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The Open University, UK
Knowledge Media Institute
Research Fellow - Web Development (2 years)
Post No. 10938
On the web at: http://kmi.open.ac.uk/jobs/d3e1.html
[Please be sure to see below for pointers to: generic Open University
further particulars ; how to apply by normal post and electronically;
deadline and interview dates; contact info; equal opportunity statement]
Summary
This is a two year appointment to work on a Java/Web document discussion
environment which will be deployed within the Open University, collaborating
organizations and an international user community. The system is being used
to support organizational learning and knowledge management, distance
learning and scientific publishing. The post combines the freedom of a
top-rated research and development lab with the responsibility of meeting
deadlines contracted with companies. The project initially involves adapting
an existing e-journal technology, for deployment within a multinational
company launching an internal e-journal for disseminating and discussing
best practices. Further system development and evaluation in this and other
projects will follow.
The appointment will be made on the Research staff salary scale £16,286 -
£24,479 pa, or £22,579 - £30,065 depending on qualifications and experience.
Applications are welcomed from Researchers with an established track record
in system development, evaluation and publishing, and from Web Developers
interested in extending their skills to include evaluation and research
publishing. A key requirement is that the candidate must be able to commit
to an initial 6 month period of focused system development in order to meet
a tight deadline. It is essential for candidates to demonstrate experience
in developing for Unix and NT web servers, and in Perl, and desirable that
they can demonstrate familiarity with Web discussion systems and related
languages (e.g. Java; PHP; Python). Whilst experience with Java will be an
advantage, this is also an ideal project for a quick learner to migrate from
C++ or OO programming.
The Knowledge Media Institute (KMi) is a 40-strong interdisciplinary
laboratory founded at The Open University in 1995, and located in attractive
new offices at The Open University's main campus in Milton Keynes, UK. KMi
undertakes high-profile advanced research and development in Knowledge
Media: a convergence of the cognitive and instructional sciences, multimedia
enabling technologies for disabled learners, human computer interaction,
artificial intelligence, and learning technologies. We offer a creative and
flexible working environment unlike any other in Europe. KMi offers a
stimulating and well-endowed research environment, widely acknowledged to be
at the leading edge of European research and development, particularly in
new technologies for distance learning and knowledge/web technologies more
broadly. The style, impact and content of our work are described in detail
in our Web pages at http://kmi.open.ac.uk. KMi offers a stimulating and
well-endowed research environment, widely acknowledged to be at the leading
edge of European research and development, particularly in new technologies
for distance and organisational learning.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Further Particulars
Project: Supporting Organisational Learning through a Best Practices
E-Journal
Background
The OU has developed a web-publishing toolkit (in Java) called the Digital
Document Discourse Environment (D3E) [http://d3e.open.ac.uk]. D3E converts a
conventional HTML document into an interactive document-discussion
environment. D3E marks up an HTML document, adding a user interface
supporting quick navigation and automated linking of citations to
bibliographic entries, plus thematic and section-specific threading of
comments and discussions.
D3E has been used to publish a range of interactive websites, including the
electronic Journal of Interactive Media in Education
[http://www-jime.open.ac.uk] which enables authors and readers to discuss
articles. See the D3E website for links to other sites.
Background Article: Sumner, T. & Buckingham Shum, S. (1998). From Documents
to Discourse: Shifting Conceptions of Scholarly Publishing. Proc. CHI 98:
Human Factors in Computing Systems, 18-23 April, 1998, Los Angeles, CA. ACM
Press: New York [http://kmi.open.ac.uk/techreports/papers/kmi-tr-50.pdf]
Job Description
The appointment will be made on the Research staff salary scale £16,286 -
£24,479 pa, or £22,579 - £30,065 depending on qualifications and experience.
Applications are welcomed from Researchers with an established track record
in system development, evaluation and publishing, and from Web Developers
interested in extending their skills to include evaluation and research
publishing. A key requirement is that the candidate must be able to commit
to an initial 6 month period of focused system development in order to meet
a tight deadline.
The post requires strong web development skills to design, implement and
test the D3E system within a company who wishes to use it to launch an
internal, best practices journal.
