INTERNATIONAL NETWORKING CO-CREATIVITY: EXPERIENCES AND POSSIBILITIES
Betasolo, Mirzi L.
Papua New Guinea, The Papua New Guinea University of Technology,
mbetasolo@unitech.ac.pg
Nilova, Svetlana V.
Russia, Ivanovo State University,
svnil@narod.ru
Rao, Sandhya I.
India, Innomantra Consulting Private Limited
sandhyaloud@gmail.com
This article is a success story of international networking co-creativity that describes the experiences of participating institutions/individuals and their possible successes ahead. The word co-creativity can be best described as a process of interdependent creative development of various participants and providing a joint solution of practical and theoretical problems in a fast evolving world. International networking co-creativity is a joint creative activity of each participant’s development. The phenomenon of co-creativity has already been presented in numerous publications, including a related article by one of this paper’s authors [1]. The internal model of each participant’s co-creativity is now patterned to the outside world, creating a new paradigm on co-authorship making of new reality of professional advancement [2]. It is of this concept that a collaborative project to train others was born, the Training Online in Cloud and Web Technologies Application for Blended Learning, to pave the way on increase in collaboration between international networking involving others to practice and experience co-creativity. This paper is a product of such co-creativity.
According to the study, internationally co-authored papers are known to have more citation impact than nationally co-authored ones [3]. Jonathan Adams’ study has shown that the best science comes from international collaboration [4]. According to Chinese academics’ study, international collaboration and co-authorship have barriers to success such as language and cultural issues; benefits of international publication in terms of increased visibility, greater impact and widening of networks [5]. Global collaboration may have clashing perspectives, assumptions, customs, and expectations, thus a study on how to accommodate different cultural traditions and normative assumptions embedded in academic practices for collaborative research networks will require guidelines for authorship practices in international collaborations due to variations that exist across disciplines and cultures, and an impact on accepted practices and expectations for collaboration [6] is necessary. This paper reports on the experiences and possibilities of international networking co-creativity as there are so many challenges affecting its success such as time to discuss matters arising from the article they are preparing, collaborative effort towards the project, agreements to all texts, and overall contribution of the co-creativity.
The international networking co-creativity between the three participating countries: Russia, the Philippines and India [7], whose representatives are the authors of this paper, has evolved into many accomplishments as a tripple effect of their co-creation activities. Their experiences helped them learn to utilize the communication technology tools, and revolutionized their classroom and the way they execute their work. An example is quoted from the article of Betasolo and Nilova (2014), “Consider a technical basis to support learning activities at the Technological University of New Guinea ass (entry should be corrected as The Papua New Guinea University of Technology in which error was due to translation of machine from Russian to English) where digital technologies were integrated in the classroom to create a blended learning environment [8]. The international networking co-creativity will pave the way to more possibilities as the future unfolds, and is illustrated in figure 1.
Figure 1. International networking co-creativity impact
The figure shows impact of the international co-creativity which expands dimensions of influences in their respective core of influence as they process their experiences. The third part of the circle rippled its effect to expand their influences more as they seek other possibilities resulted from their new found relationship between the collaborating countries representatives and exploring to make the massive reach of influence such as the new activity where the authors are working now, the project to train online the teaching staff of the two universities.
The international networking co-creativity had supported Betasolo’s study (2014) on student’s influences affecting pedagogic-learning in engineering courses such as Engineering Fluid Mechanics and Engineering Materials at The Papua New Guinea University of Technology (correction to Technological University ass New Guinea) identifies two groups of essential influences: 1) cultural aspects (self-knowledge and self-efficacy), and 2) the educational aspects (academic behavior and attitudes) in which the first overweigh the other and requires a strategic pedagogic-learning such as culture-paradigm shift framework [9] to gain it’s way utilizing the experiences learned from the co-creativity and exploring the benefits of such experience in the classroom. According to study of Blitz (2015) the teachers’ motivation to engage their peers and contribute regularly to the group was lower online than face-to-face maybe due to the greater isolation of teachers who collaborate in a completely online environment [10]. With the collaboration experience such challenge on lower online engagement of teachers than face-to-face was solved on the method of effective collaboration in a global community concept of “smart-ism” defined as a theory, practice and process of novice to latest digital technologies to get along with the fast changes of life activities in international networking accomplishing respective work routines using SMART-ism: S–Simplicity, simple to accept change; M-(Methodology, innovative and balanced method employed; A-Actual and hands-on; R-Response appropriate to the need, T-Time, constant or same for all but how one use it is a challenge [11].
The authors experiences in international networking co-creativity provide current innovations as follows:
The item five co-creation of the course and its facilitation requires inputs from different institution (IvSU and Unitech) according to their resources Learning Management System (LMS) and university requirements such Moodle and Google Classroom respectively. So when the course Training Online on Cloud Web and Technologies Application for Blended Learning (TOCWTABL) was put into effectivity we had to coordinate different types of activity. For example, the syllabus, content of the course and grading policy of a network course including types of tasks are important learning experiences that involves in the co-creativity, requiring time, expertise, and passion to meet the expectations of the course TOCWTABL success.
The course Training Online on Cloud Web and Technologies Application for Blended Learning (TOCWTABL) using Moodle as LMS in delivering the training modules from IvSu server with the course syllabus and content prepared by the IvSu and Unitech representatives who are also authors of this article and the other author seat as learner/cum consultant, a role to play which is by far behind the scenes. Using the LMS requires following instruction from the administrator. As learner/cum consultant, the other author gave her feedback wherever required even translated the Russian texts into English, and edited texts in the project articles. The training comprises of:
The experience of putting collaborative efforts into making the course TOCWTABL useful to all participants is indeed a learning experience. Since the whole process was done in phases and worked online, training is taken at your own time and pace. The technologies learnt are very useful in today’s world. It is easy to understand, its uses and benefits on blended learning. However, the co creativity and working online have challenges such as the clarity of instructions given in different language which change meaning when translation to English is made. Tendency for misunderstanding which may lead to confusion and failure to deliver the required deliverables one may face in an online training, as answers to questions are not immediately made due to different working timings of the collaborators.
Though the network co-creativity is just starting and facing challenges, it is believed to have more possible opportunities in the following areas:
The network co-creativity will spread its wings and there are possibilities available. The individual and collaborative efforts leading to joint experiences become a key to vibrant perspectives which help in extending the reach of the participants and widen their horizons in this global community.
References
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http://www.tsutmb.ru/nekotoryie-aspektyi-lichnostno-professionalnogo-razvitiya-prepodavatelya-universiteta
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