JCE Software, 2D2: Editorial

Collaboration: A New Paradigm for Software Authorship

John W. Moore
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706-1396

Note:
This issue is out of print.

Computer programming used to be a solitary job that involved little communication or interaction with others, but that is becoming less true every day. Those who have been following recent issues of JCE: Software will have noticed that multiple authorship of the programs we publish is becoming the rule, not the exception. Multiple authorship is also more and more characteristic of chemical education in general, of chemical research, and of many other aspects of our culture. It is therefore more and more important for students to be able to contribute their expertise as part of a group effort and to be able to work effectively with other members of a group. (1)
Collaborative development of software is exemplified by this issue's program, the Illustrated Periodic Table. It has four authors, and many more contributors. Bill Robinson, together with students David Wright, Kevin Carlisle, and Matt Stephens, designed the crystal-structure graphics for each element. Paul Kaarakka wrote the charting module. The glossary of scientific terms is based on the one created by Dick Cornelius when he developed AnswerSheets 2). The database of atomic and macro-scale properties of the elements was initiated by Aw Feng and completed by William Harwood and Robert Gayhart as part of the authorship of KC? Discoverer 3). The Periodic Table Videodisc, which becomes part of the program if a videodisc player is attached to the computer, was created under the direction of Alton Banks and has its own long list of contributors. The Illustrated Periodic Table uses systems software, driver software, and applications, and of course a number of reviewers have influenced its development.
Cooperative efforts by groups that include a broad range of expertise are required for development of multimedia programs such as the Illustrated Periodic Table. Of course each member of such a group has to carry out specific tasks successfully, and this still involves individual, often solitary, work. But no one is expected to do the entire job on his or her own, and everyone is expected to work as an effective contributor to a team effort. This is different from our stereotype of how software is created, and often requires some readjustments in attitudes.
Communicating with other members of a team is a necessary skill--one that is sometimes difficult to learn. Several persons have recently remarked on the difficulties they had encountered in dealing with nonscientists who were multimedia experts. Such persons have totally different priorities and experience from chemistry teachers. It is often very difficult to convince them that even though a screen design is beautiful, its content (or its implied content) may be totally misleading to a student. On the other hand, it is often difficult to convince chemists that good screen and software design have any bearing on whether or not a program can help students to learn. Clearly each group has a great deal to learn from the other, and both need to maintain good communication.
Curriculum reform efforts currently underway almost invariably include cooperative or group learning in their agendas for improvement 4). This is an excellent way to develop a new generation of students who are better equipped to deal with the cooperative group efforts they almost certainly will be part of in the chemical industry, in academia, or in a variety of other projects that require melding chemical expertise with knowledge from other fields.
Chemistry content and its assimilation by each new group of students will of course remain central to the curriculum, but it is no longer the be all, end all that it once was. The process of science and of chemistry must also be included explicitly, and that process is changing in the direction of multidisciplinary teams and their synergistic interactions. Similarly the process of developing software and multimedia is moving toward multiple authorship because of the need for a greater range of expertise than can be embodied in any individual.
Coordination of group efforts to produce the best possible software is important today and will become even more important tomorrow. JCE: Software stands ready to help as much as possible with such coordination, and our recently revised Guide for Submissions on pages 51 and 52 embodies a philosophy that involves maximal collaboration among authors and editors. One of our major aims is to coordinate and facilitate improvements in the use of computers in chemistry instruction. We hope that we are doing an excellent job in this area. Opinions pro and con, as well as suggestions, are welcome at any time.
Literature Cited

Moore, J. W. J. Chem. Educ. 1989 66(1), 15-19.
Cornelius, Richard. "AnswerSheets" J. Chem. Educ.: Software 1993 1D(1) and 1993 5C (1).
Feng, Aw; Moore, J. W. "KC? Discoverer" J. Chem. Educ.: Software 1988 1B(1); Cabrol, D.; Moore, J. W.; Rittenhouse, R. C. "KC? Discoverer with Knowledgeable Counselor" J. Chem. Educ.: Software 1992 Special Issue 2.
Proceedings, Curriculum Planning Conference, 1994, Institute for Chemical Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

First Published: May 1995
Citation: Moore, J. W. Collaboration: A New Paradigm for Software Authorship J. Chem. Educ. Software 2D2
Keywords:

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Last Updated: April 26, 2001
Created: December 3, 1996 Created by: J. L. Holmes
Comments to: jceonline@chem.wisc.edu

© 1997 Division of Chemical Education, Inc., American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.



