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A centre of expertise in digital information management

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Beyond Email: The Potential For Collaborative Tools Brian KellyUKOLNUniversity of [email protected]://www.ukoln.ac.uk/

Summary

How can new devices, commercial and user-driven technologies and collaborative Internet technologies be used (a) generally in education and (b) to support events?

Summary

How can new devices, commercial and user-driven technologies and collaborative Internet technologies be used (a) generally in education and (b) to support events?

UKOLN is supported by:

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/conferences/eunis-2005/workshop/#technologies

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/conferences/eunis-2005/workshop/#technologies

link Links to further information

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What We'll Cover

In this talk I will cover:• The challenges we face in an environment where

the users are king• The collaborative tools which:

Users want to use (and are using) We know about (and are ahead of the users)

• The challenges in deploying the tools• Some thoughts on approaches to deployment

Acceptable Use Policy For Today• Networked applications can be used to support the aims of the

seminar, provided disruptions to others are kept to a minimum• Feel free to ask questions • General discussions at the end

Acceptable Use Policy For Today• Networked applications can be used to support the aims of the

seminar, provided disruptions to others are kept to a minimum• Feel free to ask questions • General discussions at the end

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Content Is King?

Content is King• What does this phrase (cliché) mean?• End users want content – they don't care about

the technology

But in reality Communication is King:• End users want to communicate• Killer application is email!• Look at popularity of mobile phones• Look at popularity of SMS messaging – despite

the incredibly poor user interface• Learning is a social activity – so communication is

particularly important in education • Ditto for research

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But:• Information overload Poor metadata• Duplication Poor management

capabilities• Limited developments …• Spam Viruses• Flame wars …

But:• Information overload Poor metadata• Duplication Poor management

capabilities• Limited developments …• Spam Viruses• Flame wars …

Let's Kill Email!

Email has been a very useful tool

Mailing listsFiles…

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"E-mail is where knowledge goes to die" "E-mail is where knowledge goes to die"


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Email Versus Web Architecture

Email can be used by a wide range of clients.

But such universality is at the cost of limited functionality

Scripts Plugins

Integration Personalisation

…

Scripts IntegrationPersonalisationAuthentication…

Server Client

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Mobile Devices

What are the implications of mobile devices?

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What do these devices have in common?What do these devices have in common?Consumer devices, networks & digital memory

(& can fit in pocket)


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Uses For Your MP3 PlayerStudents can:

• Download recordings of lectures

• Record lecturesGreat for:

• Maximising access• Accessibility• Complementing

students' notesBut:

• Copyright issues• Lecturers &

institution's views• …

Need for an AUP!

http://www.eviews.net/15.6.2000/

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http://www.rsc.org/lap/rsccom/dab/chemistrycassettes.htmAnd you can listen to music on a portable MP3 player!

And you can listen to music on a portable MP3 player!


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Bathstudent.com provides: • Personalised portal• Diary & calendar• News alerts by email

& SMS• Advice• …

http://www.bathstudent.com/http://www.bathstudent.com/

Challenges:Shouldn't we be doing this? Who owns the company & data (and why do they want my personal details)? What if ownership changes? Does their advice on academic issues conflict with the University's?

Challenges:Shouldn't we be doing this? Who owns the company & data (and why do they want my personal details)? What if ownership changes? Does their advice on academic issues conflict with the University's?

We are now faced with increasing numbers of commercial providers of IT services


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Commercial Providers (2): GMail

Who needs a organisation's email account when you can get 1 Gb from a GMail account?

What I’m Doing• Obtained a GMail ID• Use it as secondary

source for mailing lists• Don't divulge ID (no

spam)• Wait and see what

extras Google provide (RSS feed would be nice – now available)

• Gain feel for privacy issues

What I’m Doing• Obtained a GMail ID• Use it as secondary

source for mailing lists• Don't divulge ID (no

spam)• Wait and see what

extras Google provide (RSS feed would be nice – now available)

• Gain feel for privacy issues

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WiFiWiFi technologies make mobile devices even more appealing. Imagine scenario:

• WiFi access in all lecture rooms, teaching spaces, …• WiFi access in all halls of residences, flats, etc.• WiFi access in all social spaces, such as bars, fields, etc• WiFi access in town centre, pubs, Starbucks, …

and with Zeroconf you can walk into a room & it's all available

• How will this change the dynamics of teaching & learning?• How will this affect purchasing patterns?• How will this affect social activities?• How will this affect the role of IT Services?

