Question

Really love OpenStudy, however, I think there should be a collaboration system. Where between two (or your choice of how many OS developers) users. So and then problems can be privately discussed with the showing of the work.. Basically collaboration should allow users to draw on a 'whiteboard' and draw out problems and how they solved it to get help, then the other user can take control and edit and discuss any mistakes or errors they have made, if any. This would be used for math I'd be guessing. Tell me what you think. Thanks!

@hartnn @Preetha @amistre64 Tell me what you think! :)

Answer 1

I think that is a smart idea, Skiller8860. It's kind of like tutoring, and I would totally do that if that was available.

Answer 2

Thanks @elliecosme :)

Answer 3

Hehe, no problem! c:

Answer 4

Almost like a breakout room, right?

Answer 5

That is a great idea!! Ohmigod that would be perfect!!

Answer 6

I think that's a perfect idea. It should definitely be done Skiller!

Answer 7

When I read this I thought about a private section of OS since not everyone would be welcome. But nonetheless it sounds like great idea.

Answer 8

A room to collaborate and discuss things. Instead of filling the one topic with "Let's go over lessons, etc" plus it'll be easier to show the work than spamming a post to go over a simple lesson or subject.

Answer 9

Its a good idea except people with bad intentions and wanted to "troll" could really take advantage of that.

Answer 10

Then they get kicked out ^^

Answer 11

Or reported or blocked :P

Answer 12

Thanks everyone. @Dragan96 , this is basically a private session. It's going to be a private session that two people can be 'invited' or something to. Not sure how OS developers. would go-about doing this. Also, @Ashleyisakitty Good point indeed, however they could be as Dragan96 just stated, "Reported or blocked". I wouldn't see what's the point of trolling on a 'whiteboard' when all you can do is draw problems and stuff, but it can be moderated somehow if needed I'm sure.

Answer 13

A few moderators could stop by? They could be the overall mod of a certain chat room

Answer 14

Possibly somehow OpenStudy can log the collaboration session(s). Not sure how this will be, because I think in order to make a writable object with two users allowed to write on a page, you need to use Adobe Flash.. But I'm sure it is possibly.

Answer 15

Regardless, it can still be moderated. Also I was just now thinking maybe with a "Clear page" button and a "Text" tool in case someone can not read the text that was wrote on the 'whiteboard'. Also for the text it can have a filter such as monitoring cuss and racial words.

Answer 16

Adobe Flash Player is needed. Now it is just up to the Moderators and such

Answer 17

We are thinking along the same lines. A private collaboration room. But it may be a paid feature. Maybe a part of being a subscriber. Tell me what you would want in it.

Answer 18

I love open study 2 because it's like a free tutor that helps :)

Answer 19

You could use a system called Adobe Connect! But I feel like by making it a paid feature, it would ruin it's purpose really... But it would entice more people to pay :/

Answer 20

I agree @Preetha , possibly it could be a paid feature. I know some people will not be too happy about it being a paid feature, however in the future I can see me becomign a subscriber to this website.

Answer 21

Yea the current "Subscribe" features aren't that intriguing :P If you add more to it you have a guaranteed subscriber right here...

Answer 22

Although, I do believe it should be used for the help of education and not a paid feature. But it's whatever the OpenStudy developers and people want I guess :).

Answer 23

one problem i can think of it can be easily used for cheating on a test.
if both/all users are in for it.
it would be difficult to moderate instantly, and possibly they have exchanged the answers already. defeats the purpose of learning....

Answer 24

I don't follow :P ^^

Answer 25

I do see that happening, or a portfolio or project being given or something. Just like that, it could happen. Many people just ask for the answers, and then people want them in return. I do see what Hartnn is saying

Answer 26

A needs an answer to a test, B has no problem giving it. they join this collaboration. no learning happens.

Answer 27

A gets a great grade, so B asks if they want more. A gets all these answers, without learning a single thing, B then might want some answers in return.

Answer 28

Okay I get it, the only thing I can think of to avoid something like this is maybe having a limit on how many collabs. are active at the same time maybe :P And then a moderator can watch over 10 different collabs or something :P If it's only for subscribed members I'm sure that should work. Sorry it might sound stupid or too much lol

Answer 29

If a moderator HAD to monitor the collabs, it would make sense that they take different shifts or something, and then watch over a few. But, I don't know about taking shifts because such things could come up preventing a moderator from being able to look out after the collabs. You could have like 20 collab rooms, but still, it is a lot to handle, and monitoring the actual chat as it is can be a bit rough. Trying to make everything inline I could tell is harder than just sitting there answering questions or asking them

Answer 30

Yea so far every idea that's been thrown out here has given rise to a newer problem with new ideas with even more problems. Sounds like real-world politics...

Answer 31

Well, at least we don't shutdown for disagreeing... XD But they do have to take precautions before just adding something in, because if they did, us members would have problems with other people, and it would be harder for the Mods and Ambies. And, the people that add this stuff in probably don't want to add something in just to do it, and then have it backfire on everyone

Answer 32

HA! ^ :D But I see your point. Well I hope they come up with something, the websites good and all but there's always room for improvement :P

Answer 33

Agreed with you @hartnn ,@Dragan96 and kfins99. All great ideas to support this. Thanks :D. Also, I do believe that maybe a 'recording' or something can be made if moderators and/or ambies and so they can view the entire session. Either that or you can assign a new rank as "Collaboration Moderator" or something along those lines and give it to people who you think deserve it, then they can access a control panel for the collaboration to moderate all or even one collaboration session. It is up to the developers though, however I am hoping they will look into putting this on OpenStudy, as I think it would be a widely used feature.

