The document discusses planning a community dimension for the UNSW Learning & Teaching Exchange. It proposes creating a community-based repository, networking tool, and showcase for professional development. Key aspects discussed include conceptual models for online repositories, using social networking tools, defining communities of practice and scholarships of teaching and learning. Opportunities for faculty engagement are outlined through intra- and inter-faculty networks. A participatory design process is suggested to develop the community dimension through iterative user testing and engagement.

1. Belinda Allen Giedre Kligyte Mike Bogle Rosalyn Pursey University of New South Wales Communities in practice: Planning a community dimension for the UNSW Learning & Teaching Exchange

2. What is it?  community based repository  networking tool  showcase  professional development/career development support

3. A conceptual model …

4. Online resources/repositories History - ‘build it and they will come’  ‘ community’ focus (eg ALTC Exchange)  ‘ local’ focus (complement ALTC Exchange)  institutional support/integration Alec Couros, Faculty of Education, University of Regina

5. The future - social networking Alec Couros, Faculty of Education, University of Regina  http://www.commoncraft.com /socialmedia  Web 2.0 - networking tools  democratisation of production  open-source technology

6. Communities What is a ‘community’ in L&T context? Communities of Practice (CoP) ( Wenger 1998) Joint enterprise, mutual engagement, production of shared repertoire Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) (Trigwell, Martin, Benjamin & Prosser, 2000) “practitioners must participate in the effort if it is to have real consequences in the classroom” Teaching commons (Huber and Hutchings, 2006) “come together to exchange ideas about teaching and learning” What is a ‘community’ in this institution?

7. Opportunities for engagement  Intra and inter-Faculty networks  Career pathways o Professional development programs o Awards and recognition o Portfolio development  L&T practical issues (large class teaching …)

8. Institutional framework Recruitment processes Professional development Promotion processes Departmental support Other academic support systems Library Research office …

9. Critical issues Relate to existing systems and processes Support and enhance work practices Usability - access and engagement Supports incremental engagement Model connective learning practice

10. Design-based research  Participatory design process What is participatory design? http:// cpsr .org/issues/pd/ introInfo / Iterative/ evolutionary development

11. Characteristics of participatory design The Three Stages of Participatory Design – discovery, evaluation, prototyping - engagement of user User design, not user-centred design Engagement of users as designers as well as participants User perspective An academic scenario Use cases

12. User focus - an academic scenario Senior lecturer Dr Imran Nazar wakes up at 6.30 am. He has a 9am lecture for 400 students, and needs to determine which of them have not completed the preparatory work he has set, by checking the online quiz they should have completed. He has taken some risk in trying out activities he has never tried before with this large class, but he has been lucky to have the support of teaching colleagues from across the campus to encourage him. When his class size was doubled this session, he checked the UNSW L&T Exchange for ideas of how to manage the larger cohort . There he found colleagues who had experience with teaching large classes and had published some of their successful strategies. Today some of them will be meeting at a morning tea that the group organised for a face-to-face chat about how their strategies are working. He has based the new activities his class are doing on some of those experiences, and he is recording his reflections on their effectiveness in his online portfolio in the UNSW L&T Exchange. When he is satisfied that the course design is working well, it can be published as a teaching exemplar for his colleagues, earning him L&T credits to spend on activities such as educational conferences. He is excited about the new approach, and when he meets his colleagues at morning tea they discuss writing up some of their experiences for publication in an educational journal. The L&T Exchange has helped him to identify relevant publication outlets , and enabled him to contact other UNSW academics with more experience in publishing on educational issues. An online peer review process is available to help him fine-tune his writing before approaching publishers, and he is able to volunteer as a reviewer himself to help him hone his writing skills. In a few months there will be interviews for promotion, and he has begun to prepare a case that includes evidence of the successful development of his teaching practice. The job will be made easier now that the L&T Exchange allows him to access records of all the L&T events he has attended or facilitated, his involvement in educational projects , publications he has contributed to, and his own reflections on his teaching practice. His portfolio reflection today expresses amazement at the changes he has made in a few short months, and he makes a mental note to organise a seminar for his school to share his recent experience – it will be easy to set up using the Event booking system in the UNSW L&T Exchange, and will look great in his case for promotion!

13. User focus - use cases Use case 1A: The searcher (Examples) A person is looking for some examples to guide what they are doing. They just want to search, and read. They may want to comment and ask questions. They may also want links to some "how to resources" or attend an event after they have seen an example. Use case 1B: The searcher (Resources) A person is looking for a "how to" guide and FAQ for a task. They may go from there to see some exemplars or take up some professional development activities. Use Case 2: The Sharer The person has some resources or links or a topic that they want to share with others in order to discuss. Use Case 3A: The Joiner Wants to join or is already part of a community. They either want to find a community of like-minded people. Or they are part of the community in realworld and want to join its online community. Use Case 3B: The Community/Project Representative Wants to establish an online presence for their Community/Project and invite other people to participate. May want to present showcase items. Use Case 4: The Event Participant Has registered for an event with L&T and has elected to be part of the community (after being prompted!!). They have elected to receive news from and be able to go into the community. Use Case 5A: The Self-nominated Exemplar Contributor Has joined the community, maybe originally being a sharer and has decided to put forward an exemplar. Maybe for the purposes of promotion. Has to prepare an exemplar based on templates and put it forward. L&T has an editorial role. Use Case 5B: The Nominated Exemplar Contributor Has been put forwarded by someone as an example of best practice. Has been approached by L&T and asked whether they would like to contribute. If they say yes, has to prepare an exemplar based on templates and put it forward. L&T has an editorial role.

14. User focus - existing networks and practices Use case 1A: The searcher (Examples) A person is looking for some examples to guide what they are doing. They just want to search, and read. They may want to comment and ask questions. They may also want links to some "how to resources" or attend an event after they have seen an example. Use case 1B: The searcher (Resources) A person is looking for a "how to" guide and FAQ for a task. They may go from there to see some exemplars or take up some professional development activities. Use Case 2: The Sharer The person has some resources or links or a topic that they want to share with others in order to discuss. Use Case 3A: The Joiner Wants to join or is already part of a community. They either want to find a community of like-minded people. Or they are part of the community in realworld and want to join its online community. Use Case 3B: The Community/Project Representative Wants to establish an online presence for their Community/Project and invite other people to participate. May want to present showcase items. Use Case 4: The Event Participant Has registered for an event with L&T and has elected to be part of the community (after being prompted!!). They have elected to receive news from and be able to go into the community. Use Case 5A: The Self-nominated Exemplar Contributor Has joined the community, maybe originally being a sharer and has decided to put forward an exemplar. Maybe for the purposes of promotion. Has to prepare an exemplar based on templates and put it forward. L&T has an editorial role. Use Case 5B: The Nominated Exemplar Contributor Has been put forwarded by someone as an example of best practice. Has been approached by L&T and asked whether they would like to contribute. If they say yes, has to prepare an exemplar based on templates and put it forward. L&T has an editorial role.

15. Constraints and Next steps Resources availability of appropriate L&T staff availability of in-school/faculty support availability of internal/external funding

16. Activity What professional ‘communities’ are you engaged in, and how are they supported? In your local context, do you or would you be likely to use a facility like this: As a reader (searcher)? As a participant (joiner)? As a contributor (sharer)? As a facilitator (community rep)? As a developer? What kinds of activities/resources are/would be most useful to you?

17. Thank-you! For more information, please contact: Belinda Allen [email_address] Giedre Kligyte [email_address]