Purpose of today
• Exploring a Web 2.0 learning environment
• What it might be, how to get there
• What it might means for all concerned
Moving to personalisation for learners,
networking for staff and employers
This is based on a workshop at a London college May 2007
David Wilcox http://www.designingforcivilsociety.org
Drew Mackie http://www.usefulgames.co.uk
Creative Commons license
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The college currently uses a Blackboard-based virtual learning environment and wants to explore
how they might develop in future using more Web 2.0 tools. The college wants to o!er a more
personalised learning experience. In doing this they also want to build on students’ personal use of
Web 2.0 tools in social networking and other activities. The new online environment will also have to
provide for networking with sta! and with employers.

Agenda
1. What we mean by Web 1.0/2.0
2. A “game” to help design a new environment
3. Insights and issues for development
Our role: guide in the three journeys of discovery,
design and development
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Today’s three-hour session will cover a short presentation on Web 2.0, a game to explore possible
developments, and then discussion of what this means.

Change in technology
Web 2.0?
Web 1.0?
•Personal blogs
•Collaborative wikis
•E-mail
•Shared bookmarks
•Forums/lists
•Shared photos
•Web sites
•Shared docs
•Mainly text and images
•Social spaces
•Linking pages
•Audio and video
•Being in one place
•Feeding items
•Communities
•Being in many places
•Networks
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Before we get into the details, I would just like to check where we all are. There’s nothing wrong with
Web 1.0 - it depends what your requirements are.

Change in media
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What’s happening in the wider world is that people are shifting from traditional media to social
media
They can create their own content online and read, listen, view other people’s

Change in personal capacity
Profile
Many places
Feeds
Shared
photos and
bookmarks
Fundraising
http://beth.typepad.com/beths_blog/
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Taking advantage of new developments does give you as an individual or organisation a lot more
capability. Here’s how one blogger - Beth Kanter - is using Web 2.0 tools. See http://
socialmedia.wikispaces.com for more about social media, including a presentation from Beth.

Change in relationships
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The move to Web 2.0 can mean a move from hierarchical, broadcast communication to networks.
That involves a change in relationships, and control.

Change in e-learning
From virtual learning environment
to personal learning environment
http://members.optusnet.com.au/rlubensky/2006/12/present-and-future-of-personal-learning.html
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Personal learning environments are where e-portfolios, virtual learning environments and web 2.0
services converge.

... if there is a cultural change
Are you Yes 2.0? or No 2.0?
•A human voice •Official voice
•Willing to share •Anxious to control
•Building on what’s there •Concerned to “own”
•Promoting conversations •Emphasising publishing
•Ready to experiment •One version for all
•Evolving •Little flexibility
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The new Web 2.0 tools will work best in a “Yes 2.0” environment ... and their use in a more
controlling environment is likely to prove challenging.

How do we get from here to ??
1. Envisage the system, explore the process
2. The design the system - collaborative?
3. Build - openly?
Today - play through what that involves
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But how do we explore what a new Web 2.0 environment for e-learning might be like? It may help to
think of this as three journeys (see Anecdote http://www.anecdote.com.au/archives/2007/04/
knowledge_strat_2.html). First envision what the system might look like, and what the development
process might be. Then design the system (for real), and finally build the design. Key issues are
whether you collaborate with others and operate openly.

Playing through the journey
• Share an understanding of where we are
• Cards give options for approach, designing,
and building
• Choose and organise within 15 point budget
• Tell stories - pathways - for students, staff,
administration
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The workshop game developed by Drew Mackie and David Wilcox is designed to help with the first
journey of envisioning the final system, and looking at the development process. The run of the
game is: first describe the current situation in the college, and what you hope to achieve; then look
at the card set - with cards for approach, development and building. You have a budget limit. When
you have developed you system, switch into storytelling mode. What is it going to be like for
students, sta! and management?
We’ll develop the initial shared understanding together, then break into groups of 4-6 to consider
the cards and tell stories.
More on games at http://www.usefulgames.co.uk

1. The college now - and
in prospect
• What is the current system?
• What are the challenges?
• What changes in prospect?
• What aims for the future?
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Here’s some issues to start our discussion of the current situation. We’ll do this today and write it
up as we go. After that’s we’ll break into groups of 4-6 people. One group can look at development
from the perspective of students, another as teachers, and the third as managers.

