EDUCAUSE | Collaboration and Virtual Community

Cyberinfrastructure and the Evolution of Higher Education

ckeller — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:01:00 -0500

This ECAR research bulletin discusses the role cyberinfrastructure will play as higher education evolves. Changes in the job markets, in higher education research and teaching, and in emerging academic disciplines are having a direct impact on, and will be directly impacted by, information technologies. As high-level national councils acknowledge, higher education has an enormous stake in these crucial and sweeping changes.

Citation for this work: Dede, Chris. “Cyberinfrastructure and the Evolution of Higher Education” (Research Bulletin, Issue 18). Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, 2008, available from http://www.educause.edu/ecar.

Happy Families, Good Fences, and Winning IT Collaborations

ckeller — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:12:46 -0500

This ECAR research bulletin introduces the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation research on successful collaborative practices in the context of higher education. It details 20 collaborative success factors and maps them to relevant examples gleaned from research on IT collaboration conducted by ECAR.

Citation for this work: Pirani, Judith A., and Toby D. Sitko. “Happy Families, Good Fences, and Winning IT Collaborations” (Research Bulletin, Issue 15). Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, 2008, available from http://www.educause.edu/ecar.

Higher Education IT and Cyberinfrastructure: Integrating Technologies for Scholarship Roadmap

elilly — Fri, 30 May 2008 11:36:51 -0500

This ECAR roadmap synthesizes the important issues and recommended actions drawn from the 2008 study, Higher Education IT and Cyberinfrastructure: Integrating Technologies for Scholarship , by Mark C. Sheehan. The ECAR research study explores higher education’s involvement in five areas of research-related information technologies: high-performance computing resources, cyberinfrastructure applications and tools, data storage and management resources, advanced network infrastructure resources, and resources for collaboration within virtual communities. The report, which is based on results of a quantitative survey of 369 U.S. and Canadian colleges and universities and consultation with cyberinfrastructure experts and 12 university executives and technical staff members, discusses who uses, who provides, and who funds cyberinfrastructure resources as well as how important each technology is and will be to research and teaching.

Citation for this work: Pirani, Judith A. and Mark C. Sheehan, “Higher Education IT and Cyberinfrastructure: Integrating Technologies for Scholarship Roadmap” (Roadmap). Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, 2005, available from http://www.educause.edu/ecar .

Higher Education IT and Cyberinfrastructure: Integrating Technologies for Scholarship

elilly — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:24:44 -0500

This 2008 ECAR research study explores higher education’s involvement in five areas of research-related information technologies: high-performance computing resources, cyberinfrastructure applications and tools, data storage and management resources, advanced network infrastructure resources, and resources for collaboration within virtual communities. The report, which is based on results of a quantitative survey of 369 U.S. and Canadian colleges and universities and consultation with cyberinfrastructure experts and 12 university executives and technical staff members, discusses who uses, who provides, and who funds cyberinfrastructure resources as well as how important each technology is and will be to research and teaching.

Citation for this work: Sheehan, Mark C. Higher Education IT and Cyberinfrastructure: Integrating Technologies for Scholarship (Research Study, Volume 3). Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, 2008, available from http://www.educause.edu/ecar.

Developing and Extending a Cyberinfrastructure Model

gdobbin — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:34:45 -0600

This research bulletin explores how to develop, deploy, and extend cyberinfrastructure assets within higher education—both within and across institutions. As research becomes increasingly computational, data-intensive, and interdisciplinary, innovative approaches for functional cyberinfrastructure models become ever more important. This bulletin describes a model that was developed at one institution and then deployed across institutions, with the goal of addressing issues as diverse as the need for simulation systems rather than wet labs, insufficient computational research support to help an institution compete for top-notch faculty, and astronomical spikes in power and cooling demands.

Citation for this work: Alvarez, Rosio. “Developing and Extending a Cyberinfrastructure Model” (Research Bulletin, Issue 5). Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, 2008, available from http://www.educause.edu/ecar.

