Nicola Osborne | University of Edinburgh (original) (raw)
MediaHub Service Manager / Digital Education Manager at EDINA (since 2015) a role I share with Lorna M. Campbell. I manage MediaHub, a multimedia platform offering a wealth of digital image, video and audio collections which is used by Universities and Colleges across the UK. I also work with Lorna to lead EDINA's work in Digital Education.
I am the Convener of the elearning@ed forum, a community of practice that spans staff of all levels working in elearning, blended learning and TEL.
I am currently part of the research team for the PTAS funded Managing Your Digital Footprint project, along with Louise Connelly (IAD), Sian Bayne (Moray House School of Education), and Adam Bunni (EUSA) which is investigating students' digital footprints and use of social media, and their implications for teaching and learning.
I am a guest contributor and tutor for MSc in Digital Education's Introduction to Digital Environments for Learning module, based at the School of Education (College of Humanities and Social Sciences).
I wrote and and lead the Role of Social Media in Science Communication and Public Engagement module, part of the MSc in Science Communication and Public Engagement, based at the School of Biomedical Sciences (College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine) from that programme's first year (2012/13) until my change of role (end of 2014/15).
Formerly Social Media Officer at EDINA (2009 - 2015) advising colleagues, projects and services across EDINA and beyond on social media and related areas including crowd sourcing. Also active in associated event amplification, public engagement, etc.
I have previously worked on the teams for the AHRC funded Palimpsest/LitLong project, the EU FP7 funded COBWEB project, the Digging Into Data project Trading Consequences project, and the Jisc funded AddressingHistory project, alongside many other of EDINA's own services and projects.
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Papers by Nicola Osborne
Learning, Media and Technology, Feb 27, 2019
This paper considers the social value of anonymity in online university student communities, thro... more This paper considers the social value of anonymity in online university student communities, through the presentation of research which tracked the final year of life of the social media application Yik Yak. Yik Yak was an anonymous, geosocial mobile application launched in 2013 which, at its peak in 2014, was used by around two million students in the US and UK. The research we report here is significant as a mixed method study tracing the final year of the life of this app in a large UK university between 2016 and 2017. The paper uses computational and ethnographic methods to understand what might be at stake in the loss of anonymity within university student communities in a datafied society. Countering the most common argument made against online anonymityits association with hate speech and victimisationthe paper draws on recent conceptual work on the social value of anonymity to argue that anonymity online in this context had significant value for the communities that use it. This study of a now-lost social network constitutes a valuable portrait by which we might better understand our current predicament in relation to anonymity, its perceived value and its growing impossibility.
Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks, Jan 13, 2011
In this chapter I will be considering the possibilities, as well as the practical issues, of usin... more In this chapter I will be considering the possibilities, as well as the practical issues, of using social media to amplify higher education events. These topics are framed by the experience of arranging and moderating amplification for the 2009 ''Beyond the Repository Fringe,'' an informal annual 'unconference'' that focuses on innovations and opportunities in repository technology, policy and practice, provides a discussion and networking space for practitioners, and allows practical exchange of experience and ideas. The event takes the form of a physical event with a venue and structure designed by the organizing committee and a program of talks volunteered by Repository Fringe attendees. Participants are drawn from a diverse array of Higher Education institutions, libraries, and technology companies based in the United Kingdom
The University of Edinburgh 'managing your digital footprint' (2014-2015) campaign was an innovat... more The University of Edinburgh 'managing your digital footprint' (2014-2015) campaign was an innovative and collaborative cross-University initiative. The campaign aimed to address a potential digital skills gap and to better equip and support students transitioning into, out of, and while studying at the University. The campaign targeted all student cohorts (undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD, and online distance students), with the aim of raising awareness of effectively managing an online presence (digital footprint). 'Digital Footprint' is now a mainstreamed service, with many of the University support services embedding this brand in their support to students, researchers and staff. Running in parallel to the campaign was a research project (funded by the Principal's Teaching Award Scheme) which was led by the Institute for Academic Development in collaboration with EDINA, School of Education, and the Student Association (EUSA). The research team examined the responses to two campaign surveys (n=1487) and carried out 15 interviews with six students. The quantitative and qualitative data gathered from a diverse group of students has enabled the Institution to gain a better understanding of how students manage and curate their online presences, including their experiences and issues related to privacy and risk management. Students were asked to share their advice with others, and one stated "Be responsible, or at least aware, of the image of yourself that you are putting across to the world" (undergraduate student). In addition, the research data uncovered how students are using social media as a peer support tool and their perceptions of the benefits and challenges of social media. This paper will report findings on students' curation behaviours around their online presence and privacy include various, including some more sophisticated privacy management approaches such as use of a specific email account for online accounts (42% of survey respondents), use of pseudonyms and anonymity online (48%), and the use of privacy and tagging settings. Some students needs and intents are not reflected by their experiences online, for instance participants reported unwanted tagging of photographs (11%), bullying (4%), and finding information online about themselves that they did not think was public (5%). In addition to talking about students' curation approaches we will also reflect on some of the motivations and positive experiences shaping their use of social media and their management of their digital footprints, such as peer support (experienced by 16% of respondents) and professional networking opportunities. This paper will reflect on our findings and how they have been used to provide evidence-based guidance to support University services as well as providing evidence and resources (e.g. e-professionalism guidelines and OERs) for colleagues with responsibility for embedding digital social media in learning and teaching.
