1. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Engineering - Experience from Hydroengineering Examples

2. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Overview introduction joint education experiment: “WWW-based Collaborative Engineering in Hydroscience” research projects from Hydroengineering –net-based collaborative working environments –WWW-based document management system “DCMS”

3. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Introduction modern engineering projects: –in cooperation –different disciplines –distributed ICT as base-technologies for “any time / any place” solutions support from distributed computer- and network based project platforms traditional course programs do not cover introduction and application of corresponding working processes acquisition of experience development of a "technical culture“ practical experiments and exercises

4. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering 5 European Universities 52 students from 15 different nations yearly arrangement since 1999 adapted to the progress in ICT and in working processes in engineering course participants in 2000: IAHR-EGW course: “WWW-based Collaborative Engineering in Hydroscience”

5. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Course Idea students from different locations cooperately solution of a hydroengineering task in small, distributed teams in one week using Web based tools and techniques teams as independent units free to choose their way of collaboration acquisition of knowledge and experience in Web based collaborative engineering

6. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Course Organisation parallel solving of the engineering task by the teams international and interdisciplinary team composition definition of organisation structure, work plan, work distribution and coordination by the team members all collaboration (communication, coordination and documentation) over the Web environment supervisors at each location provides consultancy on demand

7. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Prerequisites participants: –new field of engineering –studying different disciplines –on different level –in different countries –with different mentalities course success demands basic skills: –communication and documentation in a Web environment –basic knowledge in hydroengineering –basics in project management and team working –willingness for cooperation selected lectures to ensure the equal level of the participants

8. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Engineering Task design of a flood protection system for the river Vida in Denmark –discharges into the North Sea –controlled by weirs and gates –floods from upstream after long rainfall –navigationable exercise objective: –introduction controlling structures –performing of dredging river network, cross section, boundary conditions and hydraulic parameter was provided for a specified time period MIKE11 by DHI Water & Environment

9. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Reporting course progress and engineering task results: –daily reports: current engineering task state performed work steps problems, difficulties and exceptions collaboration methods and team decisions –daily supervisor assessments: comments administration information and hints –final report: engineering task solution collaboration experience preparation and publishing of all reports over the course platform

10. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Course Platform local facilities (individual work environment) –standard PC with unlimited Internet access –standard Web browser, office package –personal email account and homepage –communication tools (telefon, telefax, email, chat, ftp, telnet) –Web documentation tools (e.g. HTML-, picture editor) –audio/video facilities for conferencing shared facilities (team collaboration, course organisation and observation, consulting) –file service –document service –application service –mailing service –license service

11. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Central Course Server

12. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering General Results all seven groups developed a suitable engineering solution in time –engineering alternatives –not economical optimised –Web as a collaboration platform main course target: acquisition of knowledge and experience –team work –collaboration method –communication rules –coordination methods –specification of responsibilities different compentence and combination of individual abilities acquisition of ’social competence’ and ’soft skills’ inside the teams

13. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering MS NetMeeting general tool for conferencing and discussion audio/video communication only as 1 to 1 connection chat modul as n to n connection application sharing general chat sessions with 12 participants information sharing instead of information exchange

14. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Conclusions extension of the normal course programme large effort in preparation and implementation results demonstrates the potential and importance improvement: face-to-face meeting standard part of academic education to reflect the progress of the ongoing ICT revolution no alternatives to the acquisition of competence http://hydroweb.bauinf.tu-cottbus.de

15. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering engineers require support in –cooperation, communication, coordination and documentation –access & exchange of project information net-based platform for “any time / any place” information management advantages –efficient information acquisition –better decisions documents as carrier of information document management, lookup and retrieval mechanisms Information Management in modern Engineering Projects

16. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Document Repository stores, controls, and manages documents library services database or separate application information about the document (metadata) link to the document

17. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Metadata meta: underlying definition or description metadata: data about data indexing of Web-pages: author, language and content no mandatory standard for the practical use of metadata W3C standard: Resource Description Framework Dublin Core: simple, but flexible several XML-applications and industry initiativesXML-applications

18. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering DCMS Document Management document management over the Web by referring and semantic markup

19. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering DCMS System Architecture based on the meta- informationsystem architecture utilises Java inter- process-communication administrator services for managing document repositories user services for searching, browsing, editing, visualisation & communication

20. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering DCMS Administrator Services document type and media independent document entries: –semantic markup –URL –database markup: –standard semantic criteria –specific semantic criteria –easy adaption tree structure import, validation, CSS visualisation

21. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering

22. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering DCMS User Services document browsing document selection document classification document upload document sharing user communication

23. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Document Browsing & Visualisation information to each document (standard and project specific semantic markup) access to the document integrated document visualisation generation of a tree structure of HTML pages from the document entries in the document repository

24. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Document Selection searching for relevant information concerning specific engineering problems problem specification by semantic criteria used for the document classification

25. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Adding Entries to the Repository document location: URL from a user‘s Web-server upload on DCMS server document entry placement: global DCMS inbox personal myDCMS area document classification: standard semantic criteria project specific semantic criteria document auhtor: new or registered

26. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Personal myDCMS Areas personal work-desk within the document repository information sharing for collaborative work adding new entries on personal area via classification/upload replacing documents with new versions on own Web-servers

27. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Bulletin Board client communication document sharing document exchange

28. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Design and Implementation 100% Java: platform independent server objects XML database integrated helptool session management performance, advantages

29. Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, Institut fuer Bauinformatik, Gerald Hildebrandt Distributed Research and Education Platforms in Hydroengineering Selected Applications of the DCMS ELTRAMOS: ELectronic market and TRAding of MOdelling Services and assets for engineering SMEs and institutes MorWin: Morphodynamische Modellierung von Windwatten (morphodynamics of wind wadden areas) OSIRIS: Operational Solutions for the Management of Inundation Risks in the Information Society HydroWeb: IAHR-EGW Course ”WWW-based Collaborative Engineering in Hydrosience” WebRiver: Web-based River Modelling Platform ETNET21: European Thematic Network for Education and Training - Environment-Water http://dcms.bauinf.tu-cottbus.de