2. Consider your approach
Are you going for an open or closed approach to
development and building - tech or people-led?
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In your groups look first at the cards with the “approach” strip. These are to prompt discussion
about your overall strategy.

3. Choose development cards
What methods will you use during development
to match your approach?
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The cards with pink budget points represent possible activities during development

4. Choose tools and activities
What tools and activities will make up the final
system in the light of previous discussion?
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Now you have thought about your approach, consider what tools and activities should be in the final
system. You have 15 points for these and the “pink” development cards together. Organise these
and the earlier cards on a flip chart.

Explore Web 2.0
Network mapping Open process
Staff and other involved are
Map the key interests and their Development group runs an open
encouraged to spend time exploring
connections - students, staff, process to harness internal and
blogs and other social media to
employers - as part of system design. external expertise, with a public-
understand the Web 2.0 world.
facing site.
Will your approach encourage
Will people find the time?
Does this fit college culture?
participation?
1 Approach 1
Employers network
Free Web services strategy
Newsletter on development
Employers are part of the system,
Free tools from Google, Yahoo and
Email newsletter keeps everyone
with their own areas.
others cut cost of software and
updated on the development process.
introduce students to their potential.
Will they participate?
Is this enough?
Prepared for companies to host the
content?
1 1 2
Social networking
Online forums
Instant messaging
The college decides to use a
Forums play a major part in hosting
Staff and students are encouraging to
customised version of an existing
online conversations.
be available online for real-time chat.
open source social networking
system.
Issues of facilitation?
Is this realistic for staff?
Acceptable use policy?
1 1 2

Open source
MySpace People first
or tech first? There is a commitment to use open
Students are able to use MySpace
source software where possible - and
and other commercial social
Which comes first - working with license the college system as open
networking systems.
people, or getting something built? source for development by others?
Concerns about content?
Any ways to earn revenue too?
1 Approach Approach
Photosharing
Hire some experts
Workshops and events
All are encouraged and supported in
The development group tenders a
The development programme
the sharing of photos.
contract for consultants to design and
includes a series of workshops and
build the system.
larger events, with continuing
Acceptable use issues?
discussion online.
Does this fit your approach?
Do you have a people-led process?
1 3 1
Social bookmarking/tagging
Skype - Voice over IP
Project collaboration system
Students and staff collaborate on
All are encouraged to integrate VoIP
Dedicated project management and
research using social bookmarking.
into their learning and collaborations.
collaboration system used internally.
Will people commit to this?
Will this be productive?
Is there an intranet that will do this?
1 1 1

Files repository
Video and podcasts Wikis
The system offers a flexible way to
Staff and students use video clips and Wikis are used by staff and students
store and share files, linked to other
podcasts extensively. for collaborative work.
components.
Appropriate system for hosting? Any experience of this?
Integrate with rest of the system?
2 1 1
Co-design
Virtual worlds - Second Life
Process support
Workshop with champions helps
Run sessions in a virtual world, like
The development group works with us
design the system.
Second Life.
online and in more workshops on a
collaborative process to develop the
Does this fit your approach?
Useful or a diversion?
system.
Benefits of external support?
2 2 1
Champions
Mobiles
Sell the system
Development group rapidly recruits
Mobile phones and SMS play a major
The college retains intellectual
champions to help design and
part in the new system.
property rights in order to sell the
promote the system.
system to others
Fits student preferences?
Does this fit your approach?
Will you get any free inputs?
Approach 1 1

Your idea?
Your idea? Your idea?
Your idea?
Your idea?
Your idea?
Your idea?
Your idea?
Your idea?

5. Write the stories
In groups, use the story
sheets to describe what
happens to:
• a student
• a teacher
• a manager
Facilitators may throw in some unexpected
challenges and opportunities
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From previous discussions, you have developed your vision of the development process and the
system that you may create. Now - in groups of 4-6 - tell the story of what it will be like to be
involved in development and use of the system, from the point of view of a student, teacher, and
member of sta!.

6. Keep talking online
Consider using an online collaboration system, like
that used to develop a proposal for the UK Cabinet
Office http://www.innovationexchange.net
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The game session will produce a lots of ideas and discussion. It may be appropriate to run another
session with a wider group of people. Meanwhile the core group can continue online. For example,
we created an online collaboration system for a consortium of interests to develop a proposal for an
innovation exchange. We could use something similar.