7 Things You Should Know About Flickr

ckeller — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 09:50:19 -0600

Flickr is a photo-sharing website where anyone can upload and tag photos, browse others' photos, and add comments and annotations. Users can create photo sets and collections to manage content and participate in topical groups to cultivate a sense of community. Although Flickr is ostensibly for photos, the site might more aptly be described as a venue for sharing experiences and building relationships. The site provides the tools, but the value derives from the contributions of the user community -- photos, comments, ratings, and organization -- and the connections that the site facilitates between individuals. In this way, Flickr embodies what has come to be known as Web 2.0 technology.

The "7 Things You Should Know About..." series from the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) provides concise information on emerging learning technologies. Each brief focuses on a single technology and describes what it is, where it is going, and why it matters to teaching and learning. Use these briefs for a no-jargon, quick overview of a topic and share them with time-pressed colleagues.
In addition to the "7 Things You Should Know About..." briefs, you may find other ELI resources useful in addressing teaching, learning, and technology issues at your institution. To learn more, please visit the ELI Resources page.

New EDUCAUSE Constituent Groups Form: IT Communications and Virtual Worlds

cluckett — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:16:58 -0600

EDUCAUSE invites subscribers to join two new constituent groups: IT Communications, led by Mur Muchane and Lisa Trubitt, and Virtual Worlds, led by AJ Kelton. Browse the full list of constituent and discussion groups at EDUCAUSE.

Cyberinfrastructure Resources and Practices: Survey Questionnaire

ckeller — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 10:37:25 -0600

This November 2007 survey is a critical component of the EDUCAUSE Center on Applied Research (ECAR) study of cyberinfrastructure in higher education. It seeks to understand the perspectives of information technology leaders and others currently working in universities and colleges. This study updates and expands our communities' understanding of how leading-edge information technology resources for research, scholarship, creative activity, and teaching and learning are utilized, provided, supported, and funded. This study is being conducted through the collaboration of many parties including the Council of Australian University Directors of Information Technology (CAUDIT), the European University Information Systems organization (EUNIS), the EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research (ECAR), and the EDUCAUSE Net@EDU Campus Cyberinfrastructure (CCI) working group.

Citation for this work: EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research. "Cyberinfrastructure Resources and Practices: Survey Questionnaire" (Survey Instrument). Boulder, CO: ECAR, 2007, available from http://www.educause.edu/ecar.

7 Things You Should Know About Citizen Journalism

ckeller — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 12:00:23 -0600

Citizen journalism refers to a wide range of activities in which everyday people contribute information or commentary about news events. With the birth of digital technologies, people now have unprecedented access to the tools of production and dissemination. Citizen journalism epitomizes the belief that the experiences of people personally involved with an issue present a different -- and often more complete -- picture of events than can be derived from the perspective of an outsider. Citizen journalism encompasses content ranging from user-submitted reviews on a Web site about movies to wiki-based news. It forces contributors to think objectively, asking probing questions and working to understand the context -- the kinds of activities that lead to deeper learning.

Using Wikipedia to Reenvision the Term Paper

drupal — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:42:39 -0500

The structure of the traditional term paper can limit its educational value. To make the assignment more meaningful, students published their papers in Wikipedia. This session will examine how publishing for a large online community motivated students to do better work and deal with issues of voice, knowledge, and community.

When Wikipedia Is the Assignment

ckeller — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:39:58 -0500

A professor and a technology specialist discuss their attempt to bring term papers out into the open with the resource many faculty members abhor.

The nanoHUB: Community and Collaboration

ckeller — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 12:22:54 -0500

nanoHUB is an online portal for nanotechnology researchers, instructors, and students created by Purdue University and the National Science Foundation. It uses cyberinfrastructure to provide access to scientific tools for research, demonstration, and collaboration, as well as instructional materials. Users can run experiments, review research, or download lectures. nanoHUB is a virtual toolkit as well as a community where students and faculty contribute to the science of nanotechnology.

