Communications on the iNET

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Communications on the iNET

• Douglas Anderson
• Aberdeen Business School
• iNET Team

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What is iNET

• A Learning Support Environment - enhanced
  flexibility of learning and delivery to
  campus-based students and staff
• A Collection of Tools and Utilities
• to support management and administration of the
  teaching, learning and research functions
• to support all aspects of University life -
  educational, recreational, social
• Communication tool - messaging, announcements
  etc.
• Web based - 24/7 Anytime/anywhere
• N.B. an Environment and Forum

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Aberdeen Business School - Mission Statement -
Objectives

• to provide an environment that facilitates the
  pursuit of high quality research and learning
• to provide an environment that values all
  associated stakeholders
• to provide a forum where the needs of
  organisations can be met and issues of
  contemporary importance discussed
• to incorporate ethics and wider societal issues
  within the curriculum
• to support a change-oriented culture designed to
  motivate and challenge
• to be responsive to customer needs
• to ensure that teaching is research-based ...

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Communication facilities

• To provide a supportive environment and direction
  for the student through facilitating -
• One-to-many communications - student handbooks,
  regulations, announcements, calendar events etc.
• Two-way interactions - communicating with tutors,
  with fellow students/staff etc.
• Many-to-many interactions - to facilitate
  direct exchanges of information between members
  whilst making the information available to all
  others within the group - discussion groups

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Communications Tools

• providing information in a way that is-
• immediate, easy to use
• rich in format (if it can be digitised then it
  can be made available through iNET)
• versatile/adaptable e.g. User Details
• supportive of the pedagogic requirements of
  academic staff and students - N.B. significance
  of Discussion Threads

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Communications

• Messaging
• Community
• Discussion Groups
• Student Records
• Address Book
• Exchange Webmail
• etc.
• Calendar
• Announcements

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Messaging

• considered a messaging system rather than email
• significance of User Details link
• message to individual to class to year - with
  attachment provision if required
• also via Community area - individual(s) and/or
  Group links
• also via My Address Book
• defaults to RGU MS Outlook facility but Webmail
  also available (Edit Staff Account for edit if
  required (student edit also)

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User Details access points
Student Data
Class Lists
Personal Tutor data
My Address Book
User Details
Community Group members profile
News, Events, Information posted by
Faculty/University Community - staff search
Faculty/University Community - student search
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User Details (formerly Profile)

• All messaging roads lead to the User Details
  area
• All registered Users (staff and students) have
  User Details
• Provides a self-publishing facility
• Links to Users research and publications
  available if required
• Other than name and User ID, User can edit User
  Details information
• Can display or hide personal information as
  determined by User
• Edit Staff Account to enable edit by User e.g.
  webmail address - (also student edit facility)

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Staff profile
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Community Groups

• Focused email Communities
• Related to a Module or Concept - educational,
  social or recreational
• Open or Moderated
• Moderated means staff time and a potential daily
  administrative commitment but ...!!
• Discussion Forums
• Attempt to facilitate dialogue and interaction
  within Groups
• Threaded Discussions

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Discussion Forum

• small group, (almost) real-time debates
• open for all students to observe and/or
  participate
• peer learning facility
• potential for cooperative, problem-solving
  interactions
• create sense of community (belonging,
  participating)
• reference source e.g. FAQs relating to taught
  area
• encourage activities - analyse compare
  construct etc. - N.B. iNET also provides a
  potential activity area for pedagogical support
  within the Project Editor area in My
  Staffroom

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Calendar

• from On Faculty - add news etc.
• from Unit Editor - add a general calendar event
• from Staff Utilities - calendar events
• from Community Groups - event calendar

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What can go in a Unit?

• Files - Anything a desktop can interpret
• Web Links
• Digitised Readings
• HTML Folders
• Simple Testing Procedures
• Messages - Announcements/Events

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Unit Announcement

• Tied to the Unit and Target Audience - specific
  group - not for general announcements (Calendar
  Events used for these)
• Seen by student in his/her My Learning Space
  area - (as do staff)
• Advertise changes and information.
• e.g. teaching rooms, requirements/standards and
  other changes specific to group

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Additional Staff Links - examples

• Publications
• Events and Speakers - video-streamed
• University Services
• Online Help
• FAQs
• Bug Reporting
• Suggestions/complaints
• Online Equipment Booking
• Drop Box for student submissions
• Reading Lists - Blackwells Online Bookstore

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Additional Student Links - examples

• Virtual Library Tour
• Blackwells Bookstore
• Drop Box for submission of assessments
• Student Related Projects
• Study skills resources
• My Timetable
• exam timetable
• exam locations
• View My Class List
• My Learning Space
• Semesters 1, 2 and 3 materials