Collaborative Development Process Research Articles

Elevating Student Voice and Levelling Traditional Power Hierarchies Through Open Textbook Co-Creation: What Do Students Say?

There are calls for the democratisation of higher education in line with the principles of social justice. Collaboration with students offers the potential for creating a more inclusive higher education environment, and open textbook development initiatives can be a vehicle for change. This paper focuses on the experiences of students as co-creators in open textbook initiatives at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Drawing on interviews with 11 open textbook collaborators, this paper utilises Nancy Fraser’s social justice framework to explore students’ perspectives on injustices, challenges of collaboration and co-creation, and power dynamics in student–staff partnerships. The study shows that students experience and navigate various injustices in their classroom contexts related to economic maldistribution, cultural misrecognition and political misrepresentation. It reveals a complex interrelationship between student voice, power dynamics in the classroom, and the power of student–staff partnerships to build confidence and flatten hierarchies in open textbook co-creation. The student views presented here provide powerful evidence of a range of benefits they experience when the traditional hierarchies between student and lecturer are levelled through collaborative open textbook development processes. Results indicate that co-creation activities enabled them to have a voice through the power of publication and own their academic journeys.

An integrated framework for collaborative product design and assembly based on STEP compatible ontology model in cloud manufacturing

AbstractNowadays, new product development processes are encountering fast design and development cycles. This issue has become one the main competition factors among industries. Accordingly, companies make drastic efforts to enhance the quality and speed in the realm of designing and manufacturing by taking novel approaches. Using the potential of new technologies, they design and develop products worldwide, and integrate stakeholders in the collaborative process to achieve this goal. This study has aimed at laying a foundation to fulfill the requirements for globalized collaborative product development processes. This creates an opportunity for both an integrated and collaborative environment. As first objective, the paper has proposed STEP Standard-based model in the form of a cloud service model to create an integrated data structure for product design data while giving flexibility for service-oriented access to integrated model. For second objective, using the Ontology interoperability model, the collaborative design among the stakeholders has been enabled through smart interference control. This control interprets the data semantic to an ontology structure and detects the potential conflicts. The model supports two levels of parts in singular and collective form and based on the assembly scheme for collaborative design and development. Different facets of the proposed model are addressed to fulfill the necessity of real-time distributed collaboration in designing and assembling via a case study.

Empowering value co-creation: Product and technology development in power asymmetric buyer-supplier relationships from the perspective of a weaker supplier

This research explores value co-creation practices for product and technology development within power asymmetric buyer-supplier relationships in their early stages. In terms of value co-creation practices, we focus on how buyers and suppliers contribute to benefits and impact costs, whereas for power, we focus on their influence on distribution of costs and benefits within the relationship. Through a qualitative study, we analyse 18 buyer-supplier dyads, each featuring a collaborative product and technology development process between a less powerful supplier and an influential buyer. The findings reveal that these co-creation practices served as a platform for mutual learning and knowledge creation, which provided the suppliers with a reinforced capacity to generate benefits for the buyers and mitigate the power asymmetry. To conclude, we put forward a framework along with a set of propositions designed to inspire further research on assessing supplier opportunities when navigating power asymmetric product and technology development relationships.

Research–practice partnership as a school development method: educators’ experiences on collaborative school development process and outcomes

ABSTRACT This study examines educators’ experiences of implementing research–practice partnership (RPP) in three schools in Finland’s capital area. The data consisted of educator interviews (N = 12) and self-report questionnaire responses (N = 101). Teachers’ experiences were traced by data-driven thematic analysis of the interviews and quantitative analysis of survey responses. The results indicate that RPP provided a successful strategy to contribute to school development aims as long as it was integrated coherently into schools’ operations. Targeted time resources, teachers’ developer roles, and joint work, such as involvement in boundary crossing activities, fostered successful implementation and achievement of the targeted development aims. However, within-school power dynamics appeared to be a hindering factor. The results indicated an unexpectedly strong segregation of teachers according to presence or absence of their developer role. The reached outcomes related to experienced school-specific organizational innovations and professional growth of those educators who engaged in boundary crossing activities.

