Teaching ODR: What & How?

Bill Warters Ph.D. Wayne State University

My focus has been on working with and learning from conict

Campus-adr.org CREducation.org

A big domain - pearltrees.com/bwarters/tree/id3695653

Communication Technology and Conict

A fully online course

Course Structure
Version 2.0

Course site provides structure & resources

Using Moodle Lots of videos

http://www.adrhub.com/forum/topics/narrating-odrs-history-current

History of ODR VoiceThread

Presented at Cyberweek

Learning module on CMC Theories and ODR

New iPad App for k-12 educators available August 1 in Apple iTunes Store

Get module at http://campus-adr.net/ODRmodule/

bill.warters@gmail.com and campus-adr.net

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION

WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY

COMM 6220 Dispute Resolution and Communication Technology: Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Forms and Processes
Fall 2011 Online Course Online Office Hours: by appointment (see page 6) Instructor: William (Bill) Warters Office: Room 585 Manoogian Hall Faculty Office 313 993-7482 - Mon 2:30-5pm Email: w.warters@wayne.edu

In this online course we will examine communication and conflict in online environments. Well look at some theories about how the chosen channel(s) and modes of communication may influence outcomes. Well then explore various ways that people are using online communication tools as advocates and activists engaged in conflict. Finally, well shift our focus to the evolving set of technological tools and techniques that are being used to manage conflict and/or solve difficult problems. Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), as this relatively new form of conflict intervention has been labeled, is the application of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) practices and theories with networked information technology to manage conflict. Comprised primarily of online mediation, negotiation, or arbitration systems ODR also includes information management tools for informal conflict management by individuals and organizations. (Wiley and Sons Internet Encyclopedia 2004) ODR is a rapidly growing aspect of the dispute resolution field but it is still in its infancy and there are many questions about how and when to apply ODR tools. Some examples: How does the form and delivery of online messages influence conflict interactions? Are there best practices for online communication with respect to conflict prevention and resolution? Do the rules of offline ADR apply equally to ODR? How does the introduction of technology change conflict resolution practice? Should we consider digital activism a form of ODR? Can ADR efforts truly be effective when parties are not meeting face-to-face? Do digital natives have different expectations with respect to ODR processes? How may the globalization of e-commerce and web applications impact ODR? Will ODR remain a distinct area of practice as technology becomes more pervasive in all aspects of life? We will think through these questions using readings, discussions and online learning applications and take a look at many of the major ODR providers, administrative agencies, and international organizations involved in shaping the field. We will also do hands-on work with state-of-the-art ODR technologies via simulations and participate in an annual global online conference known as ODR Cyberweek held in October. Course Learning Objectives Students will: a) deepen their understanding of communication and networking practices in online environments b) identify common sources of conflict in online and networked environments

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c) demonstrate awareness of the particular affordances of different communication mechanisms and their utility for solving conflicts d) understand the powerful influence information technology can play in waging social conflicts e) describe ODRs current boundaries and review the kinds of technologies being applied in the dispute resolution field today f) understand key differences in practice between more traditional ADR and ODR. g) learn the structure and conduct of ODR and the skills necessary to apply theoretical material to online conflict scenarios h) apply ODR concepts to a domain of conflict practice they are interested in REQUIRED READINGS Required textbook: Online Dispute Resolution for Business by Colin Rule (Jossey-Bass 2002 ISBN 978-0-7879-5731-5, publisher's list price $34.95). This textbook may be purchased directly from the publisher Jossey-Bass, or from the WSU Bookstore or Amazon.com. Electronic editions are available from Jossey-Bass (Adobe Digital Edition) and Amazon.com (Kindle Edition). Required novel: We'll also be reading a novel that is available in various open access and paid formats. Youll need to acquire a copy in a format (paperback, ePub, pdf, etc) that you are comfortable reading. The book is Little Brother by author Cory Doctorow it is available from local bookstores, Amazon.com or for free from the author via http://craphound.com/littlebrother/download/ Numerous Additional Required Readings and Videos will be made available via the course site. Readings and Assignments Schedule A topical outline is provided later in this syllabus. A detailed schedule of reading and content viewing assignments and specific due dates will be provided separately. For the purposes of the course, our week will start Monday morning (ie new content will be released for the coming week on Monday by 10:00 AM) Assignments and Grading Students in the course will be graded on the basis of the following activities: Assignment Percent of Course Grade Online Participation 20 Quote-of-the-Week Forum (10%) Attendance/Engagement (10%) Demonstrating Comprehension Quizzes and/or Learning Modules 15 Individual VoiceThread Project 15 Paired Negotiation Exercise 10 Group Online Multimedia Presentation 20 Final Application Paper 20 Active Online Participation There will be a weekly (with a few exceptions) quote of the week discussion forum assignment based around the changing course content. Class members are expected to actively engage with

