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Sharing time: engaging students as co-designers in the creation of an online knowledge sharing application

Published:03 October 2012Publication History

ABSTRACT

This paper introduces the peer-supported design process undertaken in the creation of a novel online knowledge sharing application called the Haystack Exchange. Along with seven undergrad and graduate students involved in a course research group, the authors of this paper presented a fully functional online prototype of an application designed to connect those seeking knowledge work with those willing to do that work, creating an outlet for knowledge workers to share and contribute effort. Students were engaged as active co-designers in the system, examining existing applications online offering similar services, discussing relevant research in building online communities, and ultimately re-designing the system to make it context-appropriate for different deployment scenarios. This paper reports on the details of this unique design process, discussing its merits, implications, and the prototypes that resulted. The paper concludes with a discussion of the peer design process as an instructional approach that promotes student engagement.

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      • Published in

        cover image ACM Conferences
        SIGDOC '12: Proceedings of the 30th ACM international conference on Design of communication
        October 2012
        386 pages
        ISBN:9781450314978
        DOI:10.1145/2379057

        Copyright © 2012 ACM

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        Publication History

        • Published: 3 October 2012

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