2. Online collaboration for design
• BIM Hub project
• Loughborough, Coventry and Ryerson
(Toronto)
• Funded by HEA
• Follow on from Learning to Create a Better
Built Environment funded by Hewlett Packard
• Altogether four years 2011-2015 of
intervention
3.
4. Project structure
Loughborough Coventry Ryerson
Mandatory Optional Mandatory
Project
Management
Structural
Engineering
Architecture
Two cohorts (one
per semester)
One cohort (both
semester)
One cohort (both
semesters)
Task
• groups of two students from each university
• Semester one: design a building
• Semester two: write report
• Using email, DropBox, Social MediaGoToMeeting
5. Also …
Of appeal to students because
• Motivating
• Authentic experience
• Transferable skills
• Perception of improved employability
• More interesting than just working face-to-
face
9. Lessons learnt: Skills for online collaboration
• Commitment of participants to the collaboration.
• Equitable and fair treatment of all participants.
• Maintenance of trust within the collaboration.
• Applying project management techniques.
• Cultural differences.
• Use of technology.
• Digital literacy.
• Working externally.
• Need to address lack of socialisation.
11. Developing ability in online meetings
Improved over time (but correlation not causation)
• Applying meeting management techniques;
scheduling, agendas, action points.
• Improvement in IT skills.
• Developing a greater understanding of the task.
• Reification through creation of models.
• Developing presence in online meetings.
However …
• Inauthenticity of virtual connections.
• Lack of socialisation.
12. Developing Presence in GoToMeeting
• Early stages; talk offline, limited use of
applications,
• Ah-ha moments, groups choose to clarify by
showing on screen
• Experienced users, gesture, switch between
applications, modify in realtime
14. Developing presence in meetings
• Getting the technology right.
• Fluency with software.
• Online etiquette.
• Don’t tell, show.
• Keep the conversation on screen not offline.
• Doodle
• Modify each others’ work
• Make an appearance
• Socialise
15. Lessons learnt by students
(we thought were self-evident)
• Not breaking off for private conversations.
• Effectively supplementing face-to-face behaviours to
compensate for less physical presence.
• Chairing meetings formally so that only one person
speaks at the same time and everyone gets a chance to
contribute.
• Planning and structuring meetings.
• Ensuring everyone is included.
• Eliminating echo.
• Taking into account students with disabilities.
• Don’t work in unsuitable areas.