Edinburgh Research Explorer (University of Edinburgh), Nov 25, 2016
The University of Edinburgh 'managing your digital footprint' (2014-2015) campaign was an innovat... more The University of Edinburgh 'managing your digital footprint' (2014-2015) campaign was an innovative and collaborative cross-University initiative. The campaign aimed to address a potential digital skills gap and to better equip and support students transitioning into, out of, and while studying at the University. The campaign targeted all student cohorts (undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD, and online distance students), with the aim of raising awareness of effectively managing an online presence (digital footprint). 'Digital Footprint' is now a mainstreamed service, with many of the University support services embedding this brand in their support to students, researchers and staff. Running in parallel to the campaign was a research project (funded by the Principal's Teaching Award Scheme) which was led by the Institute for Academic Development in collaboration with EDINA, School of Education, and the Student Association (EUSA). The research team examined the responses to two campaign surveys (n=1487) and carried out 15 interviews with six students. The quantitative and qualitative data gathered from a diverse group of students has enabled the Institution to gain a better understanding of how students manage and curate their online presences, including their experiences and issues related to privacy and risk management. Students were asked to share their advice with others, and one stated "Be responsible, or at least aware, of the image of yourself that you are putting across to the world" (undergraduate student). In addition, the research data uncovered how students are using social media as a peer support tool and their perceptions of the benefits and challenges of social media. This paper will report findings on students' curation behaviours around their online presence and privacy include various, including some more sophisticated privacy management approaches such as use of a specific email account for online accounts (42% of survey respondents), use of pseudonyms and anonymity online (48%), and the use of privacy and tagging settings. Some students needs and intents are not reflected by their experiences online, for instance participants reported unwanted tagging of photographs (11%), bullying (4%), and finding information online about themselves that they did not think was public (5%). In addition to talking about students' curation approaches we will also reflect on some of the motivations and positive experiences shaping their use of social media and their management of their digital footprints, such as peer support (experienced by 16% of respondents) and professional networking opportunities. This paper will reflect on our findings and how they have been used to provide evidence-based guidance to support University services as well as providing evidence and resources (e.g. e-professionalism guidelines and OERs) for colleagues with responsibility for embedding digital social media in learning and teaching.
