Studying It and Community Methodological, Ontological and Epistemological Approaches

In this paper, I offer a summary of an information technology (IT) case study that involved three different approaches: social construction of technology (SCOT), social capital, and diffusion of innovations. Although these approaches first appeared highly different in theoretical and methodological terms, I began to see overlaps during the analysis phase of my study. These overlaps were further emphasized as I began to reflect on the epistemological and ontological similarities that the approaches share. The first section of this paper offers the reader a summary of my case study. This summary is then followed by a detailed examination of each approach where I discuss the limitations and advantages of these approaches, along with the epistemological and ontological similarities that they share. IT and community: The case of connected kids My case study took place in Troy, a small city in upstate New York that rests on the side of the Hudson River. Although it was once a city at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution, Troy has recently experienced an economic decline that has affected all aspects of the city's life: store fronts lie empty, over half the residents live on 'low' to 1 As a number of publications have been made regarding this research site and project, I have opted to maintain the actual names of the city and technology. A reader can gain more information on Connected Kids by visiting http://www.rpi.edu/~zappenj.