Putting heads together ... virtually: online collaboration software can help streamline meetings, brainstorm efficiently, and even generate some revenue on the side.WHAT DOES COLLABORATION mean to you? And how it help your school meet its goals and possibly generate revenue? Considering its location in the small city of Decorah, Iowa The city of Decorah is the county seat of Winneshiek County,GR6 Iowa, United States. The population was 8,172 at the 2000 census. History , more than an hour from Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids, city (1990 pop. 108,751), seat of Linn co., E central Iowa, on the Cedar River; inc. as a city 1856. The second largest city in Iowa, it is named for the surging rapids in the river. , Minneapolis/St. Paul, or any other major city, Luther College Luther College is the name of several educational institutions:
Online collaboration is the process of group decision-making via computer terminals and software designed to keep responses anonymous. It can improve productivity, shorten meetings, and cut down on the negative influences of "formal and informal hierarchies" that naturally arise in group settings, says David Sallee, president of William Jewell College William Jewell College is a private, four-year liberal arts college of 1,274 undergraduate students located in Liberty, Missouri, U.S. It was founded in 1849 by members of the Missouri Baptist Convention and other civic leaders which included Robert James, a Baptist minister and (Mo.). Danuta McCall, a spokesperson for Facilitate.com, a collaboration tool A collaboration tool is something that helps people collaborate. The term is often used to mean collaborative software, but collaboration tools were being used before computers existed, a piece of paper can for example can be used as collaboration tool. developer that's currently working with these schools, estimates that 15 percent of organizations are using online collaboration tools (audio, video, and web conferencing A videoconferencing session via the Internet. In order to interact with other participants, attendees use either a Web application or an application downloaded into their client machines. providers), with rapid growth expected. As early adopters of technology, institutions of higher ed likely comprise a big portion of that segment, she adds. Of course, online collaboration has an almost infinite number infinite number a number so large as to be uncountable. Represented by 8, frequently obtained by 'dividing' by zero. of uses, from student projects and brainstorming sessions to anonymous surveys and group discussions. It also helps with strategic planning Strategic planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy, including its capital and people. . McCall explains that online collaboration software is "ideal for strategic planning because it allows the quick capture of information (risks, issues, opportunities) and flattens politics and negative group dynamics group dynamics: see group psychotherapy. ." Another advantage: Location is no longer a barrier for project teams. In the case of Luther College, online collaboration takes place in a "Round Table Room." External and internal groups frequent the room for brainstorming sessions or day-long conferences. Institutions also use anonymous brainstorming and voting to do academic reviews, faculty position selection, and other committee work that requires precise documentation, nonpartisan discussion, and careful evaluation, McCall says. External groups, such as The Mayo Clinic-affiliated Decorah Clinic, pay Luther College an hourly fee for a facilitator to moderate the web discussion. Nonprofits receive a discount. Sometimes, outside groups will bring their own facilitators. But they still pay for any fees, such as for surveys conducted prior to a meeting so the group leaders can get feedback from a larger constituency. On-campus groups, meanwhile, don't pay a cent. An online survey tool is used internally at Luther, as well. Ann Mansfield, the lead facilitator for Round Table Services, says alumni were recently surveyed as part of the accreditation process for an academic department. Students are also surveyed regularly--about curricula, courses, advising experiences, and residential experiences, for instance. William Jewell is also using online collaboration tools for outreach. A few outside groups have used their facilities, generating "a little revenue," Sallee says. But with potential for more, the college has a staffer dedicated to marketing the program. At Morehead State University History Morehead State University was originally founded as a private teacher's college in 1887, The Morehead Normal School. It is said to have been comprised of 13 buildings with a layout in the shape of a crescent moon for some period prior to 1922. (Ky.), meanwhile, administrators are considering hiring a facilitator to take care of their Collaborative Technology Center to free up the time of faculty members and graduate students who have been taking time out of their schedules to moderate sessions. Resources Centra, www.centra.com Datatel, www.datatel.com Documentum, www.documentum.com Facilitate.com, www.facilitate.com GroupSystems, www.groupsystems.com Live Meeting, www.livemeeting.com Sitescape, www.sitescape.com WebEx, www.webex.com Julie A. Varughese is a former associate editor of University Business. |
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