The essential factors in higher education – Industry collaboration when developing video-supported collaborative learning

The collaboration between higher education (HE) and education technology (EdTech) companies plays a vital role in developing digitallyembedded learning in the contemporary digital era. The partnership between HE and industry is widely recognized as a means to promote innovation. Moreover, it provides advantages to companies striving to fulfill client requirements. The HE-industry collaboration has garnered increasing attention in academic research. However, there is a lack of studies on the actors’ perspectives and on the required processes and other elements for conducting effective HE-EdTech collaboration in developing learning and teaching in HE. This study addresses this research gap by examining the interprofessional collaborative development process involved in the creation of video-supported collaborative learning. The qualitative research examines the factors of successful collaboration between HE and EdTech companies within the knowledge-building ecosystem framework, using ethnographic data. The findings indicate that the establishment of a knowledge-building ecosystem for the development of digitally-embedded learning in based on collaboration between key actors: teachers, teacher educators, EdTech companies, HE institutions, and students, the end-users and ultimate beneficiaries. The collaboration is manifested in open innovation, practice-based research, and research-based service development processes, and relies on goal setting, continuous dialogue, reflective assessment, commitment, and trust as key elements.

A Systematic Literature Review for Investigating DevOps Metrics to Implement in Software Development Organizations

ABSTRACTDevOps is a collaborative software development process where practitioners work as a team to continuously develop, deploy, and deliver software. DevOps practices still need to be mature, and practitioners face numerous challenges while considering DevOps as a software development process. The mainstream research community has helped simplify the DevOps adoption process and eliminate complexities by developing DevOps maturity models. However, the current maturity frameworks cannot measure every component of DevOps and do not mention metrics as parameters for measuring different DevOps practices or features. Therefore, this study aims to identify metrics for measuring practices and activities responsible for DevOps implementation. The systematic literature review (SLR) method was used to determine the metrics needed to measure DevOps practices. Using SLR, we have identified 32 metrics from 57 articles. The metrics identified in this study can be used to measure the impact of the practices adopted for DevOps implementation within software development organizations. Furthermore, we divided the identified metrics into Dev and Ops categories and five significant categories based on the DevOps lifecycle. The classification of metrics in our study into diverse regions provides a conceptual framework and understanding of DevOps measures.

Game Lab Innovations in Education: Insights from a Board Game Design Project

From the perspective of educators, game development has great potential as a teaching method, as it promotes group collaboration, project-based learning and the development of content tailored to a given target group. This paper is based on a study that was carried out through an international project, implementing an educational game development concept called Game Lab into an educational context. The study explored professional development topics such as game-based learning, game development, and game testing, along with the Game Lab method focusing on group dynamics, progression, and creativity. It employed an abductive analysis of written responses from twelve teachers who participated in the Let’s Play project, which involved a Game Lab component. The teachers, ranging in age from their thirties to their sixties, represented all levels of education from preschool to upper secondary school. They responded to a survey with open-ended questions and reflection notes, providing insights into their experiences with game development methods as pedagogical tools. Their responses were analyzed to identify key themes and patterns. Findings suggest that this approach has broadened participants' perspectives on utilizing diverse games and game development techniques in education, aligning with prior research on production pedagogy. It underscores the importance of integrating in-game content with real-world contexts as a modern teaching method. Participants also highlighted that effective game-based learning supports a constructivist approach to teaching over behaviorism. The participants emphasized their increased insight and understanding of game development and game systems and how the combined effect of educational game design and the Game Lab method (working in teams) resulted in a more valuable learning outcome than they would have experienced alone. They also reported an improved understanding on how working with the development of a board game made them dig much deeper into the topic at hand. In addition, they found that this increased their motivation for learning, knowing that this was going to be a product that was to be tested and played by others (pupils and teachers). Furthermore, the participants highlighted the role of group dynamics in fostering teamwork and consensus during the collaborative game development process.