This paper introduces current research taking place at the University of Edinburgh, which examine... more This paper introduces current research taking place at the University of Edinburgh, which examines students' use of social media and how they manage their digital footprint. The work engages all student cohorts (undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD, and including online students) and aligns with the innovative cross-University 'Digital Footprint' campaign (2014-2015) in order to conduct a systematic programme of research aimed at building our institutional and sectoral understanding of how students are managing their digital footprints, where such management is lacking, and what this might mean for future institutional planning to build student competence in this area. This paper will outline the rationale for this work, including theoretical and practical contexts and challenges associated with running a digital footprint (social media awareness) campaign on this scale, as well as providing some initial insights arising from activities to date. It will also look ahead to ongoing and future activities, including further research work and a planned impact analysis of the social media awareness campaign. The "Managing your digital footprint" campaign is a collaboration between the
Journal of Map and Geography Libraries, 2013
The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with p... more The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Sep 1, 2022
The last few years have been both interesting and challenging for creative freelancers in Scotlan... more The last few years have been both interesting and challenging for creative freelancers in Scotland. Given the constraints caused by the Covid pandemic, Brexit, and rising inflation and the cost of living, many freelancers have found themselves having to rethink their practice, strategies and life choices. While this unprecedented period hasn't yet come to an end, it has highlighted the importance of the creative industries to the creative economy more than ever before. At Creative Edinburgh, we strive to help creative practitioners develop and thrive throughout their journey, and we have done this for over a decade. It is essential for us to understand more about the community that we represent and freelancers play an important role in this large group of creatives. We seek to create a roadmap which will help Creative Edinburgh, but also other sector support agencies, to plan ahead to better support freelancers in the future.
Learning, Media and Technology, Feb 27, 2019
This paper considers the social value of anonymity in online university student communities, thro... more This paper considers the social value of anonymity in online university student communities, through the presentation of research which tracked the final year of life of the social media application Yik Yak. Yik Yak was an anonymous, geosocial mobile application launched in 2013 which, at its peak in 2014, was used by around two million students in the US and UK. The research we report here is significant as a mixed method study tracing the final year of the life of this app in a large UK university between 2016 and 2017. The paper uses computational and ethnographic methods to understand what might be at stake in the loss of anonymity within university student communities in a datafied society. Countering the most common argument made against online anonymityits association with hate speech and victimisationthe paper draws on recent conceptual work on the social value of anonymity to argue that anonymity online in this context had significant value for the communities that use it. This study of a now-lost social network constitutes a valuable portrait by which we might better understand our current predicament in relation to anonymity, its perceived value and its growing impossibility.
Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks, Jan 13, 2011
In this chapter I will be considering the possibilities, as well as the practical issues, of usin... more In this chapter I will be considering the possibilities, as well as the practical issues, of using social media to amplify higher education events. These topics are framed by the experience of arranging and moderating amplification for the 2009 ''Beyond the Repository Fringe,'' an informal annual 'unconference'' that focuses on innovations and opportunities in repository technology, policy and practice, provides a discussion and networking space for practitioners, and allows practical exchange of experience and ideas. The event takes the form of a physical event with a venue and structure designed by the organizing committee and a program of talks volunteered by Repository Fringe attendees. Participants are drawn from a diverse array of Higher Education institutions, libraries, and technology companies based in the United Kingdom
The University of Edinburgh 'managing your digital footprint' (2014-2015) campaign was an innovat... more The University of Edinburgh 'managing your digital footprint' (2014-2015) campaign was an innovative and collaborative cross-University initiative. The campaign aimed to address a potential digital skills gap and to better equip and support students transitioning into, out of, and while studying at the University. The campaign targeted all student cohorts (undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD, and online distance students), with the aim of raising awareness of effectively managing an online presence (digital footprint). 'Digital Footprint' is now a mainstreamed service, with many of the University support services embedding this brand in their support to students, researchers and staff. Running in parallel to the campaign was a research project (funded by the Principal's Teaching Award Scheme) which was led by the Institute for Academic Development in collaboration with EDINA, School of Education, and the Student Association (EUSA). The research team examined the responses to two campaign surveys (n=1487) and carried out 15 interviews with six students. The quantitative and qualitative data gathered from a diverse group of students has enabled the Institution to gain a better understanding of how students manage and curate their online presences, including their experiences and issues related to privacy and risk management. Students were asked to share their advice with others, and one stated "Be responsible, or at least aware, of the image of yourself that you are putting across to the world" (undergraduate student). In addition, the research data uncovered how students are using social media as a peer support tool and their perceptions of the benefits and challenges of social media. This paper will report findings on students' curation behaviours around their online presence and privacy include various, including some more sophisticated privacy management approaches such as use of a specific email account for online accounts (42% of survey respondents), use of pseudonyms and anonymity online (48%), and the use of privacy and tagging settings. Some students needs and intents are not reflected by their experiences online, for instance participants reported unwanted tagging of photographs (11%), bullying (4%), and finding information online about themselves that they did not think was public (5%). In addition to talking about students' curation approaches we will also reflect on some of the motivations and positive experiences shaping their use of social media and their management of their digital footprints, such as peer support (experienced by 16% of respondents) and professional networking opportunities. This paper will reflect on our findings and how they have been used to provide evidence-based guidance to support University services as well as providing evidence and resources (e.g. e-professionalism guidelines and OERs) for colleagues with responsibility for embedding digital social media in learning and teaching.
