bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Nature of Hybrid Community: An Exploratory Study of Open Source Software User Groups
Authors: Jin Leigh , Robey Daniel , Boudreau Marie-Claude
Published: December 2020

Much prior emphasis in the study of open source software has been placed on the virtual nature of development activities. We argue that many open source projects are better characterized as hybrid communities, which are comprised of both virtual and physically bounded activities. Our field study adopts a dual ontology to investigate the relationships between virtual and physical representations of the Linux user community. Our findings suggest that the virtual and physical representations of a hybrid community complement each other in a number of ways. Specifically, we uncover six ways through which a physical representation may complement the virtual one, and four ways through which a virtual representation may complement the physical one. We conclude that leaders of open source projects should strive to organize complementary activities across virtual and physical representations of the community.
Constructing Sustainable Digital Learning Environments for Remote Rural Children of Sarawak
Authors: Abd Aziz Norazila , Fitri S Mohamad , Soubakeavathi Rethinasamy
Published: December 2020

Children today are labeled as Digital Natives, because they are born into an era where ICT has already permeated almost all layers of societies around the world. However, digital gaps among children still exist, particularly for those born into underprivileged remote rural communities. Making technology accessible for all learners, irrespective of their geographical locations, is often viewed as the means for narrowing, if not eliminating digital divide. Presence of technology would definitely generate interest and discussion about its potential use especially among learners from rural remote locations. However, the debate is still open about the feasibility and capability of technology to initiate meaningful learning. This paper describes part of an on-going research to investigate the impact of using technology to supplement classroom learning among children of remote rural locations in Sarawak, Malaysia. One of the key goals of the project is to develop a technology literacy programme in an informal learning setting using localized content which are selected and built to sustain and enhance local cultures, beliefs and traditions that already exist in these remote rural locations. This project also investigates the factors that need to be addressed when planning, designing and sustaining informal learning experiences using technology for children of various ethnic groups, languages, beliefs and cultures.
Deep Trust in the future of Community Informatics
Authors: Parra Cristhian , Nemer David , Hakken David , D'Andrea Vincenzo
Published: December 2020

Engaging in community-based ICT projects, whether for research, design, or implementation purposes, often requires a long-term engagement among practitioners, researchers and community members. In this paper, we discuss how these projects are fundamentally shaped and reshaped by the trust building process, through which 'relations' with a community become deeper 'relationships'. The discussion is based on our experiences in two separated field sites: a Seniors Community Center in Northern Italy, where we established a 3-years long participatory research and design project; and an 8-month ethnography of Community Technology Centers in three marginalized favelas of Vitória, Brazil, where we have explored ICT use by local residents. We identify the difficult challenges in the process of developing trust relationships, commonalities between the two different contexts, and discuss the role of “deep trust” relationships in the future of CI.
"Hey, can we make that, please?": Upon Craft as a Means for Cross-cultural Community-Building
Authors: Weibert Anne , Aal Konstantin , Von Rekowski Thomas , Wulf Volker
Published: December 2020

Focusing on computer clubs in Germany, this paper studies varied craft-based interventions as facilitators not only for the appropriation of computing concepts, but for engaging young and adult neighborhood inhabitants in activities that enable cross-cultural and technological identity exploration. We show how craft as a method for engaging participants in reflective, collaborative activity is apt to trigger and support community-building in socially and culturally diverse societal contexts.
Teaching Open Data for Social Movements: a Research Strategy
Authors: Tygel Alan Freihof , Campos Maria Luiza Machado , De Alvear Celso Alexandre Souza
Published: December 2020

This article aims to describe the experience of the course “Open Data and Social Movements”, conceived as a tool for research on open data engagement. While it focuses on training activists to understand and use open data, it enables observation on why people want to use open data, the main impediments to it, and the desired improvements, configuring as research method on community informatics. The pedagogic inspirations of this research and course lie in Popular Education and Participatory Action Research.
ENCITE: A model to help Voluntary Organisations use ICT effectively
Authors: McDonald TJ
Published: December 2020