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these by both posting an original contribution and by commenting constructively on at least two other posts that week. Original student posts will need to be submitted by midnight Saturday. Follow-up comments and favorite ratings need to be posted by Monday night. Typically this will require reading/viewing the course content for the week, noting meaningful statements, selecting one to post, labeling where it came from, and then explaining why it attracted your attention or why you think it is particularly significant in the context of our class. After youve posted youll be able to see other students selections, which you then can comment on. We will test out a practice of rating selected quotes to see if we can identify class favorites which will then be discussed in our Tuesday check-in the following week. Quote-of-the-Week Discussion Forums = 10% of the overall participation category. Students are also expected to help build our learning community via engagement in shared learning activities. This includes providing a profile picture of themselves and an informative user profile description so that others can get to know them and make connections around shared interests. Even more importantly, students will help build the community by viewing and commenting on the interactive VoiceThreads (see explanation below) created by the professor and other students and by (virtually) attending and engaging constructively with at least 80% of the online check-ins sessions Tuesday evenings in Wimba Live Classroom and our student group presentations. Essentially this means that your engagement score will start to drop if you miss more than 3 scheduled check-ins and presentations. When possible, well post archives of our meetings as this content may be subject to quizzing, commenting and discussion in the forums. Engagement and commenting outside of the forums = 10% of participation category. Quizzes and Learning Modules to Check Comprehension Several short quizzes will be posted to gauge student comprehension of the readings and online content presented. Occasionally a learning activity module will also be presented. Quizzes and Learning Modules will account for 15% of your grade. Individual VoiceThread Activity Students will be provided with a basic account on the VoiceThread service. VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows people to navigate pages and leave comments in 5 ways - using voice (with a mic or telephone), text, audio file, or video (via a webcam). After trying out several created by the professor, students will be expected to create a VoiceThread of their own containing at least five VoiceThread pages and 8 comments/annotations by them. You will be asked to provide a short overview of a social problem or human rights issue you are concerned about and then present a reasoned online advocacy approach you think would be appropriate for attempting to address this problem constructively. Your final product will be made available for review and commenting by your student colleagues. Worth 15% of your grade. Paired Negotiation Activity We will be exploring the impact of different forms of communication on problem solving. As part of the process, students with be paired up with a partner and you will attempt to negotiate two simple scenarios, using asynchronous communication (forum or email) for one and synchronous communication (live text chat) for the other. Winning is not the goal, but rather experiencing and

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comparing the different modes of interaction and how it influences negotiation behavior. Appropriate participation worth 10% of your grade. Group Presentation on Trends and Issues in ODR Practice Students will work cooperatively in small groups of 3-4 students to prepare a briefing on a current topic or domain of activity in ODR practice (a topic list will be provided). A wiki space will be provided to support collaborative planning. Teams will present their work to other class members via a narrated online slide show, VoiceThread presentation, Prezi, Wimba Live Classroom event or some other form of multimedia. These will be scheduled for presentation during weeks 11 and 12 of the course. Team members will be expected to be available to take questions after the presentation. Students will rate both their own and their teammates contributions during the project using a rubric provided by the professor as part of the marking for the exercise. Worth 20% of grade. Final Paper Writing Assignment Class members will write a short paper (approximately 10-15 pages) identifying a dispute resolution venue where they believe information and communication technology is not being used to full effect, but conceivably could be used. The paper, due by December 20th, will provide a studied assessment of the best ways to integrate technology into the chosen venue/topical area and issues that may have to be addressed for it to work effectively. Our main textbook and a growing set of best practice statements will provide some background students can use to build a solid proposal. COURSE TOPICAL OUTLINE Week 1 - Course Introduction(s) We'll spend some time getting to know each other and explore the overall plan for the course. A short visual history of communication technology will be introduced to set the stage for our work. Week 2 - Computer Mediated Communication Overview This week we explore online communication and the emergence of a field of study known as Computer Mediated Communication (CMC). Week 3 - Digital Youth & the (Non-)Neutrality of Networked Technology This week we explore the ways that networked communication technologies can be used as tools for conflict escalation or deescalation and suppression or advancement of human rights. We'll be reading a novel (Little Brother) that will help us get deeper into some of the issues related to conflicts involving technology, security, privacy and the social worlds of "digital natives" and "digital immigrants." Week 4 Digital Social Activism We're going to dig deeper into current uses of technology to wage conflict and/or to try and reduce the human costs of social conflict after it has emerged. Youll begin work this week on your individual VoiceThread on a social issue that interests you. Week 5 - Introduction to (Online) Communication for Interest-based ADR We'll review the basics of communication theory and arguments relating to how it may or may not be appropriate for Alternative Dispute Resolution tasks. Well also start the process of forming groups for the group presentations later in the course.