145 Co-producing a physical activity referral scheme for the German healthcare system: A qualitative analysis of stakeholder experiences

Abstract Purpose Physical activity referral schemes (PARS) are a promising strategy to promote physical activity within healthcare settings. Despite the perceived potential of PARS, no national scheme has yet been implemented in Germany. This study investigated stakeholders’ experiences with the development of a PARS in the German healthcare system using a co-production approach. The focus was on examining facilitators and challenges, along with gathering insights on potential modifications to the joint development process, all from the viewpoint of stakeholders. Methods Based on 25 stakeholders participating in the co-production process, seven stakeholders were purposefully selected for one-to-one semi-structured interviews. Following the maximum variation principle, interview partners represented a variety of participating stakeholders regarding the health sector they belong to, the stakeholders’ position within their organization and their attendance during the development phase. We analyzed the interview transcripts using summarizing qualitative content analysis (software MAXQDA 2022). Results The following factors were identified as facilitators of the development process: co-production approach, process of co-production, multi-sector stakeholder group, possibility of active participation, coordinating role of researchers, communication, atmosphere and interaction. In contrast, differences in roles and hierarchy, merging of different perspectives, clarification of intervention costs, and competition and conflicting interests were pointed out as challenges. Interviewees made a few suggestions for improving group composition and cooperation among stakeholders. Conclusions Overall, stakeholder experiences with the development process were overwhelmingly positive, indicating that co-production is a beneficial approach for the development of PARS intended for integration into healthcare systems. To further improve co-production of PARS models and other interdisciplinary health services, scientists should report on and evaluate the collaborative development processes more frequently and systematically. Support/Funding Source The study is funded by the Federal Ministry of Health based on a resolution of the German ‘Bundestag’ by the federal government.

Competencies related to generalism for Japanese medical undergraduates: Essential skills for comprehensive care

Objective To identify generalism-related competencies that medical students in Japan should acquire in order to provide comprehensive care for patients. Methods The team responsible for developing the new ‘Generalism’ section of the 2022 revision of the Model Core Curriculum for Medical Education in Japan (MCC) consisted of nine members from diverse medical backgrounds across Japan. We adopted pragmatism paradigm and analyzed to identify decision-making processes using a qualitative document analysis. Results The competency list was presented as a four-tier structure. The first tier of generalism was defined as ‘take a multi-systemic view of the patient’s problems and consider the patient’s psychosocial background in order to provide comprehensive, flexible medical care that responds to the needs of the patient and is not limited to one’s own specialty, supporting the achievement of individual and societal well-being.’ The second tier was framed in terms of ‘perspectives’ and constructed of four different domains: ‘holistic,’ ‘community,’ ‘life,’ and ‘social.’ Conclusion We identified and defined the competencies required by medical students in Japan to provide comprehensive care for patients. By including these competencies in the MCC, undergraduate medical education will be better placed to respond to anticipated changes in the demand for medical care in Japan. Success factors in our guideline development process include facilitating a collaborative and iterative development process, ensuring that diverse perspectives are integrated, and using practical examples and feedback to refine competencies based on a pragmatic approach.

Developing a Work Accommodation Operating Model for Workplaces and Work Ability Support Services

Abstract Purpose Workplace accommodation can help employees with disabilities remain employed or access employment rather than leave the labor force. However, the workplace accommodation process is still poorly understood and documented. Aim The aim of this study was to develop a national operating model to make workplace accommodation interactive and procedural for workplaces and work ability support services and lower the threshold to making accommodations. Methods The collaborative development process was carried out by a multiprofessional expert team with eleven workplaces in the private and public sectors in Finland. The design of this study was conceptual and developmental. The development process of the operating model consisted of four phases: the orientation phase, the joint planning phase, the implementation advancement phase, and the instilling phase. Results The operating model has six stages: 1) identifying needs, 2) gathering knowledge, 3) exploring alternatives, 4) selecting solutions, 5) implementing solutions, and 6) monitoring and evaluating. The model defines the actions, roles, and responsibilities for each phase. To help implement the model, we published an information package, a guide, a planning formula, and a video animation in Finnish and Swedish. Conclusion The operating model is a tool that workplaces and work ability support services can use to help working-aged people remain employed or access employment. Future studies should determine the workplace-specific functionality of this model using implementation research.