Local Voluntary Organisations (LVOs) play an important role in Irish society. LVOs can be based on community, political, sporting, recreational or civil needs. These organisations facilitate information dispersion, social interaction, employment creation and service provision in communities. However, many of these LVOs are struggling to exist and maintain their role in Irish society; one of the primary reasons for this problem is their reluctance to embrace and use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) effectively. Voluntary organisations need help to identify a role for ICT and to subsequently design and develop technical solutions. The ENCITE model will facilitate Irish LVOs to plan and design applications that will support their operation and empower their members.
Abuse Prevention of Street Camera Network by Browsing-History Disclosure
Authors: Fujii Yusaku , Yoshiura Noriaki , Ohta Naoya , Takita Akihiro , Ueda Hiroshi , Maru Koichi
Published: December 2020

A street camera network, in which many street cameras are installed at a high density, similar to street lights throughout a nation, will have a stronger positive effect in suspect tracking and crime deterrence in the near future. On the other hand, it will also have a stronger negative effect related to the violation of privacy of ordinary citizens. In order to make such a stronger surveillance camera system, which forcibly captures the images of passersby for the public interest, be accepted as an essential social infrastructure by a society, it is necessary for this camera system to make ordinary citizens be convinced that it is used only for the public interest. To realize this, a new concept, in which the abuse of a street camera network is deterred by browsing-history disclosure, is proposed.
Mediated communication and mediated communities in the information age
Authors: Szécsi Gábor
Published: December 2020

This article argues that the electronically mediated communication contributes to the construction of new, mediated forms of communities which are based on the synthesis of virtual and physical communities. The appearance of these new forms of communities leads to a new conceptualization of the relation between self and community. The aim of this article, on the one hand, is to show that with the mediatization of communities, our concept of community becomes more comples. On the other hand, in this essay we consider the assumption that the medium of the mediatization and new conceptualization of community is a specific, pictorial language of electronically mediated communication.
Repurposing Post Offices as Community Innovation Hubs: Digital Inclusion, Equity and De-concentration
Authors: Gurstein, Ph.D. Michael
Published: December 2020

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'Useful' civic hacking for environmental sustainability:knowledge transfer and the International Space Apps Challenge
Authors: Rai Sumen , Griffiths Mary
Published: December 2020

Civic hackathons have become a popular, experimental process through which to promote public access to open government data and enable innovative civic uses for the information. The International Space Apps Challenge, led by NASA, is a high-profile event, promoting the use of space-derived data with the aim of contributing solutions to 'grand challenges' such as environmental sustainability. Central to the civic hackathons are the concepts of 'stewardship,' and 'usefulness'. The study explores the promises and realities of civic hacking through analysis of the aims of the organisers, perspectives of participants and the event's outcomes, concluding that hackathon peer processes promote networks for knowledge transfer.
Open Data and Subnational Governments: Lessons from Developing Countries
Authors: Canares Michael Parmisano , Shekhar Satyarupa
Published: December 2020

Much of the discussion in open government data, especially in developing countries, is at the national government level. However, in decentralized contexts, the local is where data is collected and stored, and when published, can generate impact.  This synthesis paper refocuses the discussion of open government data to local contexts by analyzing nine country papers produced through the Open Data in Developing Countries research project. The study found out that there is substantial effort on the part of sub-national governments to proactively disclose data and that local context demands different roles for intermediaries and different types of initiatives to create an enabling environment for open data use and achieve impact.
Graphical Perception of Value Distributions: An Evaluation of Non-Expert Viewers' Data Literacy
Authors: Zubiaga Arkaitz , Mac Namee Brian
Published: December 2020

