1. International Workshop on VREs and CWEs Supporting collaboration between research teams: Issues and Tools Vita Hinze-Hoare, David Argles, Robert Walters & Gary Wills Learning Societies Lab ECS The University of Southampton, UK [rvhh05r, da, rjw1, gbw]@ecs.soton.ac.uk

2. International Workshop on VREs and CWEs 2 The Context Vita is a mature, part-time PhD student. We would have loved her to be here to present her paper, but her health is not good enough. The same problem exists in her research - how can she be a part of the group's research culture if she is not well enough to travel in on a frequent basis? What she needs is a collaborative virtual research environment. But what should such an environment look like?

3. International Workshop on VREs and CWEs 3 The Project Start by looking at what's been done in the various areas and analysing the results (“meta- research”...?) Derive a model for a good VRE that will help a researcher to feel part of the “research culture” when they can't be in the lab in person Build a Computer-Supported Collaborative Research environment and test it out to see if it meets the required criteria

4. International Workshop on VREs and CWEs 4 The Collaborative Working Layer Cake We know about: Computer-Supported Collaborative Working Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Virtual Research Environments - and the field of HCI that underpins much of this. But how do they fit together? Let's suggest a model...

5. International Workshop on VREs and CWEs 5 The Collaborative Working Layer Cake We begin with the premise that HCI underpins everything we do in this area. CSCW builds on this to support collaborative working in general. CSCL is a special instance of collaborative working that provides support for learning. CSCR is then a special instance of collaborative learning that provides support for research. Human Computer Interface CSCW CSCL CSCR

6. International Workshop on VREs and CWEs 6 CSCW and CSCL Is this justified? Step 1: comparing CSCW with CSCL: The primary difference between CSCW and CSCL is that CSCW can be characterised by the need for “workingspace”, while CSCL needs both “workingspace” and “learningspace”.

7. International Workshop on VREs and CWEs 7 Workingspace and Learningspace Workingspace requires space for: Communicating Scheduling Sharing Product Learningspace requires all of these, and space for: Reflecting Social interaction Assessment Tutor activity Administration

8. International Workshop on VREs and CWEs 8 CSCL & CSCR Step 2: comparing CSCL with CSCR: The process of research is a learning process but one which is highly refined and involves learning in a particular way. “Research is the creation of new knowledge”. “Research encompasses activities that increase the sum of human knowledge ” [OECD Definition]. Thus, the nature of research means that the body of knowledge cannot be taught but must be discovered. This is a special case of the normal learning and teaching process.

9. International Workshop on VREs and CWEs 9 Learningspace & Researchingspace So, Learningspace covers: –Communicating –Scheduling –Sharing –Product –Reflecting –Social interaction –Assessment –Tutor activity –Administration Researchspace includes these spaces also: –Knowledge –Privacy –Public –Negotiation –Publication

10. International Workshop on VREs and CWEs 10 Comparing Collaborative Spaces The Spaces required by each of the collaborative areas:

11. International Workshop on VREs and CWEs 11 e-Laboratory Analysis So, what's out there? Sixteen e-Laboratories, VLEs and VREs were analysed to assess the facilities provided The comparison resulted in the table provided in the paper:

12. International Workshop on VREs and CWEs 12 e-Laboratory Analysis They were grouped into the following categories: ● Communication tools ● Identification tools ● Scheduling tools ● Shared working space ● Recording/logging tools ● Storage ● Help tools ● Security tools ● Social interaction tools

13. International Workshop on VREs and CWEs 13 CSCR Design From this, we can now proceed to a design for our proposed CSCR. So... –we followed the methodology of Lindgaard et al (2005), replacing his brainstorming session with a detailed analysis of pre existing environments –the next step will involve prototyping, which will be submitted to potential users for initial usability feedback –A second prototype will be produced from this and the user interface package developed –usability testing will then determine the adequacy of the user interface concepts This is challenging, as a user needs analysis especially for collaborative environments poses a particular test for researchers and collaborators alike

14. International Workshop on VREs and CWEs 14 Computer Supported Collaborative Research Discussion?