CADIC Web 2.0 Platform and Online Services
CADIC's web platform for cluster enhancement and growth will focus on enhancing appropriate connectivity and collaboration between SMEs engaging in clusters: providing networking channels and pathways dynamically linked with virtual workspaces for use as required.
It provides comprehensive support for IC/knowledge exchange and innovative synthesis in meeting spaces, collaborative workspaces and flexible learning spaces realised in both physical and virtual environments.
Building on research by CADIC RTD partners, this web platform and virtual space concept is part of a blended learning approach where SMEs within CADIC clusters are encouraged and empowered in the use of these online facilities through activities within the Clusters’ “real world” collaborative learning environment (CLE), where the facilities of the web platform will provide comprehensive support. It is hosted on its own server, maintained as a CADIC online service by the CADIC LSE RTD team, and is accessible by all CADIC consortium partners, and SMEs who are members of CADIC Clusters.
The Web Platform allows highly flexible interactions between cluster members where the provided tools (electronic workspaces with whiteboards and discussion panels, Intellectual Capital benchmarking system, InCapedia, etc) will define a common ground for all the participating SMEs. Using a shared tool can reduce the possibility of misunderstandings and, as a consequence, the likelihood of conflicts. This will help avoid any problems with the uptake and use of such facilities. To provide the technical infrastructure for networking by cluster members CADIC will employ LinkedIn. Each cluster will be able to set up a LinkedIn group comprising its members, from where they can also access their personal networks on LinkedIn. They will have personal and collective access, free of charge, to their Cluster Workspace within the CADIC web platform. Each CADIC Cluster workspace will be accessible stand-alone, and from within LinkedIn, with full functionality.
The Web Platform will provide interactive white boards and discussion panels supporting collaborative authoring of outcomes, seamlessly integrating focused working by groups who come together for (occasional, intensive) activities in Collaborative Learning Environments in the “real world" with distributed working in a virtual world always available to individual participants,wherever they may be, at whatever time. Multimedia documents can be uploaded, downloaded and worked on within the workspace file structure, which is continuously extendable and dynamically restructured to meet emerging cluster knowledge creation, access and distribution needs.
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