An ability to understand the outputs of data analysis is a key characteristic of data literacy and the inclusion of data visualisations is ubiquitous in the output of modern data analysis. Several aspects still remain unresolved, however, on the question of choosing data visualisations that lead viewers to an optimal interpretation of data. This is especially true when audiences have differing degrees of data literacy. In this paper we describe two user studies on perception from data visualisations, in which we measured the ability of participants to validate statements about the distributions of data samples visualised using different chart types. In the first user study, we find that histograms are the most suitable chart type for illustrating the distribution of values for a variable. We contrast our findings with previous research in the field, and posit three main issues identified from the study. Most notably, however, we show that viewers struggle to identify scenarios in which a chart simply does not contain enough information to validate a statement about the data that it represents. In the follow-up study, we ask viewers questions about quantification of frequencies, and identification of most frequent values from different types of histograms and density traces showing one or two distributions of values. This study reveals that viewers do better with histograms when they need to quantify the values displayed in a chart. Among the different types of histograms, interspersing the bars of two distributions in a histogram leads to the most accurate perception. Even though interspersing bars makes them thinner, the advantage of having both distributions clearly visible pays off. The findings of these user studies provide insight to assist designers in creating optimal charts that enable comparison of distributions, and emphasise the importance of using an understanding of the limits of viewers’ data literacy to design charts effectively.
Don't ask too much from data literacy
Authors: Kayser-Bril Nicolas
Published: December 2020

It can be argued that data literacy skills are all we need for data literacy to be used properly by journalists. This is wrong. Before skills, journalists need a reason to learn and use data literacy. Such incentives are not in place yet.
Data Literacy projects in Canada: Field notes from the Open Data Institute, Toronto node
Authors: Argast Andi , Zvyagintseva Lydia
Published: December 2020

Open data is flourishing in Canada, but there are few formalized data literacy initiatives. Civic technology organizations such as the Toronto Node of the Open Data Institute (ODI Toronto), in partnership with public institutions and advocacy groups, are helping to fill the gap in data literacy through workshops and accessible hackathons. These organizations are collaboratively pursuing the goal of ensuring that open data benefits more than just a minority of technologically privileged Canadians.
Some Key Challenges for Data Literacy
Authors: Frank Mark , Walker Johanna
Published: December 2020

We discuss the motivation for holding the Data Literacy workshop at ACM WebSci 2015 and the key challenges for advancing the praxis and research of data literacy that emerged: defining data literacy; establishing its importance; identifying beneficial projects and building a community.
Non-Standard Typography Use Over Time: Signs of a Lack of Literacy or Symbolic Capital?
Authors: Zelenkauskaite Asta , Gonzales Amy L.
Published: December 2020

New technologies have provoked a debate regarding the role of non-standard typography (e.g. !!!, :-*). Some contend that new technologies undermine literacy while others state that new technologies provide new spaces for expressive writing and signal a form of symbolic capital. While previous research has primarily focused on age and gender to account for non-standard typography, we analyze socio-economic variables – education and income level and the use of NST over time. This study entertains these two competing hypotheses by analyzing non-standard typography in text message exchanges over three and a half months in an underprivileged population: people living in an urban public housing. Data reveal that, within this sample, use of NST increased over time and participants with higher education levels were more likely to use non-standard typography than less educated counterparts. Experience with texting was found to mediate this effect. Findings support a symbolic capital hypothesis of non-standard typography use, suggesting NST is not associated with stigmatizing lack of knowledge or literacy, but rather may signal the knowledge of discourse norms ascribed to texting in a community.
Community design: a collaborative approach for social integration
Authors: Cumbula Salomao David , Sabiescu Amalia Giorgiana , Cantoni Lorenzo
Published: December 2020