Edinburgh Research Explorer (University of Edinburgh), Nov 25, 2016
The University of Edinburgh 'managing your digital footprint' (2014-2015) campaign was an innovat... more The University of Edinburgh 'managing your digital footprint' (2014-2015) campaign was an innovative and collaborative cross-University initiative. The campaign aimed to address a potential digital skills gap and to better equip and support students transitioning into, out of, and while studying at the University. The campaign targeted all student cohorts (undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD, and online distance students), with the aim of raising awareness of effectively managing an online presence (digital footprint). 'Digital Footprint' is now a mainstreamed service, with many of the University support services embedding this brand in their support to students, researchers and staff. Running in parallel to the campaign was a research project (funded by the Principal's Teaching Award Scheme) which was led by the Institute for Academic Development in collaboration with EDINA, School of Education, and the Student Association (EUSA). The research team examined the responses to two campaign surveys (n=1487) and carried out 15 interviews with six students. The quantitative and qualitative data gathered from a diverse group of students has enabled the Institution to gain a better understanding of how students manage and curate their online presences, including their experiences and issues related to privacy and risk management. Students were asked to share their advice with others, and one stated "Be responsible, or at least aware, of the image of yourself that you are putting across to the world" (undergraduate student). In addition, the research data uncovered how students are using social media as a peer support tool and their perceptions of the benefits and challenges of social media. This paper will report findings on students' curation behaviours around their online presence and privacy include various, including some more sophisticated privacy management approaches such as use of a specific email account for online accounts (42% of survey respondents), use of pseudonyms and anonymity online (48%), and the use of privacy and tagging settings. Some students needs and intents are not reflected by their experiences online, for instance participants reported unwanted tagging of photographs (11%), bullying (4%), and finding information online about themselves that they did not think was public (5%). In addition to talking about students' curation approaches we will also reflect on some of the motivations and positive experiences shaping their use of social media and their management of their digital footprints, such as peer support (experienced by 16% of respondents) and professional networking opportunities. This paper will reflect on our findings and how they have been used to provide evidence-based guidance to support University services as well as providing evidence and resources (e.g. e-professionalism guidelines and OERs) for colleagues with responsibility for embedding digital social media in learning and teaching.
This paper introduces current research taking place at the University of Edinburgh, which examine... more This paper introduces current research taking place at the University of Edinburgh, which examines students' use of social media and how they manage their digital footprint. The work engages all student cohorts (undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD, and including online students) and aligns with the innovative cross-University 'Digital Footprint' campaign (2014-2015) in order to conduct a systematic programme of research aimed at building our institutional and sectoral understanding of how students are managing their digital footprints, where such management is lacking, and what this might mean for future institutional planning to build student competence in this area. This paper will outline the rationale for this work, including theoretical and practical contexts and challenges associated with running a digital footprint (social media awareness) campaign on this scale, as well as providing some initial insights arising from activities to date. It will also look ahead to ongoing and future activities, including further research work and a planned impact analysis of the social media awareness campaign. The "Managing your digital footprint" campaign is a collaboration between the
Journal of Map and Geography Libraries, 2013
The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with p... more The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Sep 1, 2022
The last few years have been both interesting and challenging for creative freelancers in Scotlan... more The last few years have been both interesting and challenging for creative freelancers in Scotland. Given the constraints caused by the Covid pandemic, Brexit, and rising inflation and the cost of living, many freelancers have found themselves having to rethink their practice, strategies and life choices. While this unprecedented period hasn't yet come to an end, it has highlighted the importance of the creative industries to the creative economy more than ever before. At Creative Edinburgh, we strive to help creative practitioners develop and thrive throughout their journey, and we have done this for over a decade. It is essential for us to understand more about the community that we represent and freelancers play an important role in this large group of creatives. We seek to create a roadmap which will help Creative Edinburgh, but also other sector support agencies, to plan ahead to better support freelancers in the future.
