Students are currently isolated and unable to interact within the existing student portal system, which has limited discussion forums and file sharing capabilities. An ideal system would allow teachers to easily start interactive discussions and enable student groups to freely communicate and build communities both within and across groups. Realizing this vision faces challenges regarding privacy, resources, stakeholder variety, and potential user resistance. The deliverables from exploring this issue would include interviews, student responses, research, and brainstorm sessions to focus on improving interaction between teachers, students and groups within the scope defined, without selecting or designing specific software.

1. Interactive Student PortalKarlienPostelmansGertjanScholten Christiaan WestgeestFangLiang Lars Kools

2. CurrentSituationStudentscannot ‘see’ eachotherorforminteractivegroups/networksDynamicdiscussionamonggroups is impossibleFile exchange is limited/outdatedDiscussion forum has limitedfunctionalityConclusion: the system is static, users are isolated

3. IdealsituationTeacherscan start interactivediscussionswith/amongstudentsGroupscancooperate/communicateeasily, bothwithin and amonggroupsStudents are able to link up withfriends/colleagues and buildcommunitiesfreelyDifficulties: privacy, available resources, variety of stakeholders, monitoring, resistance of users.

4. RealizationUser drive vs. practical constraintsDifferent solutions for problemsVery possible, less possible, least possible

5. DeliverablesSourceMaterial:Interviews withteachers and IT staffStudent responses to current PortalResearch papers oncommunities & interactive tools in educationBrainstorm sessionsScope:Focus: interactionbetweenteachers, students and groupsOutside scope: Software selection/design, coding