This paper describes a successful case of collaboration among a south-north project team, a Community Multimedia Centre (CMC), and community beneficiaries, for the design and implementation of a small-scale project to improve CMC services for the local community of Quelimane, in Mozambique. The project is part of RE-ACT, a broader scale research and development project which aimed to investigate the social meanings and understandings attributed by different stakeholders to Mozambican CMCs, and use these insights to co-design and implement CMC services with inherent relevance for the local communities. The case reported is considered the most successful of nine action research and co-design projects implemented through RE-ACT. The services designed for the Quelimane CMC can be considered a success not because of perfect alignment with initial goals but rather due to responsiveness and flexibility in the implementation approach: activities and goals were constantly revised by teams to cope with emerging challenges, while at the same time keeping a clear orientation towards set targets. The paper discusses five underlying factors thought to heighten the chances of success of action research and co-design projects involving local communities, ranging from local proactivity and initiative, to commitment to project success, and high perceived self-efficacy of local stakeholders.
Developing Social Alongside Technical Infrastructure: A Case Study Applying ICTD Tenets to Marginalized Communities in the United States
Authors: Teeters Leah Anne
Published: December 2020

This article provides a model by which to apply ICTD tenets within the context of the U.S. It presents a case study of co-designing a technology application with community health workers, promotoras, working in a historically marginalized community within the U.S. It examines both the process of co-design as well as the use of the designed product as interventions intended to enhance the promotoras’ agency and ability to transform opportunities for themselves and their community. This article argues that designing equity-oriented design solutions involves ethnography and participatory design, as well as attention to both the social and technical infrastructure.
Exploring capability and accountability outcomes of open development for the poor and marginalized: An analysis of select literature
Authors: Bentley Caitlin M , Chib Arul , Poveda Sammia C
Published: December 2020

Open development concerns the application of digitally-enabled openness to radically change human capability and governance contexts (Davies & Edwards, 2012; Smith & Reilly, 2013; Smith, Elder, & Emdon, 2011). However, what openness means, and how it contributes to development outcomes is contested (Buskens, 2013; Singh & Gurumurthy, 2013). Furthermore, the potential of open development to support positive social transformation has not yet materialized, particularly for marginalized populations (Bentley & Chib, 2016), partly because relatively little is known regarding how transformation is enacted in the field. Likewise, two promising outcomes – the expansion of human capabilities and accountability – have not been explored in detail. This research interrogates the influence of digitally-enabled openness on transformation processes and outcomes. A purposeful sample of literature was taken to evaluate outcomes and transformation processes according to our theoretical framework, which defines seven cross-cutting dimensions essential to incorporate. We argue that these dimensions explain links between structures, processes and outcomes of open development. These links are essential to understand in the area of Community Informatics as they enable researchers and practitioners to support effective use of openness by and for poor and marginalized communities to pursue their own objectives.
Editorial: Michael Gurstein and the future of Community Informatics
Authors: Villanueva-Mansilla Eduardo
Published: December 2020

Editorial for 13(3).
60+ Online:
Authors: Davis Hilary , McCosker Anthony , Bossio Diana , Schleser Max
Published: December 2020

Seniors are amongst the most digitally excluded in Australia. Despite the increasing popularity of social media, seniors often lack access to technology and to basic digital skills. Thus many seniors do not derive the social benefits and service realisation that arise from online forms of communication and engagement. One barrier to digital inclusion for seniors is learning how to make use of digital and online tools in a way that incorporates their specific needs, interests and capabilities.

The 60+ Online project fostered digital inclusion amongst 22 Australian seniors with varied digital skills and from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Within workshops, researchers encouraged seniors to learn basic digital skills, addressed seniors’ concerns about confidentiality and privacy, and introduced them to safe and regulated online social media platforms. Seniors were encouraged to draw upon personal and community interests to inform storyboarding and digital story development. Digital stories were generated and edited using personal mobile technology. Social media sites (a closed Facebook page and personal Instagram accounts) facilitated sharing of digital skills development and experiences outside the workshops. Regardless of digital skill levels at outset, every senior who completed the workshops ‘graduated’, and produced their own digital story. These digital stories were showcased at festivals, City Council events, and hosted on YouTube.

