The document discusses emerging technologies and online communities. It outlines various communication technologies like chat rooms, instant messaging, and video conferencing. It also discusses collaboration technologies like blogs, wikis, and tools for sharing multimedia content. It describes different types of online communities from general social networks to customized educational communities. Finally, it provides examples of online communities built for specific purposes like teacher professional development, alternative education, and addressing issues like bullying.

1. The Possibilities of Emerging Technologies &
Online Communities
Prepared by Denys Lupshenyuk
May 02, 2009

3. • Text-based chat room / Discussion board / Forum
Communication • Instant messaging (MSN, Yahoo)
• Audio/Video Conferencing (Skype, Eyeball, iVisit, Elluminate)
• Weblogs (Blogger, WordPress)
Collaboration • Wikis (PBWorks)
• Streaming multimedia - podcasts, vodcasts, screencasts, webcasts
Sharing • Content sharing websites (YouTube, Scribd, Twitter)
• File Sharing Tools
• “One-size-fits-all” (Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn)
• Customized for educational purposes (TappedIn, My eCoach)
Communities • Programmable (Ning, web 2.0 platforms)
• Open Source (Elgg, Drupal)

4. Conceptually
A common vision of community agenda (shared goals)
Active and open participation and communication
Social knowledge construction and meaning
negotiations
Sharing of resources
Establishment of trust (feeling of safety and support)
Scaffolding & facilitation to sustain collaboration and
shared experience among participants

5. Technologically: An online venue in which members meet to
exchange problems, ideas, questions and to collaborate on
projects.
Capabilities to create personal profiles and team workspaces
Capabilities to create spaces for discussions and other types of
online communication
Capabilities for collaborative writing and team-based
projects(wiki, weblogs)
Capabilities for sharing multimedia resources (streaming media,
twitter, bookmarking)
Capabilities to syndicate & aggregate content (RSS 2.0)
Capabilities to manage emails

6. Technology breaks borders and makes others’
knowledge & experiences closer
Interactivity creates contexts for collaborative
learning and constructing shared artifacts
Facilitation & Design are needed to maintain
meaningful communal activities.
Initial F2F interaction motivates members to
collaborate online, strengthens connections among
members, and decreases the feeling of isolation.

7. Collaborative knowledge production & sharing
Distribution of instructional resources
Collaboration on projects with other teachers
Delivering web-based conferences, debates,
seminars, workshops, & trainings
Reflections on various educational practices
Others

8. Conceptual Aspect
Learning goals & expected outcomes
Interaction among members through participant-
driven discussions, collaborative projects
Interaction between members and resources
Flexible design and space for members input
Extension of networking opportunities (e.g.,
connections with other communities)

9. Technology Aspect
Easy-to-use interface, navigation, and tools
Integrate necessary functions within a platform
Easy upload of materials
Transferability of experience to different contexts
Easy configuration for designers and administrators
No client installation or configuration

10. “One-size-fits-all” apps:
Facebook, My-Space
LinkedIn, TappedIn
My e-Coach
Easy (“drag-and-drop”) customizable apps
Ning
Open-source platforms
Elgg, Drupal, Moodle

12. Open source content management platform
that allows users to easily publish, manage, and
organize a wide variety of content on a website:
Discussion sites
Personal sites/blogs
Resource directories
Social networking sites
Build-in functionality: content management
systems, blogs, collaborative tools, forums,
newsletters, podcasting, picture galleries, file
sharing and more

13. ResearchSpace

14. http://tappedin.org
• Short for Teacher Professional Development
Institute
• Designed as a meeting place for community
learning – Conference Center with external
Student Center
• Provides space for teachers to communicate
and participate in on-going professional
development

15. Alternative /Correctional Education

16. A customized online community that helps to
learn, connect, and share
Offers tools all in one place
Allows public and private spaces
Offers coaching support
Rich shared repertoire of educational resources
(projects and web sites)

17. Bullying & School Violence

18. Online platform for building social-networking
websites
Easy-to-build a customized community
Equipped with communication and
collaboration facilities, tools for sharing
knowledge and resources, digital storage
facilities
Capabilities to easily incorporate digital media
Example of the learning community

19. The Gathering For Justice

20. Next Steps …
Establish a Working Group (Coordinator, team
facilitator, knowledge experts)
Choose a Web-Based Platform and Decide on
Technologies
Design the Framework for Online Community