Terms and conditions on websites are so successful at protecting companies and organizations from... more Terms and conditions on websites are so successful at protecting companies and organizations from legal action that they have become entirely unreadable to anyone who is not a trained lawyer. And if no-one is reading the terms they sign up for can they really be expected to abide by them?
Social sites ask participants to share personal data, behaviours and contacts to use the site but provide only long and complex terms and conditions with separate privacy and copyright documentation. Licensed services rarely permit half of the usage people make of them. Take down policies admit that even those who are aware of the terms they have agreed to they do not choose to stand by their agreement.
In this paper I want to ask some tricky questions, ask you ("legally expert persons") what really matters and how this can be communicated to anyone ("my granny" or "your 7 year old" or "the dyslexic creative type", etc.) that might find their way to a website and particularly to social media sites. I spend each and every day looking at new technology and social media - and signing up for new sites as part of my work - and that includes trying to work out how to navigate a complex minefield of legislation that is opaque to users and, sometimes, even to those whose terms they are.
The people who use the various higher education and further education online services I work on are also on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter - some are even on Chat Roulette. They are used to ignoring a page full of legalese but some of that information can matter so much that I think we let down every person who doesn't understand the terms they sign up for.
So I want you to change the rules. To cut the jargon. To make it so. I challenge you and want you to join me in exploring ideas around a single question:
How can you address all the legal concerns that any online service would need to in the most clear, brief and accessible format that anyone can read without being baffled?
In this taster session Nicola Osborne (Social Media Officer at EDINA) will look at creative and p... more In this taster session Nicola Osborne (Social Media Officer at EDINA) will look at creative and productive uses for real-time social media tools in work and/or studies. As well as looking specifically at how these tools can be used for professional networking, research and studying.
This prezi discusses how EDINA's experience of social media have helped us to develop ideas and o... more This prezi discusses how EDINA's experience of social media have helped us to develop ideas and outreach plans for the AddressingHistory project, a JISC-funded crowd sourcing project aiming to geo-reference historical post office directories of Edinburgh
Nikla Tokyoska (Nicola Osborne, Social Media Officer) and Edina Taurog (Andrew Bevan, User Suppor... more Nikla Tokyoska (Nicola Osborne, Social Media Officer) and Edina Taurog (Andrew Bevan, User Support Deputy Team Manager) talked about EDINA (http://edina.ac.uk/) and chatted with attendees about ideas around how EDINA, as an academic service provider, could use Second Life (and perhaps other virtual worlds) to support or extend services.
YouTube and its competitors have unintentionally but aggressively eroded long standing notions of... more YouTube and its competitors have unintentionally but aggressively eroded long standing notions of authorship, ownership and sharing as personal use is redefined by the multimedia capabilities of home computers and the sharing potential enabled by ever quicker connection speeds. As sophisticated monetization of remixed or copied material is applied retrospectively (and automatically) by rights holders the landscape is shifting again to a less litigious but more controversial ownership model which does not differentiate between intended usage. The focus of use of fragments of copyright material poses a threat to existing location and/or sector specific licensing of multimedia content as it is remixed and unleashed to a global audience.
What are the roles and responsibilities for academic multimedia services seeking to distribute and add value to ephemeral content in this new landscape?
How can contribution of content to academic multimedia services be encouraged when the process of deposit is necessarily less straightforward and quality barriers higher than for commercial sites? Is the natural lifespan of teaching material shortened or lengthened by recording and duplication? Ephemeral media on the internet have far greater availability than physical events and thus invite far greater scrutiny and comment than a one-off presentation to a selective audience. To what extent do such factors impact on attitudes and enthusiasm for creating and publishing media to the wider community?
This paper will look at the issues of authorship/ownership and the community as well as legal and cultural barriers to sharing ephemeral academic material in the specific context EDINA’s development of online multimedia services including user generated content and comment.
An overview of social networking sites, personal metadata, and ideas of how libraries and informa... more An overview of social networking sites, personal metadata, and ideas of how libraries and information services can make use of social data and sites (and a little future gazing).