Trial of MyResearchSpace: Social Software for Graduate Research Students at UWA
TRIAL OF MyResearchSpace: SOCIAL SOFTWARE FOR RESEARCH STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
This week marks the beginning of a trial of social software aimed at PhD and Masters by Research students at the University of Western Australia. Although the trial will be limited to a group of approximately 100 students at this point, it is envisaged that MyResearchSpace will eventually be made available to all research students at UWA.
The broad aim of the project is to provide an environment for students that would give them a space for their own blog and allow them to upload photos and files. A blog (or weblog) is an on-line journal that students can use to share their thoughts, ideas, gripes, research progress or any other issue associated with their research project and life as a postgraduate student. There are also forums in which students can discuss particular issues associated with research, specific groups or topics.
Very importantly, in addition to being set up with a folder, blog and gallery, each student will be allocated approximately 500MB of disk space. Therefore, although students might initially use MyResearchSpace to blog, keep a daily journal, document meetings with their supervisor or visit forums to gather information about events, seminars, conferences and the like, they can also use it as a tool to store or back-up their research material.
The trial we are embarking on will measure the take-up rate of three discrete, targeted groups of postgraduate research students:
1). A group of approximately 45 newly commencing international students from a variety of disciplines who are participating in a ‘Writers’ Circle’ project. (The Writers’ Circle concept is based on a strategy of peer review and provides a supportive forum for culturally and linguistically diverse students to discuss their current writing project and get practical feed back on their work).
2). A group of approximately 35, mostly domestic students, who are enrolled in a Research Skills workshop series coordinated by the Graduate Research School and Student Services.
3). A group of approximately 10 students from the School of Computer Science and Software Engineering.
Both the Writing Circles and Research Skills students are being introduced to MyResearchSpace via demonstrations by Dr David Glance. David initially gave a 30 minute presentation to the four Writing Circle Leaders at a training session held on the 24th of July. It was hoped that, after the demonstration, the Circle Leaders would engage and become familiar with MyResearch prior to their meetings with the students. At this point, however, only one has registered. Whilst the Circle Leaders could act as a conduit for the communication of MyResearchSpace to the international students (this was the initial idea) it is clear that they will probably not be effective on their own. David is therefore going to give demonstrations over the ensuing five weeks to each of the groups in order to reach the student directly. In addition, a short Users’ Guide for MyResearchSpace will be developed and distributed to each student. We have also set up a Writing Circles forum on MyResearchSpace which students can visit and gain information or interact with each other, post their thoughts or even their work.
It is a similar situation for the Research Skills students. They will benefit from the Users’ Guide and they will receive a demonstration by David Glance (scheduled for 4th August). The Graduate Education Officers, Michael Azariadis and Krystyna Haq, are facilitating the workshops and will be in a good position to disseminate information about MyResarchSpace and its value to research students. We will also be developing strategies to integrate the workshop material into the use of MyResearchSpace.
The details of each student (name, student number and email address) in the three groups are being fed to David who will be monitoring their use of MyResarchSpace. We will not only be measuring the take up rate, but looking at the variety of ways the students use the software. It is also of vital importance that we capture the evolution of the MyResearchSpace project and part of the purpose of this journal is to monitor and record these details.
Some staff may also express an interest in participating in MyResarchSpace by either having a blog or moderating a forum. It will be interesting to explore the ideas and interest shown by different organisations with in the University such as PSA.