Disaster Recovery: A Multi-Institutional Collaboration at the University of California System

ckeller — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 13:59:01 -0500

This case study complements the 2007 ECAR study by Philip J. Goldstein, IT Collaboration: Multi-Institutional Partnerships to Develop, Manage, and Operate IT Resources. Researchers undertook this case study to understand the benefits of multi-institutional development of a ubiquitously needed IT service. By leveraging emerging technology, procurement opportunities, and internal resources, the University of California Office of the President and University of California, San Diego were able to develop a complex disaster recovery solution involving the joint hosting and comprehensive mirroring of each location’s mainframe and non-mainframe computing environments.

The Kuali Group: Effective Practices and Structures Foster a Successful Collaboration

ckeller — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 13:53:04 -0500

This case study complements the 2007 ECAR study by Philip J. Goldstein, IT Collaboration: Multi-Institutional Partnerships to Develop, Manage, and Operate IT Resources. Researchers undertook this case study to understand the methods and practices used to manage ongoing collaborative activity and how the Kuali group partners plan for the sustainability of their collaboration. The case study highlights the collaborative nature of the Kuali Project to meet its goal of building a suite of administrative software, rather than the project’s history, structure, or operations.

A Report on the EDUCAUSE Cyberinfrastructure Summit

ckeller — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:24:43 -0500

EDUCAUSE, as part of its Grand Challenges Program, is hosting several summits on topics of particular importance to higher education. These summits are designed to bring together a small number of thought leaders and experts to capture the best ideas and strategies for advancing the community. The 2007 EDUCAUSE Cyberinfrastructure (CI) Summit, held July 10–11 in Denver, was attended by about 50 higher education leaders with particular expertise and responsibility in the support of IT for research. A professional facilitator guided the group through a rich discussion of the highest-priority topics they identified.

7 Things You Should Know About Cyberinfrastructure

ckeller — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:09:16 -0500

Cyberinfrastructure is not a new technology, per se, or merely a better, faster Internet. While cyberinfrastructure brings together high-performance computing, remote sensors, large data sets, middleware, and sophisticated applications (modeling, simulation, visualization), it also involves people as participants in the generation of knowledge, giving them the opportunity to share expertise, tools, and facilities. Cyberinfrastructure merges technology, data, and human resources into a seamless whole.

In addition to the "7 Things You Should Know About…" briefs, you may find other ELI resources useful in addressing teaching, learning, and technology issues at your institution. To learn more, please visit the ELI Resources page.

The University in a Networked Economy and Society

ckeller — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 13:14:50 -0500

Presentation at the Sixth Annual ECAR/HP Summer Symposium for Higher Education IT Executives, June 11-13, 2007, Boulder, Colorado. When Yochai Benkler's book, The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom, came out, Stanford Law Professor Larry Lessig said, "This is -- by far -- the most important and powerful book written in the fields that matter most to me in the last ten years. If there is one book you read this year, it should be this." This work examines the ways in which information technology permits extensive forms of collaboration that may have transformative consequences for economy and society. Benkler's presentation outlines the characteristics of the networked information economy and the roles of collaboration and commons-based production of information, knowledge, and culture, and it suggests avenues to apply these broad trends to education and education-related policy.

Multi-Institutional IT Collaboration

ckeller — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 10:35:00 -0500

Presentation at the Sixth Annual ECAR/HP Summer Symposium for Higher Education IT Executives, June 11-13, 2007, Boulder, Colorado. In 2006, ECAR distributed three surveys: the first was designed simply to ascertain whether the responding institution collaborated in significant ways; the second asked responding collaborators to describe their experiences, views, outcomes, concerns, and readiness with and for collaborations; and the third asked self-identified non-collaborators in IT to describe the barriers to collaboration they face, the cultural assumptions and beliefs of their institutions, and their views about the possible future for IT collaboration at their institutions. The survey responses offer a rich snapshot of how and when colleges and universities collaborate, the nature of the collaborations themselves, and a sense of the effectiveness of IT collaborations in higher education.