Individual and collaborative infographic design and cognitive strategies in visual literacy support process: a qualitative research perspective

This study examined the individual and collaborative infographic development processes of middle school students in a qualitative research context. In the first phase, individual and collaborative infographics were developed, a simultaneous think-aloud protocol and interviews were conducted. In the second phase, focus group interviews were conducted with 22 teachers. The findings of the study revealed that students who developed infographics individually and collaboratively completed their tasks at different stages. Protocol analysis data showed that individual and collaborative efforts were reflected in cognitive processes and that collaborative groups spent less time in testing and individual students spent less time in questioning. The findings showed that collaborative learning activities can support the learning process with components such as questioning, peer scaffolding, and sharing.

Educational Learning-Based Sign Language System Using Machine Learning

This study proposes an innovative approach to multicultural education by integrating Indian Sign Language (ISL) and American Sign Language (ASL) through Machine Learning (ML) techniques. By collecting and preprocessing high-quality video data of ISL and ASL, we aim to develop ML models capable of recognizing and generating signs in both languages. Through bidirectional transfer learning and cross-language representation learning, we seek to enhance the learning experience and address common challenges in sign language acquisition. Additionally, personalized learning environments and culturally sensitive design, informed by collaboration with Deaf communities in India and America, ensure inclusivity and accuracy. Evaluation metrics and ethical considerations are integrated into the development process to promote responsible implementation and continuous improvement. Ultimately, this project aims to lay the groundwork for advancing multilingual sign language education globally. By employing advanced ML techniques, this study aims to bridge the gap between Indian Sign Language (ISL) and American Sign Language (ASL) education, fostering inclusivity and accessibility in learning environments. Through meticulous data collection, preprocessing, and collaborative development processes, our approach emphasizes accuracy, cultural sensitivity, and personalized learning experiences. By engaging with Deaf communities in both India and America, we ensure the authenticity and relevance of our platform. Evaluation metrics and ethical considerations are prioritized to uphold privacy, consent, and fairness principles. By establishing a robust foundation for multilingual sign language education, this project contributes to broader discussions on leveraging ML for enhancing accessibility and inclusivity in education systems worldwide. Keywords- Hand Gesture, Sign language Recognition, OpenCV, Media-pipe, tensorflow.

Enhancing Quality in Higher Education Through Evidence-Based and Inclusive Policy Co-Development

Higher education institutions across Africa and beyond are confronted with the need to demonstrate quality, relevance, and accountability amidst numerous challenges. This study used the mixed methodology to explore the adoption of participatory and evidence-based policy design processes in four universities in Zimbabwe. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 60 participants across administration, faculty and student leadership from two public and two private institutions. Additionally, relevant documents were reviewed to provide contextual information. The data from the interviews were analyzed using deductive coding based on the Advocacy Coalition Framework, as well as inductive coding to identify emerging themes. The findings indicate that stakeholder input and evidence were effectively incorporated into the decision-making process through leadership support, capacity-building initiatives, and engagement structures. However, challenges such as resistance to change, time limitations, and lack of expertise were identified. To enhance ownership and relevance, the study recommends central coordination of policies, gradual implementation of new approaches, and collaboration with policy researchers to strengthen the evidence base. This research underscores the significance of collaborative policy development processes for higher education institutions in developing settings to improve quality and responsiveness to diverse institutional needs.

Lessons from the field. Toward evidence‐based parenting support to promote positive parenting in children's sport

AbstractObjectiveThe development of a brief online program to improve prosocial parent behavior at children's sporting events is described. We provide an overview of the collaborative research and development process, the theoretical basis for program content, design features, and evaluation approach used to establish the feasibility of Play Well Triple P in Junior Rugby League.BackgroundParents influence children's experience of sports, impacting their enjoyment and participation, motivation to play, behavior, and performance during sporting events. Parental expectations and behaviors can place pressure on children, decreasing their enjoyment and contributing to their desistance from playing sport. As sport is important for maintaining children's social and psychological well‐being, research is needed to investigate strategies for supporting children to retain positive involvement in sports throughout childhood and adolescence.MethodCodesign principles were applied across four phases of program development—surveying parents of junior players (Phase 1), which informed the development of program content and design (Phase 2), refining the program based on feedback from parents and sports officials (Phase 3), and concluding with a feasibility evaluation of the final program (Phase 4).ResultsParents who participated in Play Well Triple P reported improvements in positive sport parenting behavior, decreases in negative sport parenting behavior, and a high level of satisfaction with the program.Conclusions and implicationsThe codesign framework for the development of a parent program for rugby league produced a promising and well‐accepted sports parenting program that warrants further trialing, and application to other junior sporting contexts.

