DART

IE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

JISC/NSF Digital Libraries in the Classroom Programme

PROJECT PLAN Year 2

Project Acronym

/ DART – Digital Anthropological Resources for Teaching
Project Title / Teaching and Learning Anthropology: Using Scalable Digital Library Platforms and Innovations in Approaches to Content.
Start Date / 1 February 2003 (work on project started June 2003 (Month 1)
End Date / 31 January 2008
Lead Institutions / LondonSchool of Economics and ColumbiaUniversity
Project Directors / Charles Stafford, Chris Fuller, and Steve Ryan (LSE)
Nicholas Dirks, Kate Wittenberg, and David Millman (Columbia)
Project Coordinator (LSE) :
Contact details:
Project Coordinator (CU):
Contact details: / Dr Caroline Ingram
Room A504, Department of Anthropology, Old Building, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London
Tel: +44 (0) 207 107 5103
Fax: +44 (0) 207 955 7603
Email:
Ann Miller
507 Butler Library, MC 1103, ColumbiaUniversity
535 West 114th Street, New York, NY 10027
Tel: +1 212 854 1796
Fax: +1 212 854 9099
Email:
Partner Institutions

Document History

Version / Date /

Comments

1.0 / 30 July 2003 / Initial draft by project coordinator LSE
1.1 / 27 August 2003 / Draft incorporating comments and additional text from LSE team
1.2 / 29 Sep 2003 / Draft incorporating CU perspectives & tasks by CU project coordinator
1.3 / 3 October 2003 / Draft incorporating comments and additional text from CU team
2.0 / 6 August 2004 / Year 2 draft 1 (comments revisions from whole DART team)
2.1 / 27 October 2004 / Year 2 final draft (CI)

1.Introduction

This project is a collaboration between ColumbiaUniversity and the London School of Economics. It will be based in the two Departments of Anthropology and will draw on a wide range of pedagogical and technical expertise within both institutions. This includes substantial expertise in the development and use of teaching technologies and digital libraries; in electronic publishing; in the development and evaluation of innovative teaching methodologies; and in anthropological approaches to human learning and cognition. Drawing on collective skills and building on existing infrastructures, the project will focus heavily on faculty and staff development. The investigators will seek to initiate a meaningful and sustainable transformation of undergraduate education and professional practice in the field of anthropology.

Starting from a focus on concrete learning outcomes, the primary aim will be to develop a series of digital tools, methods, and approaches with the potential to change the teaching and learning of anthropology. As explained below, in the first instance the project will attempt to address a longstanding problem encountered in anthropology as an undergraduate discipline, a problem that previous projects have also attempted to address. This is the fact that undergraduate students have not conducted ethnographic fieldwork, and therefore have little sense of the process through which anthropological knowledge – encountered by them primarily through the reading of ethnographies – is actually produced. The investigators have innovative ideas and practical plans for dealing with this problem, in part through the use of emerging technologies and tools, and in part through drawing on the many resources (a number of them digitised) that already exist in the discipline.

The project will also focus on developing tools for teaching central theoretical issues of concern in the discipline, such as gift exchange vs. commodity exchange. The teaching of undergraduate anthropology has been hampered by the impracticality of introducing students to the evidence that anthropologists utilize to develop and substantiate such key theoretical concepts. The investigators will pursue approaches for bringing such evidence, in a variety of media and from a wide variety of cultural contexts, directly to the classroom. In addition to seeking to thus increase student understanding of the processes of knowledge acquisition and development of theoretical concepts in anthropology, the project will also develop resources intended to heighten student awareness of the range of uses -symbolic, political, economic - that can be made of different kinds of cultural representations.

Once the investigators have developed a series of teaching methods and tools, they will then embed them in a digital learning environment for wider use. As will be explained, this environment will comprise a highly stable, flexible, and scalable digital library infrastructure, and it will allow for customized use across a wide range of academic fields (especially in the humanities and the social sciences). As a result, the lessons of the project will not be restricted to anthropology, nor indeed to Columbia University and the LSE. Instead they will be made available on an "open source" basis as far as possible, for use in diverse cultural, technological, and educational settings at the undergraduate level in both the USA and the UK. An ongoing evaluation of the costs and benefits of these initiatives will be incorporated into the planning and implementation of the project, and will also be disseminated to potential user groups outside of these two institutions.