IT Collaboration: Multi-Institutional Partnerships to Develop, Manage, and Operate IT Resources Roadmap

ckeller — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:27:13 -0500

This ECAR roadmap synthesizes the important issues and recommended actions drawn from the 2007 study, IT Collaboration: Multi-Institutional Partnerships to Develop, Manage, and Operate IT Resources. The study explores multi-institutional collaboration in terms of the types of information technology (IT) collaborations in higher education and the practices associated with positive outcomes. It is based on a literature review to identify issues and develop research questions; a screening survey of 586 colleges and universities to distinguish collaborators from non-collaborators; a follow-up survey tailored for 157 institutions presently engaged in at least one form of collaboration and a separate follow-up survey tailored for 113 institutions that have elected not to participate in IT collaborations; qualitative interviews with IT leaders from 30 institutions including both collaborators and non-collaborators; consultation with a select group of chief information officers who are extensively engaged in collaboration; and two in-depth case studies that look at how collaborators form, manage, and sustain their ventures.

IT Collaboration: Multi-Institutional Partnerships to Develop, Manage, and Operate IT Resources - Key Findings

ckeller — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:09:11 -0500

This document presents the key findings from the 2007 ECAR study, IT Collaboration: Multi-Institutional Partnerships to Develop, Manage, and Operate IT Resources. The study explores multi-institutional collaboration in terms of the types of information technology (IT) collaborations in higher education and the practices associated with positive outcomes. It is based on a literature review to identify issues and develop research questions; a screening survey of 586 colleges and universities to distinguish collaborators from non-collaborators; a follow-up survey tailored for 157 institutions presently engaged in at least one form of collaboration and a separate follow-up survey tailored for 113 institutions that have elected not to participate in IT collaborations; qualitative interviews with IT leaders from 30 institutions including both collaborators and non-collaborators; consultation with a select group of chief information officers who are extensively engaged in collaboration; and two in-depth case studies that look at how collaborators form, manage, and sustain their ventures.

IT Collaboration: Multi-Institutional Partnerships to Develop, Manage, and Operate IT Resources

ckeller — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 17:08:10 -0500

This 2007 ECAR research study explores multi-institutional collaboration in terms of the types of information technology (IT) collaborations in higher education and the practices associated with positive outcomes. The study is based on a literature review to identify issues and develop research questions; a screening survey of 586 colleges and universities to distinguish collaborators from non-collaborators; a follow-up survey tailored for 157 institutions presently engaged in at least one form of collaboration and a separate follow-up survey tailored for 113 institutions that have elected not to participate in IT collaborations; qualitative interviews with IT leaders from 30 institutions including both collaborators and non-collaborators; consultation with a select group of chief information officers who are extensively engaged in collaboration; and two in-depth case studies that look at how collaborators form, manage, and sustain their ventures. A corporate edition is available here.

IT Collaboration: Multi-Institutional Partnerships to Develop, Manage, and Operate IT Resources - Corporate Edition

ckeller — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 17:02:20 -0500

Team Building in Virtual Worlds

drupal — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 16:15:36 -0600

The use of virtual worlds provides a means for educators to bring a simulated real-world experience to the classroom. This case study will explore how undergraduates were able to go beyond the confines of the classroom space to gain team-building skills through the use of the virtual world Second Life.

Working Together: Multi-Institutional Efforts to Develop and Deliver Technology Services (Non-Collaborators)

drupal — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 16:01:54 -0600

This November 2006 survey is for higher education institutions that indicated in an ECAR screening survey of September 2006 that they have not engaged in a major IT collaboration within the past 24 months. The survey will inform research that seeks to understand the reasons institutions have not engaged in IT collaborations and their plans for future collaborations.

