The SCALE Partnership’s
Collaborative Workspace
David J. Sleasman
Knowledge Manager
djsleasman@wisc.edu
SCALE Mathematics and Science Partnership
Wisconsin Center for Education Research
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Why are collaborative software
tools interesting to librarians?
System-wide Change for All Learners
and Educators (SCALE)
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Research project (2003-2007) focused on improving
mathematics and science teaching and learning through
systemic change
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http://www.scalemsp.org/
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Funded by the NSF (Award No. 0227016)
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Partner institutions
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Denver Public Schools
California State University, Dominguez Hills
Los Angeles Unified School District
Madison Metropolitan School District
Providence Public Schools
University of Pittsburgh
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Problem: How to Support Collaborative
Work for This New Partnership?
- Existing IT networks and email exist as many
isolated knowledge silos.
- Most partners have little pre-existing relationship
prior to the grant writing process.
- Partnership is an “organization” with little traditional
hierarchy and accompanying lines of communication.
- Lines of work involve individuals at different levels
within each partner institution hierarchy.
- Little ability to easily learn and share work done within
the partnership.
Collaborative software
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Provides a central platform for collaborative work
(exchange and discovery of information) that is
independent of each institution’s IT support (networks,
email, and information systems).
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Provides for the security of data depending on the role,
group membership or line of work.
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Also allows other advantages like:
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Stores material for discovery and re-use,
Allows asynchronous collaboration,
Building services for the partnership, and
Building efficiencies to solve operational problems.
SCALE Considered Solutions
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Basic Support for Cooperative Work
(BSCW)
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http://bscw.fit.fraunhofer.de/
Vignette Business Collaboration
Server (VCBS)
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http://www.vignette.com/
Selected VCBS because:
- Customizable
- Flexible security
- Many built-in tools to facilitate work
- Track record with large corporations
- Interact via Web, email, etc.
- Personalization features for individuals and groups
- Easily accommodate users outside partner
organizations
VCBS Under the hood…
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Java application and relational database
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API consists of Python scripts and 1400+
templates files (syntactically similar to JSP
pages) which are a mixture of HTML, proprietary
ISPECT code, JavaScript, and Java call
methods
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Convera Search engine indexing metadata (nonstandard but can be easily customized) and
document contents
What user features are ‘out of
the box’?
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Stable, unique URLs and email addresses for
objects
Integrates with email
Calendars with email invitations
Discussions
Task management and reminders
Polling
Flexible ‘views’ of folder(s) and object(s)
Internal linking
Subscriptions and notification
Web monitoring
Secure mini-work spaces (C-spaces)
However…
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The rich feature set is intimidating in the complexity of
potential interactions.
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Users generally unaccustomed to being able to create
discussions, calendars, etc. unilaterally.
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Lack of established organizational structure was
daunting both for creating workspaces and navigation.
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Employs metaphors that might not be familiar for all
users.
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Created as a business tool NOT for research.
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Users had little understanding in these information tools
and a lack of trust.
Initial Strategy for Adoption
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Hire Knowledge Manager to focus on organization,
management, and development (preferably a librarian)
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Reduce barriers to use including interface complexity
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Assist with organization of information
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Build library of useful resources
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Improve/customize most important features
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Identify and use role models (social/cultural leaders)
and emphasize social aspects
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Train/coach users at speed they are comfortable
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Establish conventions
Build trust and comfort levels over time.
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How is SCALEnet organized?
Who has access to the material in SCALEnet?
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Accounts are created for those involved in SCALErelated work.
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Terry Millar, SCALE’s PI, has requested a generally open
policy.
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Restricted (financial or human subjects data, for
example) material will be invisible without appropriate
group membership.
How is SCALEnet growing?
August 2005 Statistics
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532 Users – Project Administrators,
Researchers, Curricula Developers,
District Administrators, and K12
Teachers
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48,794 + Objects in the Database
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8-11% Growth Monthly
What can be found in SCALEnet?
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Meeting notes
Calendars
Contact information
Email correspondence
NSF reports
Project graphics
Information on each of
the SCALE partners
Travel information
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Evaluation Tools
Presentations
Calendar of Events
Agendas and meeting notes
Event photographs and
media files
Related research and
scholarly publications
Example of how SCALEnet being
used?
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Co-construction of curriculum units between STEM faculty,
district representatives, and SCALE curriculum
developers.
Harvest material to produce monthly newsletter
Collaboratively write NSF reports, etc.
100+ email discussions on practically every line of work
Fill gap for partner when they need a collaborative
workspace.
Deliver ancillary material to NSF program officer.
Track development of lines of work.
Now in the next phase of
adoption…
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Developing new features that focus on solving
specific operational problems
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Emphasizing advanced features
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Constructing specific views of folder hierarchy
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Continue to build trust in the system and
collaborators
Returning to the question…Why are
collaborative software tools interesting
to librarians?
- Advantageous to aid work as we form our own partnerships
that cross traditional boundaries.
- Allows us as professionals to document our work and learn
more about our organizations
- Allows libraries to go “further upstream” in the scholarly
process to capture a richer collection of digital artifacts
which illuminate the creation, thoughts, and evolution of
intellectual work
- Build those artifacts into Archives, Special Collections,
Digital Libraries, etc.