Key Issue – lack of double-loop learning: problem fixing is reactive and rarely questions or improves the underlying organizational processes. “Being in their world” – Heidegger’s concept of Dasein, as applied to humans in an organizational context. In Husserl’s terms: • The ongoing, always-already directed experience (noesis) of the world as meaningful • Has, as a necessary condition, an ongoing structural correlation or unity (noema). • When we map the intentionality of consciousness, is it meaningful? Or, random and confused? • Need to help organization achieve a necessary noematic structural unity of intentional consciousness concerning IT and its development as IS in an organizational context – achieving the emancipation concept of CST. The Phenomenology Method requires 4 tasks: 1. Describe the phenomenon 2. Analyze the etymology 3. Perform the reduction (c) Chris R. Powell 13 4. Investigate the essence. This research attempted to achieve these 4 tasks, but in a larger, more modern context of Habermas, Giddens, Orlikowski, and others

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