Working Together: Multi-Institutional Efforts to Develop and Deliver Technology Services (Collaborators)

drupal — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 15:58:18 -0600

This November 2006 survey is for higher education institutions that indicated in an ECAR screening survey of September 2006 that they are involved in one or more significant multi-institutional collaborations. The survey will inform research that seeks to more deeply understand what drives institutions to collaborate as well as the extent of the collaborative activity.

Working Together: Multi-Institutional Efforts to Develop and Deliver Technology Services

drupal — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 12:07:52 -0500

This September 2006 screening survey seeks to understand how higher education institutions collaborate to develop and deliver essential technology services. Before tackling a topic this broad, ECAR must better understand the landscape for collaboration. This survey assesses whether institutions are involved in a collaboration or agreement to purchase services from (or sell them to) other institutions today.

A Case Study for Evaluating a New Technology: Selecting a Synchronous Collaboration Tool at the University of Tennessee

drupal — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 14:18:09 -0500

After spending a year and a half investigating synchronous collaboration tools for possible implementation at The University of Tennessee to facilitate teaching and research, the Innovative Technology Center will make a recommendation and share best practices and lessons learned for successful technology integration.

E2005 Podcast: Building the LAMS Community Web Site

podcaster — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 16:33:32 -0600

This 42 minute recording provides coverage of the 2005 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference Session entitled Sharing Learning Designs: Building the LAMS Community Web Site.

Expanding Cyber Communities

drupal — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 09:01:01 -0600

Information technologies provide us with tools to work together at greater distances and with more partners than ever before. But have we changed the intellectual communities in which we work? This talk illustrates the growth of cyber communities using HASTAC ("haystack": Humanities, Arts, Sciences, and Technology Advanced Collaboratory), an informal, voluntary consortium.

Summary of the NMI Advanced CAMP on Virtual Organizations

drupal — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 12:14:13 -0600

This is a summary of the NMI Advanced CAMP on Virtual Organizations meeting that was held June 29—July 1, 2005 in Denver, Colorado.

Sharing Learning Designs: Building the LAMS Community Web Site

drupal — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 12:34:30 -0600

Learning designs or "learning activity sequences" represent flows of collaborative activities that are authored and run by teachers. The Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) is an open-source system that allows easy creation and sharing of sequences. This presentation will describe implementation of the global community sharing Web site for LAMS sequences.

Come Together: Campuses Find the Road to Success Lined with Partnerships and Collaborations

drupal — Wed, 23 Jul 2003 10:19:07 -0500

Partnering in the learning marketspace is an NLII key theme because it provides new opportunities to reconfigure the way that instruction is funded, developed, marketed, delivered, and supported. We continue to examine alternatives and issues involved for inter-institutional partnering and for partnering with commercial service providers to develop and implement highly leveraged strategies for e-learning-the use of Internet technologies in teaching and learning in higher education.

This article highlights three sessions at the NLII annual meeting looking at how relationships are making it possible for institutions to realize their academic missions.

Leveraging IT Investments: Technology-Based Partnerships and Collaborations

drupal — Tue, 22 Jul 2003 09:26:14 -0500

In tough economic times, intelligent leveraging of information technology investments through partnerships and collaborations is especially critical. Such collaborations may distinguish institutions that continue to advance their technology edge from those that fall behind. This research bulletin describes the technologies that support effective collaborations and partnerships and focuses on opportunities and risks that face higher education institutions today.

Associated Colleges of the South Online Music Collaborative: Phase II

drupal — Thu, 03 Apr 2003 15:50:35 -0600

In 2001, the Associated Colleges of the South created a music collaborative involving 16 member institutions. The collaborative launched a student composition contest and held a New Music Festival and technology workshop. In the current phase, the collaborative is streaming video of faculty concerts, hosting the New Music Festival, and creating online teaching modules.