Symposium for Teaching and Learning with Technology

Bim Angst bxh31@psu.edu and Elinor Madigan emm17@psu.edu join us from Schuykill campus. Coming from a small campus research can pose big obstacles when it comes to resources. Research doesn't have to be resource intensive note what Bim and Elinor have learned through their experience.

The limitations of working alone are: smaller skill set, perspective, approaches, experience, and expertise. Encouragement and time will also not be there, as well as publication and mentoring opportunities.

Collaboration affords cross-discipline research approaches and new or different work methods. It also shares the research burden. There is more energy, wider source material, a better opportunity for enrichment coaching and mentoring resulting in better research and more rewarding work for yourself.

Technologies to help with research:
- Shared pages ANGEL, Facebook, etc.
- Open source software
- Data collection through survey tools
- Discussions via IM
- Site-licensed software for university like SPSS, MS Office, Adobe Connect

Choose collaborators carefully good friends don't always equal good collaborators. Consider a partners abilities, expertise, and work style. Start on small projects and remember it's okay to say no to someone.

Tips for Collaborators:
- Discuss everything (including technology)
- Define roles and responsibilities upfront
- Negotiate authorship & proprietorship
- Balance work (be honest and tactful)
- Enlist institutional support

Questions

How do you relate ground rules to new collaborators on new projects?
Get clarification on what they want to do and what you are supposed to be doing. This can be a good indicator as to how well this research project will work out.

What do you use to document the ground rules?
You want to get it in writing email serves as formal documentation.