Advancing Smart Cyber Physical System with Self-Adaptive Software

The proposed integration of DevOps and Digital Twins presents a ground-breaking approach to enhancing the resilience and adaptability of Cyber-Physical Systems in the context of Industry 4.0 and the forthcoming Industry 5.0 era. This research explores the synergistic potential of DevOps principles in fostering collaborative and efficient development and maintenance processes for embedded systems and distributed control systems within CPS. Concurrently, the utilization of Digital Twins offers real-time monitoring and simulation capabilities, heralding a shift towards a human-centric approach to CPS operation. The emphasis on self-adaptive systems within CPS anticipates the ability to address dynamic conditions and unforeseen challenges, paving the way for the evolution of resilient and responsive industrial systems. This research explores the integration of DevOps and Digital Twins in the context of Industry 4.0 and anticipates the requirements of Industry 5.0, emphasizing the need for resilient and human-centric Cyber-Physical Systems. This study investigates the integration of DevOps and Digital Twins to enhance the resilience and adaptability of Cyber-Physical Systems in the context of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.

Bio-Experiential Technology to Support Persons With Dementia and Care Partners at Home (TEND): Protocol for an Intervention Development Study.

Alzheimer disease and related dementias are debilitating and incurable diseases. Persons with dementia and their informal caregivers (ie, dyads) experience high rates of emotional distress and negative health outcomes. Several barriers prevent dyads from engaging in psychosocial care including cost, transportation, and a lack of treatments that target later stages of dementia and target the dyad together. Technologically informed treatment and serious gaming have been shown to be feasible and effective among persons living with dementia and their care partners. To increase access, there is a need for technologically informed psychosocial interventions which target the dyad, together in the home. This study aims to develop the toolkit for experiential well-being in dementia, a dyadic, "bio-experiential" intervention for persons with dementia and their caregivers. Per our conceptual model, the toolkit for experiential well-being in dementia platform aims to target sustained attention, positive emotions, and active engagement among dyads. In this paper, we outline the protocol and conceptual model for intervention development and partnership with design and development experts. We followed the National Institutes of Health (NIH) stage model (stage 1A) and supplemented the model with principles of user-centered design. The first step includes understanding user needs, goals, and strengths. We met this step by engaging in methodology and definition synthesis and conducting focus groups with dementia care providers (N=10) and persons with dementia and caregivers (N=11). Step 2 includes developing and refining the prototype. We will meet this step by engaging dyads in up to 20 iterations of platform β testing workshops. Step 3 includes observing user interactions with the prototype. We will meet this step by releasing the platform for feasibility testing. Key takeaways from the focus groups include balancing individualization and the dyadic relationship and avoiding confusing stimuli. As of September 2023, we have completed focus groups with providers, persons with dementia, and their caregivers. Additionally, we have conducted 4 iterations of β testing workshops with dyads. Feedback from focus groups informed the β testing workshops; data have not yet been formally analyzed and will be reported in future publications. Technological interventions, particularly "bio-experiential" technology, can be used in dementia care to support emotional health among persons with a diagnosis and caregivers. Here, we outline a collaborative intervention development process of bio-experiential technology through a research, design, and development partnership. Next, we are planning to test the platform's feasibility as well as its impact on clinical outcomes and mechanisms of action. DERR1-10.2196/52799.

Opportunities and challenges in advanced communication technologies in the environment: a case of forest management communications

Advanced information communication technologies (ICT) offer significant benefits to applied communications, including potential cost reductions, service improvements, and expanded natural resource education in an era of ever-decreasing budgets. Limited guidance exists about how to design and implement virtual reality and augmented reality experiences in environmental spaces but clearly it takes time, expertise, equipment, and iterative feedback with experts and users. Our 18-month collaborative development process used best practices, stakeholder involvement, and multimedia teams to create and test augmented reality and virtual reality visitor education about forest management. Based on this effort, we share challenges, opportunities, and ideas to implement ICT in applied environmental education.

