1. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 1 Overview  1 st study: Vicarious Learning in Online Communities Pilot study, Results & DiscussionPilot study, Results & Discussion  2 nd study: Agent-assisted Participation in Communities of Practice Preparing the Pilot studiesPreparing the Pilot studies Identification of the participation process (Web- based Questionnaires, Andrews et al, 2001)Identification of the participation process (Web- based Questionnaires, Andrews et al, 2001) Identification of system requirements (intelligent designer-based model methodology)Identification of system requirements (intelligent designer-based model methodology)

2. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation PART I > Up to Xmas 2003 Vicarious Learning in Online Communities Niki Lambropoulos nil024@unl.ac.uk Learning Technology Research Institute - London Metropolitan University

3. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 3 Introduction: Human Computer Computers are used as medium Computers are used as medium Humans work in and around computers Humans work in and around computers Humans interact with computers in a basic behaviouristic manner Humans interact with computers in a basic behaviouristic manner Humans cannot interfere with the interface Humans cannot interfere with the interface Humans cannot suggest something to the computers regarding their relationship Humans cannot suggest something to the computers regarding their relationship Humans create ideas using the resources and not the computers Humans create ideas using the resources and not the computers

4. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 4 Issues Creative copying of meaning - multilogue Creative copying of meaning - multilogue Active Readers On the Web (AROW) – Lurkers (never post) Active Readers On the Web (AROW) – Lurkers (never post) Online Communities and levels of engagement Online Communities and levels of engagement Enquiry towards the machine Enquiry towards the machine Human interacts with the machine Human interacts with the machine The machine helps the Human with his/her process The machine helps the Human with his/her process

5. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 5 Question 1 Can computers be creative?

6. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 6 Question 2 Can they copy Humans’ actions?

7. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 7 Answer: perhaps by I.Mapping the activation process II.Following Psychology III. Working with Management IV. Building the interface using the findings

8. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 8 Intelligent Dynamic Enquiry IDE is based on DI (London – McMillen 1992) IDE is based on DI (London – McMillen 1992) ‘what would be studied ‘ ‘what would be studied ‘ ‘how the information would be collected’ ‘how the information would be collected’ ‘how they would make sense of what they discovered ‘ ‘how they would make sense of what they discovered ‘ ‘how to tell the machine the findings’ ‘how to tell the machine the findings’ ‘how the machine will interact with the findings’ ‘how the machine will interact with the findings’

9. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 9 IDE Process: Questionnaires Questionnaires >Unstructured to structured Q (based in Grounded Theory Concept towards a machine) >Unstructured to structured Q (based in Grounded Theory Concept towards a machine) > Identification of keywords in the data and new Q construction > Identification of keywords in the data and new Q construction Users Users Half of the users from the previous phase participate in the next phase Half of the users from the previous phase participate in the next phase (following CoP concept fro new users and new views)

10. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 10 IDE Reveals: users involvement users involvement newcomers’ new points of view newcomers’ new points of view patterns recognition strategies for data mining and identification of agents’ roles patterns recognition strategies for data mining and identification of agents’ roles meaningful shared data sources meaningful shared data sources simplicity in the construction simplicity in the construction functionality of the system functionality of the system goals and actions that are determining the system's environment goals and actions that are determining the system's environment re-use of solutions and experiences using roles re-use of solutions and experiences using roles mapping of the framework for the agents’ roles mapping of the framework for the agents’ roles the number and the types of the agents the number and the types of the agents iterative interaction of the agents iterative interaction of the agents

11. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 11 A case study The Goal: how to participate actively in an online dialogue? The Goal: how to participate actively in an online dialogue? 25,000 users in TakingITGlobal (9-50 years old) 25,000 users in TakingITGlobal (9-50 years old) Data were taken every week for a month Data were taken every week for a month 1 st Phase: 13 participants (16-48 years old) 1 st Phase: 13 participants (16-48 years old) 2 nd Phase: 6 old and 7 new 2 nd Phase: 6 old and 7 new 3 rd Phase: 2 active participants 3 rd Phase: 2 active participants

12. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 12 A case study: the Results Discussion on Peace Discussion on Peace 5/10/01 – 23/7/03 5/10/01 – 23/7/03 2 moderators 2 moderators 346 members sent 2,850 messages 346 members sent 2,850 messages 97% views 97% views 3% replies 3% replies

13. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 13 A case study: the Results > Levels of engagement (Oriogun, 2003) 5/10/01 – 23/7/03 5/10/01 – 23/7/03 57% Low 57% Low 18% Medium 18% Medium 25% High 25% High + Potential ?% + Potential ?%

14. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 14 A case study: the Results > Real problems affect Online interaction Real problems affect Online interaction Decisions on reading a message (date, person, keywords, familiar words) Decisions on reading a message (date, person, keywords, familiar words) Reading a dialogue (learn & use, add, resolve, conclude) Reading a dialogue (learn & use, add, resolve, conclude) Criteria selection (clarification, innovation, integration, promotion, search) Criteria selection (clarification, innovation, integration, promotion, search) Think>Reflect>Respond (clarification, statement, opening new topic, contradiction, challenge) Think>Reflect>Respond (clarification, statement, opening new topic, contradiction, challenge) Read the same messages Read the same messages

15. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 15 A case study: the Results. Obstacles irrelevant title (70%) irrelevant title (70%) quantity of the messages (20%) quantity of the messages (20%) the interface (10%) the interface (10%) poor quality of the message poor quality of the message irrelevant responses irrelevant responses Significant observations Time consuming Time consuming 2/13 (15,3%) developed empathy. These were the ones who actively participated in the discussion 2/13 (15,3%) developed empathy. These were the ones who actively participated in the discussion

16. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 16 A case study: Discussion > Enformatic – SILOD Phase I initial contact initial contact identification of keywords identification of keywords identification of keyword locus context identification of keyword locus context identification of information loci identification of information loci comparison and critical view between the information loci comparison and critical view between the information loci

17. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 17 Discussion (I) Pseudo-energetic – SILOD Phase II Active Engagement with an Agent the positive response (R+) describes a member’s opinion in order to promote, to clarify, to present a meaningful information or to integrate new points of view; the positive response (R+) describes a member’s opinion in order to promote, to clarify, to present a meaningful information or to integrate new points of view; the negative response (Rˉ) describes an opposition, a challenge, the opening of the discussion on a different level or the addition of a new approach; and the negative response (Rˉ) describes an opposition, a challenge, the opening of the discussion on a different level or the addition of a new approach; and the neutral response (R) that describes the inactivity of the member. This should be omitted. the neutral response (R) that describes the inactivity of the member. This should be omitted.

18. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 18 Discussion (II) Energetic – SILOD Phase III Active Engagement with a Human Interactive engagement refers to the members’ ability to suggest to the agents changes via Online Dynamic Enquiry regarding the policy and the system as such Interactive engagement refers to the members’ ability to suggest to the agents changes via Online Dynamic Enquiry regarding the policy and the system as such

19. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 19 A case study: System Definition Agent-Oriented Systems Methodology specification of the system specification of the system directly programming systems and directly programming systems and verification of the system verification of the systemCharacteristics: Architectural Independence (different paradigms and architectures must be accommodated naturally) Architectural Independence (different paradigms and architectures must be accommodated naturally) Robustness and Scalability (supporting dynamic social interactions between agents and the system) Wooldridge & Ciancarini, 2001 Robustness and Scalability (supporting dynamic social interactions between agents and the system) Wooldridge & Ciancarini, 2001 the user mobility for user modeling & support the user mobility for user modeling & support

20. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 20 AOSE can handle: Sociability and Reactivity (agents interactions) the beliefs that agents have, regarding a dynamic environment (reactivity within the Internet, other agents and the user) the beliefs that agents have, regarding a dynamic environment (reactivity within the Internet, other agents and the user) the goals that agents try to achieve (exhibition of goal directed and reactive behaviour) the goals that agents try to achieve (exhibition of goal directed and reactive behaviour) the actions that agents perform and the effects of these actions the actions that agents perform and the effects of these actions the ongoing interaction that agents have between them and the environment (social ability) the ongoing interaction that agents have between them and the environment (social ability)

21. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 21 AOSE> Gaia> Specification IDE provided the mapping IDE provided the mapping Gaia (Zambonelli, Jennings & Wooldridge, 2003) Gaia (Zambonelli, Jennings & Wooldridge, 2003)  The goals  The environmental model  The preliminary interaction model  The preliminary roles model  The rules

22. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 22 Conclusion towards Phase II IDE as user-based inventive methodology reveals theoretical framework reveals theoretical framework reveals needs reveals needs identifies specifications for a system identifies specifications for a system identifies characteristics for a system identifies characteristics for a system a combination of IDE and intelligent designer- based model –existed approaches- will give the best results towards the construction of application a combination of IDE and intelligent designer- based model –existed approaches- will give the best results towards the construction of application

23. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 23 Implementation? Injection of a multi-agent system in online discussion forums FIPAFIPA PHP, XML (XRoles)PHP, XML (XRoles) JadeJade MySQLMySQL BUT… Xmas 2003

24. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Agent-assisted Participation in Communities of Practice Niki Lambropoulos nil024@unl.ac.uk Learning Technology Research Institute - London Metropolitan University

25. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 25 SCH.GR EEEP.GR 4 Online Courses for the Greek teachers (Communities of Practice, CoP) Introduction to ODL Introduction to ODL Introduction to Greek language as a foreign Introduction to Greek language as a foreign Blended Learning Blended Learning Learning Objects Learning Objects 8,500 potential students – 150 up to now Cooperation with ARIADNE Knowledge Pool

26. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 26 Online Community: Definition Hillery: 94 different definitions of Community (1955) Hillery: 94 different definitions of Community (1955) An online community consists of (Preece, 2000) : An online community consists of (Preece, 2000) :  People  Purpose  Policies  Computer systems   Sociability is concerned with social interaction. Communities with good sociability have unambiguous, supportive, social structures.   Usability is concerned with human-computer interaction. Systems with good usability are consistent, controllable and predictable o Psychology o Management o Technology

27. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 27 Recent Research (2000-) Online Community dynamics in everyday life (Diane Maloney-Krichmar) Online Community dynamics in everyday life (Diane Maloney-Krichmar) Lurking and participation in 1000 online communities (Dorine Andrews, Blair Nonnecke, Greg Morton) Lurking and participation in 1000 online communities (Dorine Andrews, Blair Nonnecke, Greg Morton) Communicating trust using mobile devices – empathy & predicability (Heidi Feng, Jonathan Lazar) Communicating trust using mobile devices – empathy & predicability (Heidi Feng, Jonathan Lazar) What makes online communities successful? Evaluation heuristics and metrics (Chadia Abras) What makes online communities successful? Evaluation heuristics and metrics (Chadia Abras) Framework for online community development (Clarisse S. de Souza) Framework for online community development (Clarisse S. de Souza)

28. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 28 What Works- Usability & Sociability Support evolving community Assess community needs Design usability Interaction dialog NavigationArchives Support Tools Plan sociability Policies for membership Security & Privacy CopyrightModerators Source: Preece, Jenny, Online Communities, Wiley, 2000

29. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 29 Criteria for success Usability Speed of learning Usability Speed of learning Productivity Productivity User satisfaction User satisfaction Retention Retention Errors Errors Sociability No. participants Sociability No. participants No. messages No. messages Reciprocity Reciprocity On-topic discussion On-topic discussion Empathy Empathy Trust Social satisfaction Trust Social satisfaction Lurking Lurking Uncivil behavior Uncivil behavior Source: Jenny Preece, 2001

30. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 30 Levels of engagement in CoP Levels of engagement in CoP No level of engagement - lurkers No level of engagement - lurkers (Preece et al, 2003) (Preece et al, 2003) Potential level of engagement or Potential level of engagement or The Grey Zone The Grey Zone Low level of engagement Low level of engagement Medium level of engagement Medium level of engagement High level of engagement High level of engagement Oriogun, 2003

31. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 31 Silent participants or lurkers (Blair Nonnecke, 2000) Silent participants or lurkers (Blair Nonnecke, 2000) Reasons for not posting (+ & -) Uncomfortable in public + Uncomfortable in public + Learning about the group + Learning about the group + Building identity + Building identity + Fear of persistent messages Fear of persistent messages Information overload + Information overload + Not necessary to post Not necessary to post Personal characteristics (e.g., shyness) Personal characteristics (e.g., shyness) Group influences + Lurkers often feel part of a community+ Group influences + Lurkers often feel part of a community+

32. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 32 NOT: NOT:  Formal departments  Operational teams  Project teams  Communities of Internet  Informal networks What are CoP? Source: Dorin Andrews (NASA Research Summit 2003)

33. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 33 1.Mutually defining identities 2.Ability to assess the appropriateness of actions and products 3.Specific tools, representations & other artifacts 4.Local lore, shared stories, inside jokes, knowing laughter 5.Jargon and shortcuts to communication 6.Styles for displaying membership 7.Shared discourse reflecting a certain perspective on the world CoP have… Source: Dorine Andrews, NASA Research Summit 2003

34. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 34 CoP & Genre Issues (Collins et al, KMi Report, 01) Master & Disciple Master & Disciple Roles in progress Roles in progress Active involvement (LPP) Active involvement (LPP) Terminology Terminology Newcomers, new views Newcomers, new views Evolution comes from interaction between different communities Evolution comes from interaction between different communities

35. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 35 CoP: what is new? Genre-based Learning Objects Agent-assisted CoP Hypothesis: Identification of the process could create: Identification of the process could create: genre-based learning objects in a system for the lurkers and newcomers along with considerations regardinggenre-based learning objects in a system for the lurkers and newcomers along with considerations regarding  Psychology,  Management and  Technology

36. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 36 Methodology A need of a new way for discovering data towards an application A.IDE & B. Intelligent Designer-based model

37. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 37 Research Methodology A.IDE (identification of the process) B. Intelligent Designer-based Model 1.Conduct interviews to get the needs 2.Get the latest applications related to the product, if existed 3.Production of the application 4.Evaluation (quasi-experimental study, 3 groups of 3-5 individuals)

38. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 38 Research Methodology A.Intelligent Designer-based Model (towards an application) Machine Evolution (Turing, 1950)  heredity material as up to date technology  mutation as changes  natural selection as users’ evaluation

39. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 39 Methodology: Pilot 1 (IDE) Identification of the process Web-based Questionnaires -Use of Checklist & Open box using Cold Fusion, Microsoft Access & HTML (Online Q – sch.gr eeep.gr) Web-based Questionnaires -Use of Checklist & Open box using Cold Fusion, Microsoft Access & HTML (Online Q – sch.gr eeep.gr)  General/demographic information  Ways of using LMS  CoP characteristics  Personal Goals Data analysis Data analysis  pearson correlation,  Control- relationships X  Regression Analysis and  Multivariable Methods

40. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 40 Methodology: Pilot 1 (IDE) Web-based Questionnaires (Andrews et al., 2001, 2003) Quality criteria Quality criteria  survey design  participant privacy and confidentiality  sampling and participant selection  distribution and response management  survey piloting

41. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 41 Methodology: Pilot II > Intelligent Designer-based Model -1 Results for Psychology towards Management (interviews from: bbc, commkit, ladomery, neoone, jindal, tempero, sulake, tuc, lts, exmosis, tagteacher, habbo, bibliotech, chatmoderators) Results for Psychology towards Management (interviews from: bbc, commkit, ladomery, neoone, jindal, tempero, sulake, tuc, lts, exmosis, tagteacher, habbo, bibliotech, chatmoderators)  Each community is unique (nature of the group)  Encouragement  Genuine leaders (not watering people)  ‘Pounce’ new users immediately after a first message  Lack of critical-consumer position (one-to-many media, TV)  Decision on brevity – length  Relevant interests  Lurker is a derogatory word (3)  More to dig out without body language and eye contact

42. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 42 Results for Technology (interviews from: bbc, commkit, ladomery, neoone, jindal, tempero, sulake, tuc, lts, exmosis, tagteacher, habbo, bibliotech, chatmoderators) Results for Technology (interviews from: bbc, commkit, ladomery, neoone, jindal, tempero, sulake, tuc, lts, exmosis, tagteacher, habbo, bibliotech, chatmoderators)  Registration system  Profile  Induction/training  Time  Small group based social spaces  Democracy (Votes and polls, Surveys)  Visualisation of databases Methodology: Pilot II > Intelligent Designer-based Model -1

43. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 43 Requirements of the system Psychology (Emotional Intelligence) Psychology (Emotional Intelligence) Management (Strategies, Preece et al, 2003) Management (Strategies, Preece et al, 2003) Technology Technology  Moodle/dokeos open source LMS  Registration/Profile  Visualisation Information (members’ databases)  Support of sub-constructions (messages/groups)  Avatar > Induction/training  Track system  Automatic > Votes and polls, Surveys

44. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 44 Key: Empathy * E.I. ‘Knowing what another person is feeling, feeling what another person is feeling and responding compassionately to another person’ Levenson & Reuf, 1992 Source: Jenny Preece, Webshop, 2002

45. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 45 … for your attention! … for your attention! Niki Lambropoulos Thank you … Any questions and/or suggestions?

46. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Additional material if time

47. Niki Lambropoulos May 2004 PhD presentation Slide 47 Analysis of 500 messages Source: Jenny Preece, Webshop, 2002 9%