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Week 6 - Negotiation with Technology as "the Fourth Party" This week we will look a bit more at the historical development of ODR, including the development of the concept of technology as "the Fourth Party" at the ADR table. Well review the claimed benefits of technology that are used to argue in favor of broad-based ODR adoption. Putting theory to the test, we will also try out negotiating with a partner using two different mediums of online communication. Week 7 - The Current Scope of ODR Practice We'll think together about the current scope of ODR and the kinds of conflicts that are seen as appropriate. This includes things like domain name disputes, e-commerce, B2B transactions, insurance claims settlement and more. Happy Conflict Resolution Day on October 20th! Individual VoiceThread projects will be due this week. Week 8 - Cyberweek: ODR Platform Simulations, Presentations & More This week thanks to the international ODR Cyberweek event we'll be getting hands on with a few of the available ODR platforms, engage in online discussion with the broader field, and learn more about emerging opportunities for practice and the application of ODR technology. If you want to get noticed by the broader ODR community, this is a good place to do so. Students who are happy with their VoiceThreads will be encouraged to share them with others using the Cyberweek platform. Week 9 - ODR in the Public Sector (broadly defined) We will debrief the Cyberweek online conference and explore some of the applications of ODR in government and public participation processes. Week 10 - Crisis Mapping and ICT for Development We'll look at some of the exciting ways mapping, mobile technology and crowd-sourcing are being combined to work for peace, development and humanitarian relief. Week 11 - Student Presentations Begin Groups (developed earlier) will begin presenting on their selected theme areas. Approved topic areas include Family Conflict; Workplace and Labor Relations; Environmental Dispute Resolution; Government and Public Policy; E-Commerce (Cross-border and Domestic); and Conflicts in Virtual and Game Worlds. Week 12 - Student Presentations Continue Week 13 - Culture, Conflict and ODR Technology - Challenges and Implications Moving beyond the idea that technology is "culturally neutral," we will take a look at the potential influence and implications, positive and negative, of culture in the ODR field. Week 14 - ODR Standards and Best Practices What are the emergent norms in this field? What does best practice look like these days? We will find out together by looking at some statements of best practice.

