Linking development and innovation with mainstream activities

1. Linking development and innovation with mainstream activities Grainne Conole & Paul Browning Belfast, 25 June g.conole@bristol.ac.uk

2. ICT R&D - it can only get better? • The current picture looks rosy, we have • a wealth of good ICT research • a growing mass of resources and developments • new types of specialist ICT professionals • emergence of niche units of expertise • a wealth of supporting national and international agendas and initiatives • Having lots of R&D activities must automatically benefit mainstream university activities?

3. But there is a gap….. • R&D findings don’t always relate to university strategy • R&D activities often occur in isolation and don’t link to mainstream university activities • There is a lack of communication and understanding • Developments/resources are often built without enough reference to end users needs • Resource are often not widely used across university • There is sometimes a conflict between ICT R&D interests and mainstream needs/focus

4. Key factors • ICT research and development • is a moving target • will have a significant and growing impact in the future • Scale up • evidence of the area maturing, eg emerging standards • need to look at issues of scale up and impact on organisational change • Joining up • imperative that wide range of disciplines impacting on this research area are brought together • need wide range of skills and a multidisciplinary approach

5. Harnessing the potential of ICT • We need to • close the loop between R&D and mainstream activities • have a clear understanding and focus on university needs • provide mechanisms for best using ICT R&D expertise into mainstream activities • Benefits • a more cohesive and focused set of activities • more directly relevant to the university and end users • better integration with mainstream activities and agendas

6. A complex matrix of issues Technical: Functionality, interoperability, robustness Pedagogical: Types of learning, integration, support Structural: What structures, who should do what Support: Training and staff development, student help Strategy: Institutional leadership, Joined up strategies Culture: organisational change, ownership, time to adapt

7. The wider agenda Research findings The Virtual Society and PACCIT Link to practice Research National drivers: NGfL, ufi, e-university The International context: globalisation, competition/collaboration Drivers • University learning and teaching innovation funds • Hefce quality enhancement funds • CTI, LTSN, TLTP, FDTL, JISC e_Lib and DNER Resources

8. Strategies for closing the loop • a better understanding of the underlying factors • provision of a communication route for R&D activities • reflection on experience in the field and feed back • articulating the link between R&D and strategy • awareness of key university political agendas and drivers • Constant communication and dialogue • Representation on appropriate formal structures • Mutual respect and understanding • Critical projects - to act as flagships or testbeds

9. Case study ILRT within a University of Bristol context • Outline of underlying philosophy • Overview of • ILRT’s research and development activities • main ingredients for sustaining R&D activities • key strategies for linking to mainstream activities • Example of a ‘critical’ project for joining up

10. Institute for Learning & Research TechnologyA diverse range of R&D, services and consultancy Information gateways, digital libraries Internet design, research and development Digital image research and services Virtual worlds, learning tools and environments Pedagogical research and evaluation Consultancy, courses, conferences

11. People and supportgood practice, expertise and resources Cross-disciplinary Expertise, research and development Project-based, supportive structure Encourages creativity, track record of sustainability, supported by a strong virtual presence and networking structure 70-80 staff with a wide range of expertise Technical, pedagogical, research and development, digitisation and imaging, teaching and learning, project management, knowledge management & organisational change

12. Inter-linked activities Advice and consultancy Projects and services Technical R&D Pedagogical R&D

13. Conferences Renardus Tasi LTSN Economics modules ETS masters Sosig BB-LT Short courses LTSS Reviews Filter WinEcon Workshops ID Evaluation RDN VTS Biz/ed RGSS Regard Web design & usability Toolkits Bopcris M/VLEs Easel Cultures Medcertain Harmony Advisory services, teaching, staff development & training Services and resources, digital libraries and information gateways Pedagogical and technical research

14. Show cases VTS tutorials LTSS - harnessing project expertise Internet Catalogue Lunchbytes Workshops Learning resources Discussion fora Interact Try it

15. Show cases Data Workshops ID - build and consultancy Usability & design Virtual worlds Bespoke VLEs Advice & consultancy VIOLET Intranet build

16. A ‘critical’ project - VIOLET • VIOLET • Virtual Integrated OnLine Environment for Teaching” • Sister project to IRIS • The UoB "Research & Enterprise" portal • VIOLET aspires to • deliver a "Teaching & Learning" portal • IRIS and VIOLET together • underpin efforts to realise the vision of a University Portal.

17. Builds on • Internal Research and Development work • Growing cross-institutional need • Timely recent report from Learning and Teaching group • Institutional strategies • Learning and Teaching strategy • Information Strategy • Emergent C&IT strategy

18. Timescale and aims • Four-month feasibility study • which will conclude at the end of July 2001 • The project aims to • explore the issues around an appropriate Virtual and Managed Leaning Environment for the University • to make recommendations for the future

19. 3 main strands • To implement • a Commercial-Off-The-Shelf VLE (Blackboard) • To ensure • that the DataHub is populated by authoritative student and curriculum information from the Dolphin student system • To create • a bespoke VMLE (building on Medici and Law Intranet) that uses the DataHub information to provide a framework into which learning resources may be added • Evaluation - Cross institution team • To compare COTS & bespoke, explore use, make recommendations

20. Themes and strands

21. Stakeholder involvement • COTS VLE strand • Medicine (link in with bespoke) • Education (to explore learning aspects) • Conversion from existing systems • Bespoke VLE strand • Builds on Medici and Law sites • Reworking of Medici in zope • Vets, Dentists, Education • others in the pipe line

22. Key Strengths Pragmatic approach based on current need and demand the state of the technology Joined-up thinking Combining expertise across UoB Generating shared ownership Eye to the future Educating stakeholders Strategic perspective Key Issues Joining up can be hard! Technically - closed MIS systems, but glueware like Zope really helps Culturally - closed MIS mindset, but an Information Strategy really helps Adequate resources Problem still seems huge Integration of COTS and bespoke Resource implications Fostering ownership Training requirements Critical factors

23. Integration requires cross-institutional collaboration an understanding of the different perspectives and agendas involvement a belief in the process/expected outcomes and benefits It’s a tricky balance! Researchers don’t want to link into ‘real’ activities What funders want doesn’t always match local aspirations Developers not listening to end user needs Tension between commercial, local & research Compromise But…. Thorough integration of R&D activities with mainstream agenda benefits everyone

24. Whole greater than the sum of the parts? • Each project builds on other R&D activities • There is ongoing communication with other projects in ILRT. What are they doing? How can the outputs from one project feed into another? • The feedback loop is cyclical with research informing development and experience of use in the field feeding back into research • Outputs are fed into other ILRT activities, the University and appropriate external channels • Individual expertise and interests, role of staff development • Influence of proximity • Academic credibility and respect, mutual understanding

25. Success factors • a clear link between R&D activities and mainstream • a mechanism for communication back and forth • evidence of relevance to end user needs • utilisation of sector expertise and niche specialities • a broad multidisciplinary perspective • appropriate utilisation of national/international initiatives • integration with local agendas