About LauLima

LauLima is a modified version of TikiWiki. As such it has the features of TikiWiki, although we have modified a number of them quite substantially. We still have forums, shoutboxes, articles, and file galleries, though we don't use image galleries as we use file galleries for most file storage. In addition there is a digital library component that allows the storage and reuse of material produced on the wiki site, or material uploaded to the library area. We use it to store useful materials generated by our students for subsequent use with other groups of students.

Throughout LauLima we have added a second permission system. The TikiWiki permissions system we call a 'capability', and we now have create, read, write and delete permission in addition to the capabilities, so for example, it is possible to specify for an individual, group, or globally whether someone can read, delete or edit a wiki page/ file gallery/ a forum area etc.

This means that you can have some pages visible and editable by some teams, yet invisible to other groups. We allow the creator (owner) of a page to control the permissions. What is more, as every object has permissions, we check on page creation whether the current user can access things, so one user may see a link in a wiki page, while another without read access to that page will see a non-active padlocked link. Wiki page editing has differences too with, quick ways of inserting links to files and images (only those that the current editor can read). This approach gives us the ability to have teams of users working concurrently and privately, then when they decide, they can allow others to view selected pages/file galleries.

We have a number of extra capabilities in the system, that allow eg some groups of users eg staff to view objects owned by students, even if the students haven't shared the objects specifically with the staff. There are many subtlties to this mechanism, eg as long as a file isn't share it remains private to the owner.

We have been using and developing LauLima for approx 3 years and our main server currently supports >500 user account, with a number of other sites adding to this total. It's development is still ongoing but we are releasing a version that has a lot of useful functionality (we hope) - but we have had to remove a number of features owing to licensing restrictions, eg radius authentication of users.

As the installation is a bit long, we intend to release a vmware virtual appliance with it pre installed for testing, but this hasn't happened yet. However we do provide detailed instructions for manual
installation.

The DIDET project is focused on the use of Digital Libraries for Global Distributed Innovative Design, Education and Teamwork and was funded by JISC in the UK and the NSF in the USA as one of four projects in their Digital Libraries in the Classroom Programme. The DIDET Project represents a collaboration between the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow (Scotland, UK), Stanford University (CA, USA) and Olin College (MA, USA).

The DIDET project was launched in 2003 to transform the education process for Design Engineering; to enhance learning opportunities for
students by enabling them to participate in global team-based Design Engineering projects. The tools and technology developed give students experience of working within multi-cultural contexts and enable them to develop global design team working skills for successful distributed design project working.

Students are supported by the 'LauLima' and 'INFORMEDIA' systems. LauLima is a wiki-based system which has been developed as part of the DIDET project at Strathclyde and comprises a shared learning environment for distributed team-working, and a digital library in which unique resources are stored for reuse by future students. INFORMEDIA is a video-based digital library system developed at Carnegie Mellon University which has been tailored by Stanford for archiving and reusing tacit process-related knowledge in Design Engineering classes.

The resources in these digital library systems are 'unique' in that most of them are created by students themselves. Furthermore, many of them have successfully captured informal, tacit knowledge relating to design processes, for example ideas contained in a video, sketch or drawing. As students use INFORMEDIA, or work collaboratively on the LauLima learning environment, and map their design process, staff identify good quality videos, drawings, sketches, images, articles, documents and so on that relate to moUnknowndels, mechanisms, team working, prototyping, design processes or any other aspect of Design Engineering. With student consent, these resources are indexed and approved by an information specialist for inclusion in the digital library.