2.Aims and Objectives

As the range of internet-based developments begins to mature (including virtual learning environments, digital libraries, interactive learning objects, etc.), we obviously need to integrate them more effectively into our campus-based practices. The principle objective of this call is precisely to bring about, through the use of emerging technologies and innovative pedagogical practices, a significant change in the way that teaching is carried out. This requires rethinking the role of different course elements that can now be significantly enhanced by digital technologies. As Laurillard remarks, “These technologies have the potential to improve radically the way students engage with knowledge and negotiate ideas. However…the promises made for e-learning will only be realized if we begin with an understanding of how students learn and design the use of learning technologies from this standpoint” (Laurillard 2001).

Taking this perspective as a starting point, our project seeks to simultaneously address two key problems. The first relates to the use of digital resources in anthropological teaching. Digital resources for anthropologists already exist in many forms; they can easily be expanded, and their use has already been explored in several research projects. For example, the Centre for Social Anthropology and Computing (CSAC) at the University of Kent hosts a selection of online anthropological materials. In general, however, anthropologists still lack both the tools and the models for integrating materials of the kinds developed by CSAC into anthropological teaching practices in meaningful ways. Dr E.L. Simpson, a research fellow at the LSE, was commissioned by the Centre for Sociology, Anthropology and Politics to undertake a critical qualitative survey of existing communication and information technology (ICT) resources for teaching anthropology in the United Kingdom. His research strongly suggests that the principal difficulties encountered relate to people, and by extension to institutional culture. Our project will therefore focus significantly on issues of training, professional development, and institutional change.

The second problem is a pedagogical one, and is directly related to the nature of anthropology itself as an undergraduate discipline. (This issue has been central to the "experience rich anthropology" project, funded in the UK by HEFCE, and organized by CSAC at the University of Kent.) Modern anthropological research methods are very diverse, but the discipline still relies heavily on participant-observation fieldwork. However, undergraduate students of anthropology virtually never undertake substantial fieldwork themselves, nor would it be feasible for them to do so. As a result, although undergraduates tend to find anthropology extremely interesting, it might be asked to what extent they are truly in a position to comprehend it.

How might these two highly complex problems – of human capital and pedagogy – be addressed in an integrated way?

The project will explore an "apprenticeship model" for teaching anthropology in which the ethnographic research of anthropologists can be "shared" with undergraduate students through the use of digital resources and innovations in teaching practice (cf. section 3 for concrete examples). This approach is inspired in part by the recent work of cognitive anthropologists and others on the implications of different modes of knowledge acquisition and conceptual development (cf. Neisser 1983, Lave 1988 & 1990, Bloch 1991, Ingold 2000). For example, Jean Lave has examined the contrast between formal (explicit) instruction in classroom settings and the kind of informal (often implicit) learning that takes place "in practice" – i.e., through a process of practical engagement with real problems in the real world. Both of these forms of learning have their strengths and weaknesses, but only rarely is the latter employed in higher education. In the case of anthropology, for the reasons noted above, this may be especially unfortunate. It arguably disengages students from the fieldwork-based material they are studying and can lead them to misapprehensions about the ethnographic enterprise.

In response, the project will seek to train undergraduates to have a complex understanding of “the field” and potential field sites. The Internet itself has complicated the delimitations of the field by enabling scholars to maintain contact with the ongoing cultural issues and debates of their field sites. The project will address this pedagogical problem and others by creating a variety of tools that will allow students to gain a richer understanding of the historical, cultural, and political backdrops of various field sites. Taking advantage of the emphasis on historical frameworks within the Columbia department, the project will develop digital tools that will bring greater texture to the study of specific historical texts and/or case studies. In addition to aiding the development of a critical understanding of these materials, these tools will also aim to teach undergraduates how to draw connections between anthropological concepts such as globalization, gender, and nationalism, and specific historical and contemporary examples.

Here it should be stressed that a version of the problem outlined above—which is, in effect, the distancing of learning from the process of knowledge production – is found across a very wide range of disciplines. As a result, our intention is that this project should reach conclusions and develop models and tools that are relevant to scholars and students in a number of academic fields.

