Appropriate and Practical Technologies for Students Teachers Administrators & Researchers  

       

Demonstrator Project Record: 1


Demonstrator Project
Demonstrator
Desmond Thomas
College
SOAS
Stakeholder Group
SOAS MPhil and PhD Research Students
 


About Your College Project
Demonstrator Project Name

RSS Portal.
Project Start Date

June 2008.
Project Length
(days, weeks, months)

6 months (until 31.12.08).

Participants Involved

(job titles where relevant)


1. Research Student Advisor, Learning & teaching Unit.

2. Research Student Society committee members.

3. Research Student Representative Forum members.

Brief Description of the project
(Aims and Objectives)


The project has two aims:

 

1. To create high-quality on-line resource pages for researchers at SOAS using GDocs as a collaborative tool for initial document creation and peer review.

 

2. To provide a means of sharing research student profile data using the GDocs Form facility.

How will Google Docs help with your project?
(i.e to use the Form to collect data from surveys, Presentation to display information, Word Processor to share formal documents, brain storm ideas etc)

Forms will be used to share researcher profile data e.g. between current research students doing fieldwork in different regions of the world and SOAS alumni in the same regions.

 

Word Processor will be used to create and review collaborative resource pages to be uploaded onto a Research Student Portal within the SOAS website.

 

Presentation will be used to give progress updates on the development of such resources to peers.

What is the plan of engagement?
(What needs to happen when and who needs to do what)

1. Fieldwork researchers to be invited to fill in form stating their activities; spreadsheets to be produced from collected data; data to be passed on to Alumni unit so that information can be posted via email.  (By 31.08.08).

 

2. Research student materials writers to create content pages for new webpages; pages to be presented to peers and SOAS senior staff; revisions made after feedback  (by 15.09.08).

 

3. Materials writers to present on-line resources to new research students (by 30.09.08).

 

4. Additional materials to be added via Research Student Society representatives, including updated on-line profiles  (by 31.12.08).

What project outcomes do you expect?
(i.e creating documents collaboratively with staff and students in more effective ways; to bridge the technological gap between students and staff)

Increased collaboration among research students, alumni and senior staff with the aim of providing better quality support for SOAS researchers.

 

High quality webpages and on-line resources to be updated by SOAS research students.
What encouraged you to take part in this project?

GDocs appeared to offer a more efficient means of enabling research students to work together for their own mutual benefit.
What would you like to get out of this project?

An increased level in research student-led initiatives for disseminating information and providing mutual support.
What sort of support will you need to make this project a success?

Caroline's help in answering technical queries and Sarah's support in advising on finance.
What sort of support do you think the participants will need to make this project a success?

Training sessions for using GDocs.