This project aims to bring some of the affordances of consumer social networks to teaching and learning, and will deliver applications within CamTools, our Sakai-based VLE. This is an informal blog by the project team at CARET, University of Cambridge.

Tuesday 26 January 2010

Product 1 – Find out how to use user-centric design!

Desperate to understand what your faculty and students REALLY want (because it’s never what they ask for)?
This handbook gives you the methodology description of the JISC Academic Networking project.
A run-through, with real examples, pictures and lots of ‘how-do-I-start-on-this’ should enable you to get started on a project, using this methodology yourself.

> Download the Handbook
> Download the complete method book - This is a very long and detailed version of the Handbook above, so be warned! If you do want to get the details though, with a lot of examples and pictures, you might find this one interesting
> Download the flyer

This outcome is one of the products presented at the JISC Innovation Exchange at Birmingham 28th-29th January

Product 2 – Find out how to involve stakeholders efficiently!

Looking to try something new with your next project, or you simply want to find out how to involve your stakeholders efficiently? Then this product is something for you!

It can sometimes be really hard to get your stakeholders involved. This tick-box-shaped document isn’t a walkthrough roadmap, but a list of initiatives you can choose from, in order to involve your stakeholders in an efficient way.

> Document on how to involve stakeholders efficiently
> Document about personas - Adds to the information in the previous document
> Find out more information on 'Stakeholder buy-in' on the BRII blog
> The Academic Networking presentation about 'Stakeholder buy-in' at the BRII assembly in Oxford
> Download the flyer

This outcome is one of the products presented at the JISC Innovation Exchange at Birmingham 28th-29th January

Product 3 – Find out how to do user testing!

Another outcome of this exciting project is a brief example video which shows you a real user testing session so you get an idea of what user testing is like.

We also run a workshop on Friday 5th of March 2010 which gives you concrete tips on how to get started on doing a user testing session yourself, and a chance to ask questions and explore your ideas with others who’ve done it before!
After the workshop, you’ll be invited to see the sights of Cambridge!

This workshop will take place at CARET (16 Mill Lane, CB2 1SB Cambridge). It will probably be a full day (morning and afternoon), but further details will follow later.

Apply for attending this workshop by emailing Laura (laura @ caret.cam.ac.uk) or Anne-Sophie (asd38 @ caret.cam.ac.uk), and definitely have a look at the video!

> Watch the video
> Download the flyer

This outcome is one of the products presented at the JISC Innovation Exchange at Birmingham 28th-29th January

Product 4 – Academic Networking in your Virtual Learning Environment!

One of the outcomes of the JISC Academic Networking project is that the results of the project will be integrated in future releases of open source Online Learning Environment Sakai.
Keep an eye on SakaiProject.org!

> Download the flyer

This outcome is one of the products presented at the JISC Innovation Exchange at Birmingham 28th-29th January

Thursday 21 January 2010

Off to the programme meeting...

Next week, Laura and Anne-Sophie will be off to Aston for the Institutional Innovation JISC programme meeting.

We're looking forward to meeting the other projects, and figuring out what to buy in the Trade Fair... watch this space for posts about what we'll have available in the Fair!