Web discussion system: The software development work initially (months 1-6)
will involve providing the D3E system (currently running only on Unix web
servers) for an NT web server to better integrate with the host
organisation's environment. This may involve porting the current, PERL based
HyperNews discussion system [http://www.hypernews.org] to NT, or migrating
to a new Web discussion system in a different language.
D3E Publisher's Toolkit: The toolkit is the part of D3E that converts HTML
documents into discussion sites, and is written in Java. If a new web
discussion system is chosen, the toolkit will need to be modified. In the
longer term, the post will also involve updating the toolkit, e.g. to take
account of developments in Java, improving the user interface, and
customisation for other user communities.
Research and publishing: This project's longer term goals are not only
system development, but to evaluate the impact of the system within the
company. Depending on track record, the researcher will be strongly
encouraged/expected to publish and present research papers on the system and
its impact. This is an excellent opportunity to develop new or ongoing
interests in collaborative software and organisational learning, in the
context of an industrial case study.
Person Specification
Essential
The ideal candidate will have:
* experience in developing for Unix and NT web servers
* experience with Perl (in which HyperNews is written)
* experience developing Web discussion systems and knowledge of related
languages (e.g. Java; PHP; Python)
* experience in Java (in which the toolkit is written)
* excellent communication skills, able to collaborate in both academic
and business software environments.
* the ability to work autonomously and to deadlines
Desirable
* whilst experience with Java will be ideal, this is also an ideal
project for a quick learner to migrate from a C++ or OO background
* experience with databases (SQL used by the collaborating company)
* experience in CGI scripting
* experience in organisational business computing
* a track record of research in a relevant field, e.g.
distributed/internet computing, organizational computing/learning,
human-computer interaction, computer-supported collaborative work
The person will report to Dr Simon Buckingham Shum, to whom informal
enqueries may be directed. Email: [ [log in to unmask]]. WWW:
[http://kmi.open.ac.uk/sbs]
Working at The UK's Open University
The Open University teaches more than 200,000 people every year through
courses intended mainly for adults studying part-time in their own homes or
places of work, supported by locally-based tutors and counsellors. It also
maintains a strong and highly regarded research base at its central
headquarters in Milton Keynes, about 50 miles north of London.
On-line information about the Open University is available via the OU
website [http://www.open.ac.uk].
The Open University provides excellent working conditions, including:
* 6 weeks annual leave entitlement in addition to Christmas+Easter
closures
* Non-smoking policy
* Excellent day-care facilities
* A creative and supportive work environment
Generic details concerning formal aspects of working conditions at the Open
University (including selected extracts of Terms and Conditions of Service)
are available on the OU Further Particulars Web page.
How to apply
Three options are available to you (choose one):
* Email your CV (being sure to state which post you are applying for) as
either a plain text message, or an attached document (Microsoft Word,
Adobe Acrobat, RTF, or PostScript) to: [log in to unmask]; send
application form or hard-copy letter later so that we can have your
signature.
* Download the Open University Job Application Form (Microsoft Word file
appform.doc, 33K; or alternatively Compressed PostScript file
appform.ps.gz, 30K); print out locally; mail application form back via
ordinary post.
* Request hard copy documents (see contact info below); mail application
form back via ordinary post.
Deadline and interview dates
* Closing date for applications for both posts: 19 October, 1999.
* Interviews will be held before 30 October, 1999.
Contact/Query Info
Enquiries concerning the post, requests for hard-copy documents/forms, and
application submissions can be directed to Mr. Jerzy Grzeda
[[log in to unmask] ] at the Knowledge Media Institute, Open University,
Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK, Tel. +44 (0)1908 655761, Fax +44 (0)1908 653169.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disabled applicants whose skills and experience meet the requirements of the
job will be interviewed. Please let us know if you need your copy of the
further particulars in large print, on computer disk, or on audio cassette
tape. Hearing impaired persons may make enquiries on Milton Keynes +44 (0)
1908 654901 (Minicom answerphone).
Equal Opportunity is University Policy.
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