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Week 15 - Emerging Practices & Future Directions for Technology-Assisted Conflict Resolution As we wrap up, well review some of the cutting edges of this work and look into our crystal ball and talk about where the field is or should be heading. General Policies and Technology Expectations All students are expected to have an active Wayne State email account that sends mail to a location that they regularly check, and regular high speed access to the internet on a relatively recent (not more than 3-4 years old) computer with a modern web browser. It is strongly recommended that you have your own personal computer/laptop that can store local copies of media and save cookies and session information required to interact with modern web-based applications. Relying on the local library or community center for access is not recommended due to unpredictable technical restrictions put in place on such public computers and the likelihood that you will disturb others when chatting or recording content. Students will also need a headset and microphone combination (USB versions that work with Skype are best) so that they can record and listen to audio and participate in group audio chats without feedback and echo. Ideally, students will have a webcam as well so that they can add video to their multimedia sessions as appropriate. It is good practice to keep a backup copy of your written work prior to online submission to prevent having to redo work if a human, computer or network failure occurs. This is especially important for items such as the final paper. Points will be taken off for assignments turned in late. Dont assume you can just claim a course incomplete if you are not finished with your work by the end of the semester. Delays, deferrals, or a grade of incomplete for the course may be given only in cases of documented personal or immediate family crisis and will require prior arrangement with the professor. Our Online Course Environment Moodle http://tools.comm.wayne.edu/moodle/ For many years now the Master of Arts in Dispute Resolution Program has maintained a server running the Moodle course management software suite. Moodle is similar to Blackboard in that it provides students with a protected learning environment to share readings and discussions but it does look and perform differently from Blackboard in many respects. This year we are using a major new release of Moodle, so some experimentation and patience may be required as we kick the tires on new Moodle features. To get to our Moodle site you can follow the COM6220 course link found in your Pipeline account or go directly to http://tools.comm.wayne.edu/moodle (note the absence of www in the web address). Once there youll need to use the one-time enrollment key provided by your professor via email to enter the course site. Contacting Your Professor There are many ways to connect with the professor. Sending an email is often a good choice, but you have other options as well. Within Moodle you can use the messaging system via the Messages block or via the course participants list. Find Bill Warters in the list and click on the name. Below the profile details youll see a button labeled Send Message. You can use this to post a message that only the professor can see. It will be stored in Moodle and will pop up the next time Professor Warters logs in as well as being forwarded to his email. You will be alerted to his reply the next time you log in or via email depending on your preference settings. You can also use the free text, voice and video chat tool known as Skype to contact Dr. Warters (Skype name = campusadr) and

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have a discussion. Making an appointment to talk via email is recommended prior to the call to ensure Dr. Warters is available (he is most of the time) and has access to a computer. Finally, Dr. Warters will be in his on-campus faculty office on Monday afternoons and he can be reached by phone via 313 993-7482. Withdrawing from Class: As of Fall, 2006 there are no longer W and X grades, students who withdraw from a course after the end of the 4th week of class will receive a grade of WP, WF, or WN. WP will be awarded if the student is passing the course (based on work due to date) at the time the withdrawal is requested WF will be awarded if the student is failing the course (based on work due to date) at the time the withdrawal is requested WN will be awarded if no materials have been submitted, and so there is no basis for a grade Students must submit their withdrawal request on-line through Pipeline. The instructor must approve the withdrawal request before it becomes final, and students should continue to attend class until they receive notification via email that the withdrawal has been approved. Students who stop attending but do not request a withdrawal, will receive an automatic F (failing grade). The last day to request a withdrawal for Fall 2011 is November 12th. Grading Scale The following grading scale will be used for the course grade. A = 91 - 100%; A- = 90% B+ = 89%; B = 81 - 88%; B- = 80% C+ = 79%; C = 70 - 78% D = 60 - 69% F = < 60% Grade Appeals: The college policy for appealing a final grade can be found at: http://www.cfpca.wayne.edu/current-students.php Disabilities: If you have a documented disability that requires accommodations, you will need to register with Student Disability Services (SDS) for coordination of your academic accommodations. The Student Disability Services (SDS) office is located at 1600 David Adamany Undergraduate Library in the Student Academic Success Services department. SDS telephone number is 313-5771851 or 313-577-3365 (TDD only). Once you have your accommodations in place, I will be glad to meet with you privately during my office hours to discuss your special needs. Student Disability Services mission is to assist the university in creating an accessible community where students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to fully participate in their educational experience at Wayne State University. Please be aware that a delay in getting SDS accommodation letters for the current semester may hinder the availability or facilitation of those accommodations in a timely manner. Therefore, it is in your best interest to get your accommodation letters as early in the semester as possible. Plagiarism/Academic Dishonesty: Materials that are clearly not the student's own work or which are not appropriately documented will be subjected to close scrutiny. Plagiarism, whether intended

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or not, may be cause for no credit on a particular assignment or even failure of the entire course. All acts of academic dishonesty including cheating and plagiarism will be treated as violations of appropriate student conduct and will be subject to disciplinary action. The Wayne State University Due Process Policy can be found at: http://www.doso.wayne.edu/student-conduct/ Religious Observances: It is Wayne States policy to respect the faith and religious obligations of students, faculty and staff. Students with exams or classes that conflict with their religious observances should notify the instructor well in advance so that we can work out a mutually agreeable alternative.

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