• How will this change the dynamics of teaching & learning?• How will this affect purchasing patterns?• How will this affect social activities?• How will this affect the role of IT Services?

Thought ExperimentLet's imagine you all have networked mobile devices and can communicate with everyone in the room.

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Instant Messaging

Instant Messaging:• Nothing new – Unix talk anyone?• New user communities driving its use:

• Young people Overseas students

• Comments from recent UCISA poll:"IM ... is 'here to stay' – an 'unstoppable tide'. Seen as part of youth culture, along with … SMS" Liverpool JMU"Students will arrive familiar with, and expecting to .. use such tools. Email seen by younger people to be 'boring', 'full of spam', IM and SMS immediacy preferred" Bath

But:"Complaints raised regarding students hogging PCs .. Also case with email some time ago" Liverpool JMU"APIs are known and therefore targets for hackers" London Met"Some challenges in interoperability …" Bath

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See IM briefing paper


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IM - Tools

Popular IM tools include:• MSN Messenger• Yahoo Messenger• AOL Instant Messenger ("it's

not owned by Microsoft")

Typically choosing a supported application involved looking at functionality, cost, support, security, ..

Typically choosing a supported application involved looking at functionality, cost, support, security, ..

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MSN Messenger Functionality

MSN Messenger providesgroupware & IM functionality:

• Sharing desktop applications

• File transfer• Webcams• Games

Warning – this could be a virusWarning – this could be a virus

Has potential in user support & collaborative working

Has potential in user support & collaborative working

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MSN Messenger is probably most widely used, but interoperability problems (even across Windows OSs)

MSN Messenger is probably most widely used, but interoperability problems (even across Windows OSs)

Note audio doesn’t seem to work across OSs


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Interoperability

Lack of interoperability:• Mainstream IM world is closed• Multi-protocol clients exist (e.g.

GAIM, Trillian, ..) NB lack of support for MSN extensions

• Jabber provides open source clients & servers which support XMPP (open IM protocol)

• Value-added services being developed e.g. BuddySpace at OU (note interesting movie)

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NB: only play video if you have headset (and adequate bandwidth)

NB: only play video if you have headset (and adequate bandwidth)

Jabber

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Policy IssuesFor IM the additional functionality isn't the main issue. IM exists to facilitate communications the users' peersShould we:

• Provide national IM IDs (cf Athens IDs – j.smith%[email protected])

• Provide managed environment of clients and IDs (e.g. Jabber database from staff/student records)

• Provide multiple clients to support users' requests (user-driven approach at Liverpool & Edinburgh)?

• Provide clients but support separate IM facility (e.g. as part of portal, VLE, …)?

• Provide in in VLE, portal, … (if & when available)• Think about these issues at a later date• Have no formal policy and turn blind eye to usage• Ban it – it's disruptive to our core mission

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Rather than dedicated IM clients we could provide Web services which users have to “go” to

Integrating Environments (1)Services such as YahooGroups integrate:

• Mailing lists• IM• Voting• Calendars• …

Useful to get committee together at same time – buts ads are disliked

Useful to get committee together at same time – buts ads are disliked

Very effective way of reaching a decision – avoids long discursive discussions

Very effective way of reaching a decision – avoids long discursive discussions

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Strangely, perhaps, YahooGroups is used by open standards developers (e.g. RSS & RDF)


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Integrating Environments (2)

JISCMail is extending its facilities to include a voting system and a chat room (currently being tested)

Being part of our community it doesn’t have adverts and is responsive to needs of the community

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But there are issues about the memorability of URIs, their application dependency, persistency of URIs and long-term retention of the archives

But there are issues about the memorability of URIs, their application dependency, persistency of URIs and long-term retention of the archives


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Let's Kill E-Mail! – RSS

E-mail has its role but:• Why send messages which time-out when many users will

read them too late?• Why not use delivery channels which are spam-free?• Why not use delivery channels which are more suited to

receiving information (as opposed to discussions)?• Why not allow users to select their preferred channels?