With a view to encouraging gradual and yet significant and sustainable change, our project will be built primarily around the work of four Postdoctoral Fellows (two at Columbia and two at the LSE). As outlined below, they will collaborate with academic staff and specialists in learning technology and digital libraries at the two institutions in the development and use of new models and resources for anthropological teaching. One aim is to make this process a central part of their professional development, and for them – in turn – to encourage the same path of professional development for others. We then intend to place the models and resources that emerge from this exercise, and that will be evaluated throughout with regard to learning outcomes and sustainability, in a digital library infrastructure that will be available to others.

In summary, our aims and objectives are:

  1. To develop resources and methods which have the potential to improve significantly the teaching and learning of undergraduates in anthropology;
  2. To provide a new model of professional development for young scholars in the discipline of anthropology, one that encourages the meaningful integration of digital teaching and learning into career paths and objectives;
  3. To facilitate a gradual but significant process of institutional change at Columbia and the LSE, encouraging the faculty at both institutions – and elsewhere – to develop models for appropriate use of new teaching methodologies;
  4. To develop technology platforms which allow for flexible, stable and effective delivery of resources and tools for teaching; and to disseminate widely the lessons learned in the development of these platforms;
  5. To develop a greater understanding of the pedagogical issues involved where the process of knowledge production is detached from the process of knowledge acquisition, enabling insight not only into anthropology teaching and learning, but also into key pedagogical issues across a wide range of academic disciplines.

These aims and objectives have not changed for Year2 of the project.

3.Overall Approach

The project, as has been described, is pedagogically focussed. Initial analysis will identify learning and teaching strategies that will address the key problems identified, e.g., the use of fieldwork in anthropology teaching. From this analysis, digital tools and resources will be developed that will support the learning and teaching strategies identified. The potential re-use of these resources will be supported through the digital library tools being developed at Columbia. In later stages of the project, the LSE and Columbia will exchange digital resources developed at each institution and engage in joint reflection upon these topics.

3.1 Accessibility

Theprojectwillseektofollowbestpracticeinthedevelopmentof all digitalresources.Projectpersonnelarefamiliarwiththeguidelinesproducedby TechDis and the requirements of SENDA and WC3 WAI, andwillwherenecessary seekadviceandassistancetosupportaccessibilityforallendusers.

3.2 Interoperabilityandscalability

TheopensourcetoolsbeingdevelopedbyColumbiathatwillbeimplementedatLSEarebeingdevelopedwithreferencetoemergingstandardsandspecifications.ProjectpersonnelatColumbiaareinvolved in Internet 2 and IMS developments, andtheirwork on thisprojectwillbe based on Open Source and Standards-based approaches. As a digital library project, scalability of tools will be a key consideration.

3.3 Usercommunities

Threemainuser communitiescanbeidentified:

  • TheAnthropologycommunity.Thiswillbeaddressedthroughpublications,conferenceparticipationandprofessionalnetworks. The DART project team at LSE also plans to use under-spent funds to support an additional teacher research officer to work with the department in embedding developed tools and resources from both LSEand Columbiaand identifying areas for further development (see WP 11)
  • Cognate departmentswithintheLSEandColumbia.Thesewillprimarilybeaddressedthroughinternaldisseminationactivities,workshops,showcasesofgoodpracticeandinformal networking. In future years the LSE DART team plans to work with lecturers in cognate disciplines at the LSE to ensure best use of developed tools.
  • TheLearningTechnologycommunity.Thiswillprimarilybeaddressedthroughtheuseofexistingchannelsorganisedby JISC and professionalassociations (such as the ALT).

The needs of the above communities will be assessed in the first instance through the active participation of project personnel in those communities. The evaluation and dissemination strategies will enable a more formal identification of needs.

4.Project Consortium

At the time of writing the project consortium and the project team (see below: 5. Project Management) are the same group. Sub-groups (e.g. evaluators, student participants) and other members of staff from the participating departments will be incorporated into the project plan as it develops. To date (August 2004) these relationships have yet to be confirmed.

5.Project Management

5.1 The work for the project will be overseen at three different levels.

At each institution, a Core Group made up of the principal investigators and key support staff (including the project managers) will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the project, and for the oversight of the Fellows and their work. The two Core Groups – based at Columbia and LSE respectively – will maintain regular informal contact regarding all the main activities set out below.

