[AG-TECH] Why record AG conferences

[Kathy Gill]

Derek Piper wrote:

>     I have a sort of 'Devil's advocate' question to ask everyone on the 
> list. It's this, what are the main reasons why someone would want to 
> record AccessGrid conferences? Also, what about invasion of privacy 
> concerns?

I'm breaking my personal "lurk for a while before posting" rule to 
respond. ;-)


We are using the AG software to collaborate with a University in China 
on a project that is being run out of Drexel U in Philly -- with, I 
believe, 12 universities from around the world.

This is a project in digital media creation and collaboration across 
cultures.

We are all novices at this -- both the faculty and students.

We plan to use a screen capture software (3rd party) to record the 
sessions. There are many reasons; here are a few:

-- A record of who has agreed to do what, minimizing the pressure on the 
"recorder" who must, like the other students, cope with accents and 
non-traditional English phrasing. This should help the students relax a 
bit at the start of the project, while everything is new: the tech, the 
process, the team members.

-- A record of the project for archival reasons.

-- A record of the inter-cultural dynamic, for possible research 
application.


We are well aware of the privacy issue and, at least in our group, the 
students must agree to be recorded for the recording to happen. The 
University of Washington's "human subjects" review process is also in 
place, even though this is characterized as "low risk".



About me:
I teach in the University of Washington's Department of Communication, 
Masters Degree in Digital Media (terminal degree). My undergraduate 
degree is in journalism (UGA), my master's in agricultural economics 
(VPI). I worked in communication for about 15 years before being bitten 
with the "Web Bug" in 93 or 94. I transitioned to tech communication and 
web development/usability/IA. I've been teaching since the late 90s, 
first helping techies learn how to communicate and now helping 
communication students learn about technology. :)

My main research interest is how new media tools facilitate 
communication and collaboration across space and time ... until this 
project, I had focused on blogging, specifically as a form of 
participatory journalism.

TAFN!


Kathy


-- 

Kathy E. Gill
Department of Communication
Digital Media Master's Degree Program
University of Washington
Box 353740 Seattle WA 98195 USA
http://faculty.washington.edu/kegill/