Collaboration Report

Collaboration Tool Used: Twiddla

Twiddla, as how the makers described it is, “a free, no-setup, web-based meeting playground” that was designed specifically for online collaboration.

The group made use of the Web Page tab first in order to “group read” on related articles that were found by the group members. Twiddla then loaded the desired web page unto the workspace where everyone would be able to see the webpage. The group used different colors to mark the document as a group, highlighting and underlining important phrases and key words that they needed. After highlighting and getting the needed information from the WebPage tab, the group then moved on to EtherPad to make a draft of the paper. It was also a group effort because the words and/or phrases from the Pad is actually updated real-time. Each contribution from the members were also color coded so that the group would be able to distinguish the work coming from each individual.

Advantages:

1. No user registration required. The site was easy to access.

2. Buttons were pretty much self explanatory.

3. Can integrate whiteboard(doodle), webpage, document, and image into one tab.

4. Whiteboard is very useful when designing visuals/graphics. Captures features of YM's Doodle, but for groups, which is something Yahoo Messenger doesn't do.

5. Text typed in EtherPad is automatically color coded according to each member's color. This makes it easier to track who wrote what

6. There is a Time Slider feature, which lets you play back what's happening on the screen as the text is being typed. This allows you to track the flow of thought of the writers, and also the process behind how the document or final product was created. It also lets you see all the edits and revisions.

7. Images from the users could also be uploaded to the site and the group can make scribbles and notes directly on the picture.

Disadvantages:

1. You can only work on one tab. (ex. You can't go back to the Whiteboard while using the Etherpad.)

2. Clicking the links makes new web pages load. There is no convenient way of going back to pages you viewed earlier without erasing the current page you're viewing.

3. The audio option has a user limit. It would've been better if most of the group could also talk while working.

4. The Chat Window takes up space on the screen. It can't be resized, and it can't be dragged elsewhere while the Whiteboard or EtherPad is being used.

5. When Web Pages were loaded for the group to read, one possible disadvantage is that some readers, being faster readers, will have already finished the article and will be ready to move on to the next, while the slower readers are still working through the text. This will take up the time of the faster readers, because they will not be able to move on until everyone is finished.

6. No consent whatsoever is asked from the group when changing tabs or moving on to different links.

7. There is a danger of losing content if someone accidentally clicks something they're not supposed to click.

Link for Twiddla group Collaboration: http://www.twiddla.com/576235

Screenshots from Activity

Reviewing ideas on Mama Project of the Women's Refugee Commission. Web pages can be easily loaded on the whiteboard of Twiddle. Highlight/Underline function is available to emphasize on important ideas.

Sharing our ideas on our collaboration tool experience with the use of the Etherpad embedded in Twiddla.

Our finished blog entry using the Etherpad.