Meeting 21 November 2008

Notes

Present:

  • Simon Booth (SiB)
  • Steve Boulton (StB)
  • Stephen Bruce (SB)
  • Joan Fisher (JF)
  • Catherine Milligan (CM)
  • Richard Parsons (RP)
  • Susi Peacock (SP)
  • Stephen Vickers (SV)

1.  Welcome and apologies

Apologies were received from Raymond and Theresa (Carol sent apologies after the meeting).  SV thanked everyone for attending at the revised time.

2.  Notes from last meeting (5 September)

Approved.  Agreed that it was not necessary to put a copy on the website, but notes for future meetings would be.

3.  Quick reports:

3.1 Convenor (SV)

  • Blackboard Client Success team, Richard Burrows and Anthony Doyle have been notified of the new group.  Response received from Jan Day offering support for our activities.
  • Renamed mailing list should be in operation very soon
  • A separate mailing list is to be created for this group

Actions:
a. SV to also notify Prena Gawri of the new group
b. SV to send message to renamed mailing list once it has been created
c. SV to notify committee of new admin list once it is available
d. SV to contact RSC about updating their site with the details of this group

3.2 Events (SiB and RP)

  • c.50 signed up for next event, organisation under control
  • note added to website about particular requirements
  • date to be agreed for following event
  • web conferencing system available for next event for anyone unable to attend

Actions:
a. SV to circulate website note via email
b. Booking form to be removed after closing date for registrations
c. SiB to contact Linda Creanor re hosting following meeting and possible dates (late February/early March)

3.3 Membership and communication (StB)

  • suggestion of creating a collaborative area using Ning – depends upon how active our group members are likely to be between events and is the community large enough

Actions:
a. SV to raise possibility at next event to seek views
b. SV to check if our website has an RSS option
c. SiB to add a spot at the beginning of the agenda for the next event to announce the recent changes to the group

3.4 Community Liaison (SB and SP)

  • invitation to next meeting circulated to other UK lists: VLE, Moodle, Blackboard, WebCT and Heads of eLearning
  • clarify role: contact with other user groups for awareness and possible coordination of events and raising of issues, link on our website
  • SP made contact with London Blackboard user group
  • RP noted that our group is more geographical than Blackboard, keeping in closer contact with Moodle group would give us greater coverage of FE/HE in Scotland

Actions:
a. SV to pass list of other user groups to SP and SB
b. RP to send contact details for Moodle group to SP and SB
c. SV to pass on any details about any pre-conference technical sessions at the Durham User Conference

4.  Standard form of group name

Agreed it would be “Scot-BUG”

5.  Logo

Quick draft prepared by StB needs finishing off (e.g. give it more of a 3D effect, based on a more friendly looking bug such as a ladybird)

Actions:
a. JF to follow-up completion of the logo by her colleagues

6.  Changes to current website

To show recent changes and committee roles; remove booking form from top menu
Approved proposed changes except remove reference to Northern Ireland on Background page and correct email address for SiB

Actions:
a. StB to update website before next event
b. Anyone send links to other sites to StB for adding to the Links page

7.  Communications strategy

Choices of how we might communicate with members – mailing list, RSS, Ning group (already covered by other agenda items)

8.  Mailing list membership policy

Agreed we should have a clear policy
Agreed mailing list should only include academic addresses, not commercial ones
Commercial users welcome to meetings and we can forward messages to the list for them if required

Actions:
a. SV to check current list members and report back

9.  Current structure

No changes proposed to new structure but keep under review
Also emphasise that the structure is still informal, ask if you need help with any tasks

10.  Future meetings

Agreed that we should have a meeting 1-2 weeks prior to each event and on other occasions as required
Web conferencing system worked well

Action:
a. Everyone to send email feedback to SP about their experience using Wimba