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Edid6509 Group Project Connect Tech CSCW

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83 views

Edid6509 Group Project Connect Tech CSCW

Uploaded by

api-399775080
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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RUNNING HEAD: EDID6509: DESIGNING LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS


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RUNNING HEAD: EDID6509: DESIGNING LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS

CSCW Prototype: Google Docs


Google Docs is a web resource tool used by bloggers, professionals, academia and students at

various levels to collaborate while working. It is therefore categorised as a computer supported

cooperative work (CSCW) tool. A CSCW seeks to support the users by facilitating shared access to

Course Code: EDID6509


EDID6509: DESIGNING
LEARNING AND
Course Name: PERFORMANCE
Designing Learning and Performance Solutions
SOLUTIONS
Course Coordinator:Dr. Camille Dickson-Deanne
Group Name: CONNECT Tech Stint 2: CSCW
Group Members: Shenice Best-Williams 320007249
web resources in order to complete work asynchronously or synchronously as long as users have an
Candice Brown 04008579
Dwayne Lubin 320012199
internet connection. (Dekeyser,
RebeccaWatson
Haskinsn.d.) 320003271

University of the West Indies Open Campus


Google docs is the word processor included in Google Apps For Education (GAFE). GAFE is a

collection of apps designed specifically for collaboration and productivity. This software suite

enables users to create and edit a variety of documents, spreadsheets, presentations etc. Groups

can edit files synchronously and asynchronously and can communicate by commenting or sending
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RUNNING HEAD: EDID6509: DESIGNING LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS

email notifications and access automatically saved and updated documents in real time on any

device/ multiple devices (Sieber 2018).

Ciccarellia (2019) outlines a number of advantages of the GAFE including its user friendliness and

easiness to learn. The Suite is free for UWI students and accessible through a web browser and an

internet connection. Users say it increases efficiency and usability of information and users can

control collaborators input and it allows users to import and export most file types.

Connect Tech are avid users of the GAFE group of apps, particularly Google Docs. Because of the

lack of synchronous voice and video capabilities, the group frequently uses other communication

mediums to converse while collaborating on group assignments. Examples of preferred mediums

include; WhatsApp calling and messaging, Skype, Google Meet and Google Hangouts. The latter are

both part of the G-Suite package and all group members are familiar with these tools. The team

recognised that there is a need to improve the communication function of this particular CSCW and

for that reason has recommended the inclusion of Google Meet and Google Hangouts as a feature

of Google Apps.

The Prototype below demonstrates the integration of the Google Meet and the Google Hangouts

imbedded in a working Google docs user interface.


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RUNNING HEAD: EDID6509: DESIGNING LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS

Iteration 1

The Google Doc application now includes embedded links to both Google Meet used for web

conferencing and Google Hangouts used for chat. Both mediums are considered effective for

synchronous communication.

As shown above, while editing a google doc the prototype now features a Google Hangouts chat box

which makes communication swift and effective.


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RUNNING HEAD: EDID6509: DESIGNING LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS

Iteration 2: Expandable Video and VoIP with Recording


Protoype link: https://pexg67.axshare.com/

Iteration 3: Mobile Video Screen with Recording


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RUNNING HEAD: EDID6509: DESIGNING LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS
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RUNNING HEAD: EDID6509: DESIGNING LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS

Justification

Justification on communication
Human-to-human communication is one of the vital qualities needed for CSCW. Mills (2003)

suggests that audio is one of the most significant channels for effective communication. Some CSCW

researchers have investigated the usefulness of conference calls, or open-loop multi-party audio

channels. Heath et al. (1992) have shown the value of shared audio channels even when a group of

workers is physically side by side. The significance of collaborating around data or documents is also

well established with a good CSCW. For this purpose, a group audio/video feature is ever so often

improved with a separate distribution channel for sharing views of a document and for highlighting

on the document. More complex communication systems integrate audio and data distribution

together with video to comprise a type of multimedia conferencing. Whether communicating in real

time (synchronously) or in playback manner (asynchronously), persons can benefit from the

multimedia features Connect Tech is implementing into Google Docs.

Google Meet is a preferred tool for web conferencing and can support meetings of up to 30

persons. Users demand quality visual and verbal communication web resources. Moreover, these

web tools make it easier for users to who are located in different geographical locations to

coordinate on projects and programmes. Google Docs is used in a similar way. Marrying both

resources seems to be the natural progression. Providing Google Doc users with a visual interface

will promote increased usability and an improved understanding.


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RUNNING HEAD: EDID6509: DESIGNING LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS

Google Hangouts provides a similar function but is limited to web conferencing of up to 10 people.

Hangouts is often compared to social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook as its

interface and functions allow users to communicate using text, video images and voice. Messages

can be accessed directly on mobile devices and are stored on servers until the user has access to

internet.

Justification for Collaboration and Information Access in design


All collaborations involve access to information in two areas: subject-matter information and

collaboration-support information (Mills, 2003). In looking at subject-matter information this

encompasses the data, pictures, video extracts, documents, and web pages that have content

associated with the subject being discussed in a collaborative gathering. The collaboration-support

information includes overhead data, for example session transcripts (that can embrace all media

forms: audio, video, text, images, and interaction events) of earlier discussions, measures, and

timetabling for the work. Connect Tech’s improved CSCW requires the capacity to construct,

recover, allocate, filter, and index information in both areas, whatever the media type.

Notably, Google Suite (also known as G Suite) for business and executives supports these

communication tools, however these services are provided at a cost. The application of

communication tools to Google Docs will be helpful to students and young professionals seeking to

develop their brand. Additionally, the prototype presented is different from G Suite because it is

proposing this alteration for Google Docs only.


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RUNNING HEAD: EDID6509: DESIGNING LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS

Connect Tech is not seeking to infringe on the copyright held by Google but rather present a

prototype demonstrating the efficacy shared doc application with embedded social media and web

conferencing platform.
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RUNNING HEAD: EDID6509: DESIGNING LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS

References

Ciccarellia, D. (2019) Google Docs Vs. Microsoft Word: Everything You Need to Know. Retrieved

from https://www.goskills.com/Microsoft-Office/Articles/Google-Docs-Microsoft-Word-

comparison

Dekeyser, S., Watson, R. (n.d.)Extending Google Docs to Collaborate on Research Papers Retrieved

from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e751/8a192542e5b92456f73f52cfacf8e042d0b4.pdf

Heath, C.; Luff, P. (1992). Collaboration and Control: Crisis Management and Multimedia Technology

in London Underground Line Control Rooms. Journal: Computer Supported Cooperative

Work.

Mills, K. (2003). Computer-supported cooperative work. National Institute of Standards and

Technology Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8920.

Sieber, T. (2018) What is Google Docs and How to use it? Retrieved from

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-docs-faq/

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