Engaging the community in multidisciplinary TEL research: a case-study from networking in Europe

The STELLAR Network of Excellence was launched in February 2009 with the explicit intention of Sustaining Large Scale Multi-Disciplinary Research in Technology Enhanced Learning. So as to support this aim, the network has defined a number of different activity tracks, aimed at building capacity amongst senior-level researchers/decision makers, mid-level researchers and junior researchers/PhD students as well with a separate track dedicated to building community level capacity. In the abstract, the ‘community’ around any research study might usually be defined as the subject of the research. However, the focus of the community-capacity building activities of STELLAR, considers the role of the community as object of the research – a main consumer of the products of research, and having a stake in setting the research agenda itself. Thus, on the one hand, the STELLAR consortium needs to inform its actions and activities based on needs and wishes of stakeholders, while at the same time it intends to mobilise the same stakeholders, to forge common policy positions with respect to future development of TEL in Europe. This paper takes these activities as a case-study in structured social-network design, and considers the impact such activities may have on the field of technology enhanced learning in the coming years. The data is based on the first year of activities of the network, which are intended to last 40 months and are designed around the overlapping activities of connecting, orchestrating and contextualising stakeholders. The paper describes the elements of the stakeholder engagement plan as deployed by the STELLAR network in TELeurope, the activities conducted so far, and the plans for the future. It explains the consortium’s approach to stakeholder analysis, particularly the adaptation of existing methodologies, to produce a numerical ranking of stakeholders, by ‘alliance potential’. With regards to TELeurope, an emerging social platform being deployed by the STELLAR consortium so as to help this process of networking, it explains the current state of the affairs and plans for development of the platform, while referencing the work of Svensen & Laberge, and adapts the work of Bryson to contextualise these activities within a broader theoretical framework. Finally, the paper considers the quality monitoring elements and evaluation approach of the consortium, and makes recommendations as to how the networking strategy can be further energised, and as to how the process of evaluation can be improved. It concludes that the TELeurope strategy shows a high potential for stimulating engagement of stakeholders, subject to a number of caveats, which can be avoided through judicious policy choices within the next year

D5.2 - Stakeholder engagement plan, report on Guidelines and Monitoring tools-metrics

Barak, N., Burgos, D., Specht, M., De Vries, F., Camilleri, A., Lindstaedt, S., & Persico, D. (2010). D5.2 - Stakeholder engagement plan, report on Guidelines and Monitoring tools-metrics. STELLAR-project.This document describes the Guidelines, strategy, tools and methods for establishing the STELLAR stakeholders’ network and engaging with the TEL stakeholders. The overall aim of WP5 is to build a TEL community level capacity, with five main objectives: The STELLAR consortium aims to unify the leading institutions and projects in European Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL) in a Network of Excellence (NoE). As part of this, it aims to reduce community fragmentation by bringing together the key stakeholders in European TEL and stimulate ongoing knowledge exchange between them. This is the work of WP5.European Union 7th Framework Programm

Funding opportunities provided by STELLAR

Briefing on funding opportunities provided by the Syellar No

Fnding opportunities provide by STELLAR

Brifng on funding opportunities provided by the Syellar No

Modelling a stakeholder community via a social platform: The case of TELeurope.eu

Past attempts at creating stakeholder networks for specific fields of research or industrial sectors have shown to be a resource-consuming and time-consuming process, which requires continuous monitoring and political efforts, as well as the trial-and-error deployment of technological tools. Still, these networks are thought to be an efficient and essential communication instrument for addressing challenges and building capacities. The EU FP7 STELLAR Network of Excellence has the mission of establishing a network for Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) stakeholders, and has decided to do so via an online social community called TELeurope. In this paper we provide an overview of some relevant experience in establishing collaborative networks in the fields of business sciences, learning networks and communities of practice and reflect on our experience thus far with TELeurope

Report on community building with Stakeholders

The STELLAR consortium aims to unify the leading institutions and projects in European Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) in a Network of Excellence (NoE). As part of this, it aims to reduce community fragmentation by bringing together the key stakeholders in European TEL and stimulate ongoing knowledge exchange between them. Work package 5 has stakeholders\u27 capacity building exactly as its focus and it aims to reach out and engage with a variety of stakeholders and to work towards greater coordination, development and implementation of a research agenda that bring benefit to all. This document provides the second annual report of WP5 direct involvement with stakeholders in pursuit of the objectives of the STELLAR NoE. It provides an overview of WP activities and reflects on progress and cooperation with stakeholders across the various tasks that are integral to the operation of the WP (as outlined in the DoW). In so doing, it assesses as to which extent WP5 has progressed in external capacity building during Y2, and defines strategic directions for Y3 towards the achievement of WP objectives as defined in the DoW.Il wp5 della rete di eccellanza STELLAR ha l\u27obiettivo di coinvolgere i principali stakeholders interessati alla ricerca nel settore del TEL (Technology Enhanced Learning). Questo deliverable riporta le proncipali azioni intraprese a tal fine nel secondo ano di STELLAR e i risultati fin qui conseguiti

Report on the first Rendez-Vous. STELLAR - Del. WP3. D3.1

This is a report on a non‐standard conference called Alpine Rendez‐Vous that has been organized as part of \u27Scientific Capacity Building\u27 in the Network of Excellence STELLAR (work package 3) and took place in December 2009 in Garmisch‐Partenkirchen, Germany. Main goals were (a) to identify and advance emerging topics, methodologies and technologies in the field of Technology‐Enhanced Learning (TEL) and (b) to build community within and beyond STELLAR