At the LSE the core group consists of:

  • The joint directors of the project in LSE Department of Anthropology are Chris Fuller and Charles Stafford; they are the line managers of the Teaching and Research Fellows, Luke Freeman and Jerome Lewis, and the Project Coordinator, Caroline Ingram.
  • CF and CS work in collaboration with Steve Ryan, also a director of the project, in Centre for Learning Technology (CLT), who is the line manager for the Learning Technologist, Stephen Bond.

At Columbia University the core group consists of:

  • Nicholas Dirks, director of the project in the Columbia Department of Anthropology, who is line manager of the Teaching and Research Fellows, Gustav Peebles and Rashmi Sadana.
  • Kate Wittenberg, director of the project at the Electronic Publishing Initiative at Columbia (EPIC), who is line manager of the project coordinator, Ann Miller.
  • David Millman, director of the project at Academic Information Systems (AcIS), and also a director of the project; he is line manager of web developer Brian Hoffman.

Each institution will also have a Management Committee, to which the Core Groups will report during regular meetings, twice per year (see below for more detail, section 9).

Finally, there will be a joint Columbia-LSE Steering Committee. This committee will hold annual whole project meetings (see below for more detail, section 9).

5.2 Responsibilities for project completion at the LSE are as follows:

  • The Research Fellows are responsible for the academic content of the project, including close collaboration with the Centre for Learning Technology (CLT).
  • In the CLT a learning technologist will be responsible for learning technology development.
  • The Project Coordinator is responsible for its administration: i.e., liaison with JISC, budget and accounts (including agreement of expenditure), arranging meetings, writing reports, routine correspondence, etc. The coordinator is also expected - in light of experience of similar projects - to have a substantive role in project development and dissemination activities.
  • Staff from other parts of the School and externally may undertake specific work, e.g. from the library in relation to technical developments relating to systems being developed by Columbia or input into project evaluation from external specialists. This work to be co-ordinated by CI but other members of the project team may be responsible for specific supervision depending on the nature of the activity.
  • The project directors' responsibilities are divided: Charles Stafford is primarily responsible for managing the ‘internal’ side of the project: i.e., aspects of the project that require coordination or negotiation with the Department of Anthropology, CLT, and various authorities, departments and committees in the School. Chris Fuller is primarily responsible for managing the ‘external’ side of the project: i.e., aspects of the project that require coordination or negotiation with colleagues in Columbia University, and those that are relevant to the wider relationship between Columbia and the LSE, and the two anthropology departments.

5.3 Responsibilities for project completion at Columbia are as follows:

  • Project director Nicholas Dirks of the Department of Anthropology is responsible, together with the Department Chair, for the "internal" side of the project, i.e., aspects of the project that require coordination or negotiation with the Department of Anthropology and various authorities, departments, and committees in the university. Nicholas Dirks is responsible for the "external" side of the project: i.e., aspects of the project that require coordination or negotiation with colleagues at LSE and those that are relevant to the wider relationship between the two anthropology departments and between Columbia and the LSE.
  • The research fellows, in consultation with Nicholas Dirks and other members of the Department of Anthropology, are responsible for the academic content of the project, for close collaboration with EPIC and AcIS, and for a portion of the dissemination activities both within and outside of the University.
  • Project director Kate Wittenberg of EPIC is responsible for the coordination of the project with the NSF and with the grants and budget offices within Columbia University, including coordination of report writing and submission to NSF, organization of presentations at NSF/JISC PI meetings, and reporting on progress to the Columbia grants office and the library’s budget office.
  • Project coordinator Ann Miller is responsible for the management of the project at Columbia: coordination of the planning process; maintaining lines of communication through weekly project meetings; scheduling and overseeing on-time delivery of agreed-upon products ("deliverables") including digital resources and project dissemination activities; serving as liaison with NSF/JISC and with Caroline Ingram, project coordinator at LSE; preparation of reports; and overseeing of budget and accounts (including agreement of expenditure). In light of experience in scholarly publishing and digital resource development, the project coordinator will also have a substantive role in project development and dissemination activities.

Project director David Millman of AcIS and web developer Brian Hoffman are responsible for the learning technology/digital library development of the project. DM is responsible for the project technology, to develop and employ scalable digital library tools and systems and to embed content from the Fellows into them. DM oversees the work of BH and other technology staff at AcIS and EPIC. Through the management structure, the technology team is coordinated with the Fellows and with colleagues at LSE on a regular basis.