SCoPE
…an open, online community for
people like you
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTimeª and a
decompressor
2009 Improving University
Teaching
Sylvia Currie, BCcampus
scope.bccampus.ca

Starting Point
• Careful not to “over design” before launch
• Essential communication tools
• Core activity: monthly seminar discussions
• Began with discussion about the community
• Designed for busy people
– No obligations
– No guilt allowed!
scope.bccampus.ca

Participation
• 2,716 members
• 63 countries
• 43 seminars
• 42 Special Interest Groups
(SIGS) have been created
• Over 80 members have
volunteered to facilitate
• 10,776 posts
• 1,956,041 guest views
scope.bccampus.ca

All facilitators
are volunteers
Archives available forever
Forums, wikis, polls, etc
clustered together
by topic

Co-constructed wiki

Access to other tools
like Elluminate
RSS feeds from Embed content such as
relevant discussions photos from Flickr

Full online conference…
in a course: 226 delegates

Design for Success
• Participation on the periphery
• Community steward
• Attention to history
• Rhythm and variety, build anticipation
• Focus on people and dialogue
• Ideas for activities emerge through
participation
• Mutual exchange of services / collaboration
• Different modes and levels of engagement
scope.bccampus.ca

Challenges
• Management of resources generated through
participation
• Integration with the Learn Together
Collaboratory
• Role of community steward
– Presence
– Identity
– Transparent practice
scope.bccampus.ca

Challenges We Don’t Have!
• Spam
• Inappropriate behaviour
• Overwhelming inboxes
• Concerns about unfinished discussions
• Pressure to participate
• Competition
scope.bccampus.ca

Join us!
http://scope.bccampus.ca
scope.bccampus.ca