Answer 34

It's a good idea. However, I think there should be some lines set.

1. You need to be a subscriber

2. A subscriber can invite an un-subscriber or another subscriber - however, the subscriber MUST be the host if he is to invite an un-subscriber.

3. Private sessions can be viewed by administrators and moderators

4. Private sessions must be approved by a moderator - an email gets sent to them, and it will be pending until approved. This way, moderators know who is and who isn't a private session, and can moderate them easily.

Answer 35

:)(:

Answer 36

Can you design this for me? I appoint everyone in this question as the Private Study group task force. Hartn and compassionate, as the mod and ambi, if you can report back to me that would be great. email.
Thanks

Answer 37

So you mean everyone who replied design this?

Answer 38

Administrator: @Preetha
Ambassador: @Compassionate
Moderator: @hartnn

Team: @Kfins99 , @skiller8860 , @csimmons01, @Dragan96 , @amy143 , @Sylena_Nicole

Answer 39

If you would like to substitute or dropout - let me know before we begin designing.

Answer 40

I'm in (:

Answer 41

Sounds good :)

Answer 42

Wait a 12-24 hour period for everyone to check in, and if they don't they aren't in the team? Do you think that is a good idea? @Compassionate

Answer 43

I like compassionate's ideas except the fourth point. I don't think any mod is waiting for hundreds of emails for private session requests a day. But I would set a smartscore limit so you have to be at least smartscore 50+ and subscriber.

Answer 44

That sounds like a better idea. Also, instead of an email, there could be a request entry thing, and you can see the members from the outside before joining the room. So like, you decide to join a room with 4 people, 1 is an administrator of the room and the other three are members receiving help. You can request to join, and the admin can leave it closed (no one can join), request only, or open (anyone can join at any time). And, when the host of the group wants to stop giving help, they can close the room, or give authority to another host/hostess that they feel comfortable with

Answer 45

I think cheating is still a problem, as we don't have many active moderators and it would be difficult to moderate multiple rooms at once. It's a good idea, but it has its flaws. This could be used for tutoring as well. For example, people in another color are the tutors, and people who gather in a room need study a certain topic they have trouble with, mainly math.

Answer 46

It has its benefits, but also its flaws which may lead to the removal of this due to cheating and usage of profane language or illustrations.

Answer 47

Of course there will be flaws in everything. But you can censor the language, and someone can host a room, that way, they can remove a person who abuses the ability to chat that way

Answer 48

What if the host abuses his whiteboard abilities?

Answer 49

his/her*

Answer 50

I will check back in this group tomorrow - 'll make a separate post so we can discuss this in a new topic.

@thomaster , instead of a single email, Preetha could incorporate a community account, through Openstudy, e.g, privaterequest@openstudy.com.

A Smartscore doesn't seem fair - if it's a subscriber option, then anyone should be able, as long as they're subscribed, to be able to start a private session. There does, however, have to be some way that moderators can view who is and isn't in a private session. Maybe a log of some sort?

Answer 51

when you pay for something, you are less likely to abuse it.

Answer 52

Moderators can get a small notification for when a group is started, and take turns in moderating.

Answer 53

He/she will most likely be banned from ever hosting again. Also, I am not even sure if there will be a host. But I am very sure it is going to be enable to OpenStudy

Answer 54

There is still the chance though thomaster.

Answer 55

Yes and no Chib, it may happen, but it will be very rare occasions, maybe even at all.

Answer 56

We can trust that the subscribers will not abuse their power and are responsible, so it won't be too much of a worry. I mean, people who come here to troll are probably not going to pay to troll even more, they do it enough for free.

Answer 57

Exactly (: And, by paying for it, they would lose the privilege, and then regret paying for it in the first place. So, I really don't think it will be abused, only to the people that truly are trying to learn, and not just get the answers.

Answer 58

If they subscribe, they can pay a little less for the loss of the group power due to their past warnings and bans.

Answer 59

Now that I think about it, this collaboration group can be an extra dd-in that can be payed for.

Answer 60

Like, you subscribe and you pay a small amount, and you have the option to pay more for certain extra features.

Answer 61

add-in*

Answer 62

Well, I think that will come. But I don't think they should pay less for their fault. If they want to try and get the other privileges, they should pay the same price, but not get the one they abused because, well, they broke that rule.

Answer 63

Yeah, that sounds better :I

Answer 64

I think I'll continue this discussion tomorrow, it's getting late. Once this question starts to lag we can discuss elsewhere.

Answer 65

Compasoniate and Preetha, I'm in to help assist this and design.

Answer 66

im totally in.... that would be sweet!!!

Answer 67

@hartnn My idea for this was to make it public viewable, but only invitees could reply. This would make it still able to be held accountable for test violations and keep with the "Open" aspects of OpenStudy, but make it so that if a tutoring session is going on there will not be a bunch of people adding in this, that, and the other.

Answer 68

Like a K12 Blackboard type of thing?