Developing an Architecture of Participation

This paper focuses on work undertaken through the European Commission funded Bazaar project to establish a community of practice for researchers and practitioners in open source software and open content. The paper considers the use of social software to support such a communitty of practice. It consiers some of the theories and ideas behind supporting communities before going on to outline the design of an Architecture of Participation. 1 Why we are doing it This paper discusses work undertaken both at a theoretical level or at the level of ideas and practical work in progress in developing activities face to face and mediated through computer based tools to develop a community of practice around Open Source Software, Social Software and Open Content in Education. The work is being undertaken for the Bazaar project funded by the European Commission’s eLearning programme. The aim of the project is to develop and support a community of practice for teachers, trainers, moderators and facilitators in the development, creation, exchange and use of e-learning materials. This involves the following activities: • The provision of information and services for teachers and trainers in the development, creation, exchange and use of e-learning materials. • The facilitation of social networking and the development of social networks. • The provision of opportunities to test and use different Open Source Software tools and applications. • The provision of opportunities to explore and share experience and practice. • The provision of opportunities to share learning materials. • Research and dissemination into emergent issues and practice. • Networking of projects and initiatives. • The provision of peer group advice and guidance and access to expertise and help. • Opportunities for discourse and communication between developers and users of elearning applications. We have considerable experience in attempting to develop shared meanings, understandings and activities between participants from different countries, cultures and disciplines in different previous projects and the difficulties this entails, particularly the barriers to active collaboration in a dispersed environment. We have also designed and tested different platforms and tools for communication and collaboration, and are aware of the pitfalls to their effective utilization. In developing the Bazaar project we have formulated an Architecture of ha l-0 01 97 25 5, v er si on 1 14 D ec 2 00 7 Author manuscript, published in "Conference ICL2007, September 26 -28, 2007, Villach : Austria (2007)"