Smart Product Design Ontology Development for Managing Digital Agility

Digital agility is a critical dynamic capability that is becoming increasingly important in the context of collaborative product development processes (PDPs). This paper aims to address the complexity of today's PDPs by considering various quality aspects including safety, environment, and the entire lifecycle, along with diverse dynamic capabilities such as digital agility and circular economy. The authors employed a semantic web methodology and created an ontology-based knowledge model. The proposed ontology uses Design for X techniques, circular economy, digital agility, and the semantic web under the PDP perspective to increase performance and cooperation between designers and the project team. To validate the ontology, measures for domain ontology evaluation have been used. The paper presents a detailed guide for ontology engineering and evaluation for collaborative smart PDP, which incorporates digital agility as a critical dynamic capability. The proposed ontology can help boost PDP performance and increase customer satisfaction.

Blending Video Therapy and Digital Self-Help for Individuals With Suicidal Ideation: Intervention Design and a Qualitative Study Within the Development Process.

Digital formats have the potential to enhance accessibility to care for individuals with suicidal ideation. However, digital self-help interventions have faced limitations, including small effect sizes in reducing suicidal ideation, low adherence, and safety concerns. Therefore, we aimed to develop a remote blended cognitive behavioral therapy intervention that specifically targets suicidal ideation by blending video therapy with web-based self-help modules. The objective of this paper is to describe the collaborative development process and the resulting intervention and treatment rationale. First, we compiled intervention components from established treatment manuals designed for people with suicidal ideation or behavior, resulting in the development of 11 drafts of web-based modules. Second, we conducted a qualitative study, involving 5 licensed psychotherapists and 3 lay counselors specialized in individuals with suicidal ideation who reviewed these module drafts. Data were collected using the think-aloud method and semistructured interviews, and a qualitative content analysis was performed. The 4 a priori main categories of interest were blended care for individuals with suicidal ideation, contents of web-based modules, usability of modules, and layout. Subcategories emerged inductively from the interview transcripts. Finally, informed by previous treatment manuals and qualitative findings, we developed the remote blended treatment program. The participants suggested that therapists should thoroughly prepare the web-based therapy with patients to tailor the therapy to each individual's needs. Participants emphasized that the web-based modules should explain concepts in a simple manner, convey empathy and validation, and include reminders for the safety plan. In addition, participants highlighted the need for a simple navigation and layout. Taking these recommendations into account, we developed a fully remote blended cognitive behavioral therapy intervention comprising 12 video therapy sessions and up to 31 web-based modules. The treatment involves collaboratively developing a personalized treatment plan to address individual suicidal drivers. This remote treatment takes advantage of the high accessibility of digital formats while incorporating full sessions with a therapist. In a subsequent pilot trial, we will seek input from individuals with lived experience and therapists to test the feasibility of the treatment.

Student Interview-Informed Behavior Contracts for High School Students Identified as at Risk

Addressing the challenging behavior of students requires evidence-based interventions that can be implemented in school settings; however, there is a relative lack of literature investigating effective strategies for high school students in secondary settings. Behavior contracts have been used to address challenging behavior in elementary and middle settings but less so in high school settings. Furthermore, the extent to which they have involved student input at the high school level has been unclear despite research indicating that collaborative intervention development processes may be associated with several additional benefits beyond effectiveness. Despite these empirical shortcomings, behavior contracts may be well suited to address individual high school students’ challenging behavior given their flexibility, collaborative nature, and use of goal setting and clearly stated contingencies (i.e., rules) to promote behavior change. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the acceptability and effectiveness of a structured interview-informed behavior contract intervention to address the disruptive behavior of high school students. Specifically, we used a multiple baseline design across three students and found that the interview-informed behavior contracts were effective in increasing their academically engaged behavior (Tau = .62) and decreasing disruptive and passive off-task behavior. Limitations and future directions are discussed.