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RSS:• Syndication of content• A light-weight standard

used in the JISC IE• View on Web, using one of

many dedicated RSS viewers, Opera or Pluck IE plugin

Shouldn't RSS viewers be standard on desktops?Shouldn't we be creating RSS feed for news alerts – and not just adding to email overload?

Shouldn't RSS viewers be standard on desktops?Shouldn't we be creating RSS feed for news alerts – and not just adding to email overload?

Google for "rss is opt-in authenticated email"

See RSS briefing paper

See RSS briefing paper


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Let's Kill The Telephone!

The telephone still has its place but:• It can be expensive• Conference calls are expensive• Overseas calls are expensive

Skype:• Exploits high-speed network

connectivity and powerful PCs• Conference calls with up to 5• Use instant messaging• Ring land lines (paid-for option)• Available on (hi-spec PocketPC)

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ScenariosSkype used (a) on laptops for (i) ringing home/work (ii) when abroad and (b) desktop PCs for conference calls

ScenariosSkype used (a) on laptops for (i) ringing home/work (ii) when abroad and (b) desktop PCs for conference calls

See Audio briefing paper

See Audio briefing paper


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Let's Kill The Telephone!

If we intend to kill off the phone, shouldn't we use video conferencing tools rather than simply replicating a phone system?

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VRVS provides sound, video, IM, virtual rooms, etcSee Ariadne review

Video comes for free with MSN Messenger


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Blogging (1)

Blogging: cult fashion or significant developing in publishing / communications?

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Student's learning diary. Created by student and hosted on remote Blogger Web site. No longer maintained?

Student's learning diary. Created by student and hosted on remote Blogger Web site. No longer maintained?

A more sustainable approach is likely when used as part of a course. This example also provides shared experiences

A more sustainable approach is likely when used as part of a course. This example also provides shared experiences

Blog software can also be regarded as a CMS used to create a particular type of standards-based Web site

Blog software can also be regarded as a CMS used to create a particular type of standards-based Web site


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Blogging (2)

But:• I want new information

to be pushed to me• I want to create

information using tools other than a Web browser

• I prefer an email interface (fewer images, …)

• I want to do everything in IE

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Wikis (1)

Wiki:An open shared space for collaborative editing

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Wikipedia – a example of shared encyclopaedia.Yes, trust is an issue!

Wikipedia – a example of shared encyclopaedia.Yes, trust is an issue!

QUB provide an environment for IT & Society students to collectively edit Web pages.

QUB provide an environment for IT & Society students to collectively edit Web pages.

http://itsoc.mgt.qub.ac.uk/ITandSocietyhttp://itsoc.mgt.qub.ac.uk/ITandSociety

See Wikis briefing paper

See Wikis briefing paper


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Wikis (2)

Your organisation may already be in the Wikipedia!

Comments:• You can't stop

people doing this• This can be good

publicity• This can be effort

for free• If you create the

page to start with you can set the tone

Issue: Which Wiki software to choose – Tiki, TikiWiki, QwikiWiki, PukiWiki, WakkaWiki, WikkiTikkiTavi, … (or one with a silly name)

Issue: Which Wiki software to choose – Tiki, TikiWiki, QwikiWiki, PukiWiki, WakkaWiki, WikkiTikkiTavi, … (or one with a silly name)

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Wikis For Note-Taking At Events

The Wikalong Wiki has been used for note-taking by discussions groups at an event

This allows:• Everyone in

discussion group to contribute (not just reporter with pen)

• Access to the other groups' notes

• Access to all


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Wikis: Strengths and Weaknesses

Wikis are good for:• Collaborative working on documents by small

numbers with sharing objectives & understanding• Use when broad agreement is in place• Use in a trusted environment• Enthusiasts

Wikis can be poor for:• Collaborative working on documents by large

numbers with diverse objectives & understanding• Use when there is a need to establish areas of

agreement• Use in a untrusted environment• Use by sceptics

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The Potential For SMSSMS:

• Over 100 million SMS txts sent over New Year 2004 – why don't we send exam results, library alerts, …?

