Workshops have largely been as much a discovery of technical constraints and ways of overcoming them but we have also learned much about promoting interaction in this multi-cultural environment. Participants enjoy the collaboration and sense of 'game'. Technical support was provided by an on-line WebBoard expert. Chris Webster provided student support. The design for a collaborative learning environment needs very great attention to encourage users.
Group work is done in 'problem-solving studios'.
Although the technology proved very reliable and there has been no loss of service or data in the system, individual's personal computers or poor network connections can cause problems. The Enablers Participants are nominated by a national training agency which requires their own employing agency to commit their time to the workshop for a month. Individuals get a UN-university endorsed certificate only if they complete all individual and group exercises. Statistics were gathered on the mode of working and submission of participants and tutors. Feedback and analysis shows the workshop was very successful and achieving its stated aims, but also had many other benefits.