The Digital Villages Research Network

Congratulations to Nick on his featured profile in Talk of the Town . To read the article click here

Well done to Lynne and Steve on getting superb results for the UCPD modules they took earlier this year. Both are “A” Grade students in Desktop Publishing and Digital Imaging respectively. Both have also submitted their next modules so are well on the way to a full UCPD.

Really well done, a great achievement.

Results are on your e-vision emails for anyone else who is expecting results.

I went to Moorsholm last night for the second digital postcard evening arranged by Lynne and Steve. It was a great evening. Lots of people came to the village hall to look at the pictures and add their stories to the postcards. Some people brought old photographs of Moorsholm. The ways that the village has changed over the years are so interesting. Steve’s pictures of Moorsholm are fantastic and really capture the different places, activities, histories and memories that even a small village can have. Well done to both for organising these successful events. I look forward to developing this further for new areas of East Cleveland and online.

We’ve had some really successful workshops on interviewing over the past month both in Carlin How and Saltburn. The research network training has covered interview skills, ethics, creating an interview schedule and thinking about who to interview. We have consumed around 10 packets of biscuits and in excess of 60 cups of tea and coffee by my calculations, all much needed by researchers starting a new phase of research. They have been great sessions, full of discussion and fantastic ideas. I’m looking forward to putting these into practice.

I have personally really enjoyed collaborating on developing the questions we are going to ask and thinking in depth about the different things people do with ICTs and the meanings they have for us in our daily lives. I’m really grateful too for all the hard work put in by the researchers on this.

We are starting soon with the pilot interviews with research network members and then we can look forward to starting work in the research areas.

INTERVIEW WORKSHOPS

At Carlin How Community Centre

Workshop 6 – Thurs 11th Feb – 1.30-3.30pm

Workshop 7 – Thurs 25th Feb - 1.30-3.30pm

Workshop 8 – Thurs 11th March - 1.30-3.30pm

At Destinations, Saltburn

Workshop 6 – Fri 12th Feb - 11-1pm

Workshop 7 – Fri 26th Feb - 11-1pm

Workshop 8 - Fri 12th March - 11-1pm

INTERVIEW PLANNING MEETINGS

Carlin How Community Centre: March 18th 1.30pm; March 25th 1.30pm

Destinations: March 19th 11am; March 26th 11am 

ICT WORKSHOPS with Steve (both at Destinations)

Monday 1st March, 3-5pm;  Tuesday 2nd March, 1-3pm

INFORMAL CATCH UP MEETINGS (both at Destinations)

March 5th 11am (1 hour) and 2pm (1 hour) (come to one or the other if you are available)

So, I never thought that it would come to this………walking the streets of Saltburn and dropping surveys through unsuspecting residents letterboxes! It’s certainly something I haven’t done before, and I had a strange feeling that there were eyes 0-0 watching me from several windows along my route  especially the ones with the Neighbourhood Watch signs!

On returning to collect the surveys a week later, in the pouring rain, I felt slightly nervous about knocking on doors and asking if they had completed them. There was no need for my nervousness, as I think the sight of an extremely wet bedraggled figure standing alone dripping rainwater all over their doorsteps was enough to melt anyones heart…or at least it seemed to! ♥

 Would I do it again…..probably, but I’d prefer a dry day!!!!!!  

Saltburn researchers, Cheryl, Kathryn, Colin and John, met at Destinations on Wednesday to put the finishing touches on the strategy for the survey and are now ready to go. Following a similar approach to Redcar, we divided Saltburn into zones, and each researcher is working in one of the designated areas.

Barry was also at Destinations on Wednesday and has reported 20 completed surveys in Skinningrove and a further 50 currently being filled out by local residents.

Moorsholm and Stanghow’s survey is now closed and the prize draw takes place tomorrow. We are pleased to report that just under half of the surveys were returned by post to the team – thanks for your participation in this.

Thanks to everyone in communities across Redcar and Cleveland for your support of, and participation in, this phase of the project.

After going over the plans for Saltburn’s survey on Tuesday we are now rolling out the survey in all of our designated villages. Already we have returns coming back and the next few weeks should see this key part of the project really taking shape.

Saltburn CR's getting to grips with the survey distribution

Many thanks to all the Community Researchers for your contributions to the planning, distribution and collection of the surveys.

Whilst some were building bonfires (the Skinningrove bonfire looks amazing!), there was plotting of a different kind in Redcar yesterday. Nick, Martin and Carrie were making plans for the distribution of the survey which begins today in Dormanstown. Martin has joined Nick and Pauline in the Redcar area to assist with the survey. Questionnaires have been numbered and put in envelopes ready to go.

Back in Middlesbrough today, Lynne and Steve picked up the Skelton questionnaires and will be starting in a week’s time.

Good luck everyone!

The network continues to grow with new researchers Martin Jefferson and Cheryl Sanderson joining the project. Yesterday, Martin, Cheryl, John & Colin joined Paul and me in Redcar for an introduction to the project and an overview of research ethics.

Great news in Moorsholm – Terry has delivered all 150 surveys to households in the village and in Stanghow. We are very grateful to those who have returned completed surveys and are looking forward to finding out how people are using computers and the internet.

The prize draw for Moorsholm takes place soon – Friday 27th November. Keep a look out for the winning number…

Skelton and Redcar researchers will receive their surveys this week and we look forward to starting there. Meanwhile, Carlin How and Skinningrove are making good progress and we look forward to the results from these villages.