Collaboration: A New Paradigm for Software Authorship
John W. Moore University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706-1396

Note:	This issue is out of print.

Computer programming used to be a solitary job that involved little communication or interaction with others, but that is becoming less true every day. Those who have been following recent issues of JCE: Software will have noticed that multiple authorship of the programs we publish is becoming the rule, not the exception. Multiple authorship is also more and more characteristic of chemical education in general, of chemical research, and of many other aspects of our culture. It is therefore more and more important for students to be able to contribute their expertise as part of a group effort and to be able to work effectively with other members of a group. (1) Collaborative development of software is exemplified by this issue's program, the Illustrated Periodic Table. It has four authors, and many more contributors. Bill Robinson, together with students David Wright, Kevin Carlisle, and Matt Stephens, designed the crystal-structure graphics for each element. Paul Kaarakka wrote the charting module. The glossary of scientific terms is based on the one created by Dick Cornelius when he developed AnswerSheets 2). The database of atomic and macro-scale properties of the elements was initiated by Aw Feng and completed by William Harwood and Robert Gayhart as part of the authorship of KC? Discoverer 3). The Periodic Table Videodisc, which becomes part of the program if a videodisc player is attached to the computer, was created under the direction of Alton Banks and has its own long list of contributors. The Illustrated Periodic Table uses systems software, driver software, and applications, and of course a number of reviewers have influenced its development. Cooperative efforts by groups that include a broad range of expertise are required for development of multimedia programs such as the Illustrated Periodic Table. Of course each member of such a group has to carry out specific tasks successfully, and this still involves individual, often solitary, work. But no one is expected to do the entire job on his or her own, and everyone is expected to work as an effective contributor to a team effort. This is different from our stereotype of how software is created, and often requires some readjustments in attitudes. Communicating with other members of a team is a necessary skill--one that is sometimes difficult to learn. Several persons have recently remarked on the difficulties they had encountered in dealing with nonscientists who were multimedia experts. Such persons have totally different priorities and experience from chemistry teachers. It is often very difficult to convince them that even though a screen design is beautiful, its content (or its implied content) may be totally misleading to a student. On the other hand, it is often difficult to convince chemists that good screen and software design have any bearing on whether or not a program can help students to learn. Clearly each group has a great deal to learn from the other, and both need to maintain good communication. Curriculum reform efforts currently underway almost invariably include cooperative or group learning in their agendas for improvement 4). This is an excellent way to develop a new generation of students who are better equipped to deal with the cooperative group efforts they almost certainly will be part of in the chemical industry, in academia, or in a variety of other projects that require melding chemical expertise with knowledge from other fields. Chemistry content and its assimilation by each new group of students will of course remain central to the curriculum, but it is no longer the be all, end all that it once was. The process of science and of chemistry must also be included explicitly, and that process is changing in the direction of multidisciplinary teams and their synergistic interactions. Similarly the process of developing software and multimedia is moving toward multiple authorship because of the need for a greater range of expertise than can be embodied in any individual. Coordination of group efforts to produce the best possible software is important today and will become even more important tomorrow. JCE: Software stands ready to help as much as possible with such coordination, and our recently revised Guide for Submissions on pages 51 and 52 embodies a philosophy that involves maximal collaboration among authors and editors. One of our major aims is to coordinate and facilitate improvements in the use of computers in chemistry instruction. We hope that we are doing an excellent job in this area. Opinions pro and con, as well as suggestions, are welcome at any time. Literature Cited Moore, J. W. J. Chem. Educ. 1989 66(1), 15-19. Cornelius, Richard. "AnswerSheets" J. Chem. Educ.: Software 1993 1D(1) and 1993 5C (1). Feng, Aw; Moore, J. W. "KC? Discoverer" J. Chem. Educ.: Software 1988 1B(1); Cabrol, D.; Moore, J. W.; Rittenhouse, R. C. "KC? Discoverer with Knowledgeable Counselor" J. Chem. Educ.: Software 1992 Special Issue 2. Proceedings, Curriculum Planning Conference, 1994, Institute for Chemical Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.


News \| Issues \| CD-ROM / Video \| Find It! \| Technical Support \| For Authors
JCE Online \| Journal \| Software \| Internet \| Happenings \| About JCE \| Contact JCE

Last Updated: April 26, 2001 Created: December 3, 1996	Created by: J. L. Holmes Comments to: jceonline@chem.wisc.edu

© 1997 Division of Chemical Education, Inc., American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.