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Creating a concept map for the MDDE 663 pod casting portal page.

Pattern Design Criteria

1. Name: Concept Planning with Groups at a Distance

2. Category: Technical and organizational

3. Abstract: The communication issues that are inherent when a group of educational designers are located in across 9 time zones and varied internet connections. Developing a concept map over distance entails mutual agreement on technology, scheduling and communication mode. The concept map allows the future development of a portal to become a streamlined process as each member of the team understands their tasks, and overall expectations.

4. Problem:Issues facing this team were numerous however the distance factor was the most problematic. Time zone issues became problematic as nine zones separated the furthest members. During the development the Canadian time changes due to “daylight savings time” while the Middle East does not experience this phenomenon. Another problem is that this is the first time that these individuals had worked together as a development team. In addition, the members of this team did not work at the same level or in the sample discipline in their professional lives. Moreover, the software recommended to develop the concept map did not work well for two of the members. The concept of what was expected for the concept map was not clear to the pod cast group and this caused the development of two extremely polar maps.

5. Analysis: Face-to-face interaction with groups to develop pedagogical materials is difficult due to individual personalities, expertise, negotiation styles and ego. This situation is exaggerated when the development occurs at a distance. Technology, which often fails to meet expectations, can further amplify these interactions. The concept map can provide a team with up front boundaries of responsibilities, including deadlines, for the development of an educational portal.

6. Known solutions: To eliminate the issue of time zones the team established that the main form of communication would be asynchronous on a daily basis. This took pressure off of the individuals to meet in real time. The only synchronous communication would occur after the Athabasca MDDE 663 Elluminate sessions. Take a skills inventory of the team individual before the project proceeds.

7. Research questions: Possibly different methods suggested conducting the concept map. Options should be explored from hand drawn and scanned to high-end solutions such as Microsoft Project.

8. Context: The type of context the solution is applicable to are conducting organization over distance, through distance technology and assembling media from a variety of sources.

9. Conditions: Critical success indicators that allowed fro this project to end in success were strong team members with a wealth of experience in pedagogy, individual members exploiting their unique skills, the internet and the associated tools available to the team.

10. Discussion/consequences: The process of creating the concept map aided the team in successfully completing a portal with cutting edge technology as a team in a short period. It is hoped that the next class of MDDE 663 benefits from our experience.

11.References:

References for the pattern.

12. Related patterns:

Related design patterns and research patterns

Author(s): John Chasty, John Allan, Stephanie Hunte

Date: December 2005

Date of completion of the pattern.

Acknowledgements: Terry Anderson of course.

Acknowledge any other people or sources of help, information etc.