26
January
2007
JISC Users and Innovation Scenario Planning workshop
The JISC Users and Innovation programme will be holding two one day workshops in March. The workshops will be looking at scenario planning and its use in identifying new technologies and their potential impact on education. The purpose of the event is to inform the development of a Scenario Toolkit to support the programme (and wider community planning), and also to shape the scenarios that will initially be presented as potential futures to projects working on the JISC Capital Programme.
The process being used is scenario planning and the day will be facilitated by CiBIT, an organisation that specialises in scenario planning and has worked with major organisations within the European Community in both education and industry.
Workshop dates and Venues
Friday, 9th March 2007, Royal Horticultural Halls
Thursday, 22nd March 2007, CBI Conference Centre
Spaces for these workshops are limited but if you would like to attend please email Lawrie Phipps, the Users and Innovation Programme Manager.
Posted: Programme Management, Events, Uncategorized
9
January
2007
The Users and Innovation (U&I) programme’s remit is to explore what has been referred to as ‘next generation or emergent technologies’. The terms ‘web 2.0′ and ’social software’ fall witin this programme context and will also be explored durng the programme.
This posting is here to outline how the U&I Team defines these terms within our programme context. We are using the approach that many web 2.0 commentators have taken, which is to set down the following characteristics as articulating what we mean by the terms, rather than one definitive statement.
- The web as a platform, allowing an application to be delivered and used through a web browser, for example tools such as online word processors or spreadsheets;
- Things that think, for example embedding computers into the education or research environment through the use of commonplace mobile and/or entertainment devices, thereby enabling people to interact with the technology naturally and casually wherever they are;
- An architecture of participation, in other words the system has been designed to encourage and support users in contributing to it; an example is the application of wiki software being used for the generation of collaborative documents;
- Data consumption and remixing from other sources, particularly user-generated data; often these are referred to as mash-ups, where content is often sourced from third parties via an API (Application Programming Interface). There are currently a plethora of mash-ups to be found on the web, utilising anything from local directory listings and web-based mapping software to photographic libraries to generate reviews of events or places;
- A rich, interactive, user-friendly interface, where the needs and perspective of the individual user are a priority;
- Elements of social networking. Whilst not necessarily a requisite, the social elements of these technologies are important in generating the engagement and user data.
We also hope, as the programme progresses, that we’ll be able to refine and add to these in order to create a much richer understanding of the terms and the applications of the technologies.
Posted: New Technology
4
January
2007
Happy 2007! The programme activity is gearing up for the Spring, with a interviews being held on January 18th for the support projects for the Community aspects of the programme. Once these are in place successful projects under the e-admin strand and applicants to the Next Generation Technologies strand will be notifed. There is already much interest in the programme and Alice Gugan, from the JISC Comms Team, has written a piece about the programme for the next issue of JISC Inform.
The Programme is also preparing for two more Scenario Planning Workshops, these will be held on 9th and 22nd March - Venue to be confirmed.
Posted: Programme Management, News