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This page has been set up to support the discussion groups.

Participants in your discussion group will have been assigned to a discussion group and given a handout with some suggestions for topics to be addressed. These topics are given below. You should stick to the broad area of the group you have been assigned to, but you should not feel constrained by the questions which are provided.

Please include notes of the discussion group below. Remember that your notes will be used by others in the final report back session, so try to ensure that your notes will be comprehensible by others.
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Discussion Group Title: The Strategic Vision
Reporter: Andrew Stewart

Recorded information in order that it was spoken about

1st question to be duscussed was based around whether or not the institution required a strategic vision in relation to the use of blogs and social networking. A lot of discussion about how it ties in with the business goals. One comment noted that the use of various technologies should not have any major influence over the strategy itself. One key point made around an institution having an open culture which social software seems to fit in at the moment.

General consensus being that technology should not influence your strategy.

Point made about social software being a form of 2-way communication and whether or not certain sub-classes are being left out of the conversation. Does appear to be a digital divide even where the majority of staff are IT enabled, are they web 2.0 enabled. It empowers people who enjoy engaging but what about those people who don't want to participate. The core idea is about giving the user choices. Presumptions should not be made about the future users.

In 2010 what how the user within our institution make use of blogs and social networking services?

One of the problems is knowing who your core users will be in 2010. What percentage of students will be coming into our universities with this knowledge. Pace of change within institutions can be quite slow however the external environment is flying past us.

In 2010 what is the role of the institution in supporting the users’ vision?

One major issue surrounds the longevity of information. Should information therefore be hosted or outsourced, who's decision is this and what are the roles and responsibilities. Point made that we do actually manage our own information, perhaps the institution should actually think clearly about what we need to hang on to and what we should give up.

Here a lot of issues surrounding ownership and records management from IT Roles and Librarians but not so much from academics (personal view), do people find this to be true. Point made that perhaps they need to be made aware of these issues.

Point made about this being all about the user. Giving them free expression will support the learning experience. Goes back to user expectation, if they use their own techniques why do they have to change.

Do learners have any expectations with regards to administration. What is the institutions key role? To provide a grade, provide a community? Helps to improve retention. Students are bringing expectations from personal and college life into businesses. The demand is becoming so great security people have to open up.

What do organisations need to do to implement your vision? What do they need to be doing today? What should they not be doing?

Edinburgh have produced some web 2.0 guidelines, different with regards to detailing 3rd party issues. They encourage the use of 3rd party tools however give guidance on things they need to bear in mind.

Summary of the Discussion

Not a strategic issue but rather a set of tools that may or may not change with regards to supporting that strategy.

Issues - Accessibility, Engagement, Choice should be given to the core audience, Slow change within institutions/fast change external to institutions.

Longevity of information, what happens if information is lost.

To what extent is the student experience package a strategic issue.

In terms of a business perspective the demand for these social tools are coming in from personal and college life.

Recommendations

Guidelines need to consider 3rd Party and Terms & Conditions.

UCISA and JISC to support HE.