• A small number of institutions are using SMS :"SHU used SMS during clearing - potential students texted in UCAS code of course of interest. The system sent back text saying whether places were still available - alleviating pressure on our call centre.""I believe Edinburgh student union uses SMS for their elections.""I believe there are plans afoot in our university at a high level to develop a method of 'bulk sending' SMS messages out to students."Birkbeck are "hoping to pilot an SMS alert system soon for one of our Schools that they can use (via a simple Web interface) to send lecture cancellation messages etc to their students"

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From SMS -> 3GWAP failed to take off3G:

• The SMS or the WAP of the future?• Will the killer app be:

• Publishing information Communications

• Network connectivity using 3G/WiFi/4G• Comms for executives (cf Blackberry)• PDA for executive - note the NEC 3G phone

supports XHTML & IMAP – but not in UK • Nothing

• Does this have any relevance to us?• Or will the mobile be a ubiquitous data capture,

browsing and communications device?

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http://www.three.co.uk/music/

Note in July 2004NEC e303 Pay-as-You-Go 3G phone for £30 from ArgosT-Mobile launches 3G/Wi-Fi card £199 plus £70/month

Note in July 2004NEC e303 Pay-as-You-Go 3G phone for £30 from ArgosT-Mobile launches 3G/Wi-Fi card £199 plus £70/month


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Returning To Mobile DevicesNew Terminology

Moblogging: Blog from your mobile device (PDA, phone, …)

Audioblog: voice Blogs from your phone, …

Podcasting: synch your IPod so it automatically gets your favourite Audioblogs (using RSS)

Note that your IPod can be used as an RSS reader, email reader, … (software is free!)

IM clients, Blogging software, Wikis, RSS readers, etc. are available for Palms, Pocket PCs, mobile phones, ...Encouraging their use could (a) transfer demand from your PC clusters; (b) reduce demands on transport; (c) increase productivity, (d) enhance team working; …

IM clients, Blogging software, Wikis, RSS readers, etc. are available for Palms, Pocket PCs, mobile phones, ...Encouraging their use could (a) transfer demand from your PC clusters; (b) reduce demands on transport; (c) increase productivity, (d) enhance team working; …

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PodcastingRSS:

• Lightweight news syndication standard(s) Podcasts:

• "Transmitters? We don't need no stinkin' transmitters"• RSS 2 app. invented by Adam Curry & Dave Winer• Simple way of getting MP3 files on your iPod, …• Distribution mechanism, creation tool, cultural

phenomena, .. • Growth helped by Creative Commons licences

Applications:• Recoding talks at

conferences• Learning on the bus, train,

…

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Wikicasting: phone no. and voice added to PodcastPodcast+GPS: location-based recording & listening. Cultural or social commentary on your location

Wikicasting: phone no. and voice added to PodcastPodcast+GPS: location-based recording & listening. Cultural or social commentary on your location

Crazy Ideas?

"What will the effect on society be when networking, digital recording, storage & access are pervasive"

"What will the effect on society be when networking, digital recording, storage & access are pervasive"


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Where Does This Leave Us?

Can we afford not to have:• An Institutional IM Facilities

IM software and managed directory facilities• An Institutional Blog Service

A managing and interoperable Blog environment (cf Warwick)

• Institutional Wiki ServiceA managed, easy-to-use collaborative workspace

• Recording And Access ServicesSoftware to enable talks to be recorded and accessed

Before the environments, we should have a policy in these areas! The policy could, for example, leave provision of such services to the market place.

Before the environments, we should have a policy in these areas! The policy could, for example, leave provision of such services to the market place.

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Strategic Challenges

Challenges we face:• Choosing whether to do any of this stuff• AUPs• Accessibility• Charging Issues• Open Source vs Commercial Solutions • Departmental & Individual Autonomy• Interoperability, Preservation, etc.• People Issues• Privacy, Data Protection, … • Sustainable Communities• Deployment Strategies• …

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Note that I don't have answers to all of these issues!Note that I don't have answers to all of these issues!


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Conclusions

Internet and Web collaborative technologies:• Provide a range of interesting new application

areas of use in a many areas• End users (esp. young people) will increasingly

be familiar with such technologies and expect to continue to use them

• Many technologies are free/open source• Issues of ongoing, security, interoperability, etc.

will need to be addressed by IT services• Many challenges – but also great potential

So how can these technologies – and these challenges – be addressed at an event?

So how can these technologies – and these challenges – be addressed at an event?

powerpoint format

Technology

challenges http

wifi wifi technologies

email sms advice http

services challenges

organisations email

new devices

web architecture email

im tools popular im