Leedsfeeds: a blogging service based on the open source Elgg application Melissa Highton Senior Staff Development Officer University of Leeds

The provision and use of blogs and social networks How they support institutional aims Challenges in providing such services Strategies and success

The provision and use of blogs and social networks

How they support institutional aims

Challenges in providing such services

Strategies and success

“ A social network service focuses on the building and verifying of online social networks for communities of people who share interests and activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others, and which necessitates the use of software.” (quote copied and reused from Brian’s slides)

“ A social network service focuses on the building and verifying of online social networks for communities of people who share interests and activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others, and which necessitates the use of software.”

(quote copied and reused from Brian’s slides)

Leeds University Values

Networking “ networking with people there is far more productive than anything that comes out of meetings… “ “ Having people you can ring up about issues that you are both having to deal with is very helpful.” “ Now I will have to put systems in place to do something about that. It is an important part of the job knowing who is where, who is doing what and what they are thinking. “ Leeds and Loughborough Universities for JISC (2006) -An investigation of the staff development issues relating to i-skills development of Higher Education non-academic staff

“ networking with people there is far more productive than anything that comes out of meetings… “

“ Having people you can ring up about issues that you are both having to deal with is very helpful.”

“ Now I will have to put systems in place to do something about that. It is an important part of the job knowing who is where, who is doing what and what they are thinking. “

Leeds and Loughborough Universities for JISC (2006)

-An investigation of the staff development issues relating to

i-skills development of Higher Education non-academic staff

What are our interests? Why should institutions have an interest in blogs and social networks? Enhance learning They can enrich learning: e-learning portfolios, collaborative learning, informal learning, … Enhance research They can enrich research: engagement with peers, feedback, social support, … Community benefits Engagement & dissemination e.g. by support departments (IT services, library, …) Role of institutions in developing digital citizens (list copied and reused from Brian’s slides)

Why should institutions have an interest in blogs and social networks?

Enhance learning

They can enrich learning: e-learning portfolios, collaborative learning, informal learning, …

Enhance research

They can enrich research: engagement with peers, feedback, social support, …

Community benefits

Engagement & dissemination e.g. by support departments (IT services, library, …)

Role of institutions in developing digital citizens

(list copied and reused from Brian’s slides)

Is this true? But what if: Users don’t trust our organisations? Staff & students feel more free to criticise on commercial services They prefer the disinterested approaches of commercial providers

But what if:

Users don’t trust our organisations?

Staff & students feel more free to criticise on commercial services

They prefer the disinterested approaches of commercial providers

What are your questions about LeedsCommunityBlogs? The purpose(s) of the service The resource implications The deployment strategies: Inhouse vs external (& associated concerns) The evaluation and selection The deployment The training and support The legal issues: privacy, copyright, IPR, defamation, accessibility, … The institutional concerns: reputation management, sustainability, preservation, … (list copied and reused from Brian’s slides)

The purpose(s) of the service

The resource implications

The deployment strategies:

Inhouse vs external (& associated concerns)

The evaluation and selection

The deployment

The training and support

The legal issues: privacy, copyright, IPR, defamation, accessibility, …

The institutional concerns: reputation management, sustainability, preservation, …

(list copied and reused from Brian’s slides)

Credits Images in this presentation belong to the University of Leeds and members of the ‘Fans of the Roger Stevens Building - the 8th wonder of the architectural world’ Facebook Community.

Images in this presentation belong to the University of Leeds and members of

the ‘Fans of the Roger Stevens Building - the 8th wonder of the architectural

world’ Facebook Community.