This article outlines the framework used for this project, from the first co-design workshop to YouTube dissemination. We provide links to workshop resources and tools (iPads, smartphones and apps used) in order to provide a model for digital inclusion that may be replicated for other disadvantaged or vulnerable groups in diverse community-based settings.
Achieving digital inclusion of older adults through interest-driven curriculums
Authors: Beh Jeanie , Pedell Sonja , Mascitelli Bruno
Published: December 2020

One outcome of increased life expectancy is that older adults are leading active lives in their third age as they seize opportunities to learn new skills, pursue new interests and hobbies to challenge themselves. However, there are many misconceptions about older adults’ capabilities and aspirations, especially their attitudes towards technology. They are often misunderstood and seen to lack interest and motivation in the use of technology. Thus, this article examines interest-driven curriculums in order to achieve digital inclusion for older adults. Investigation methodology into this dilemma was best served with a mixed methods approach because, to date, there has been very little research about how technology could support older adults’ interests. The majority of the existing studies consulted were focused on school children in a classroom setting. Older adults can differ greatly in their general background and level of technical experience and knowledge. Consequently, it would be very difficult to conduct quantitative research with control groups to investigate single variables. In compensation, 131 older adults, five staff members and eight teachers participated in this study. Qualitative methods such as observations and interviews (one-on-one and focus group) provided a deeper insight into teachers’ experiences and teaching. Older adults were not always able to articulate their attitudes and problems with technology and consequently, observations were often a more effective means of data gathering. Finally, an Action Research approach was taken to trialling the concepts developed in the course of the investigation. This research comprised of four studies looked at expanding and extending on The Four-Phase Model of Interest Development by Hidi and Renninger (2006). The results show that when older adults are taught according to requests based on their pre-existing interests, it encourages long-term engagement of technology and ability to integrate technology into their everyday lives, thereby achieving digital inclusion amongst older adults.
Critical Importance of Emphasising Working-Class Parents in Digital Inclusion: A US Latino/a Case Study
Authors: Silva Cláudia , Mora Adolfo R. , Straubhaar Joseph D.
Published: December 2020

In this article, we draw on extensive qualitative data to analyse the specific case of a digital inclusion program launched by the non-profit organisation River City Youth Foundation, located in Central Texas. The case is particularly interesting because the organisation, which is primarily a youth centre, realised they needed to start including parents in their programs in order to achieve their first and foremost institutional goal: to increase the number of low-income youth in US colleges. For this study, we use Pierre Bourdieu’s theories of capital to analyse how the organisation integrates education in their digital inclusion program—called ¡TechComunidad! — and thus how they instil techno-dispositions and cultural capital about how US education works in parents of children in kindergarten to 12th grade (K-12). This case is also relevant because it is related to a specific community of low-income Latino immigrants, mostly of Mexican descent, who live in a neighbourhood, where most of the residents are Hispanic. The ¡TechComunidad! program may take between six and eight weeks, and at the end of the training, grants participants a Chromebook – a laptop with a Google OS that only works with internet connectivity. Our results suggest that the organisation managed to instil techno-dispositions and knowledge of education, but parents may still face other sorts of divides, once they bring their Chromebook home.
Social Appropriation of Internet Technology: a South African platform
Authors: Erwin Geoff , Taylor Wallace
Published: December 2020

The social appropriation of Internet technologies is emerging as a research and practice field called Community Informatics (CI). Various research groups (for example Australia, UK, Canada, Latin America, Italy etc.) are contributing to Government's gradual realisation that the enabling of communities with Internet technologies can boost local economic and social development, as well as enhance personal empowerment. Civil society digital inclusion, linked with World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), is now seen as a necessary component of social development strategy. However, various attempts at such initiatives have met different forms of resistance and various levels of success. Cape Technikon is establishing a research hub in Cape Town as part of the international CIRN (Community Informatics Research Network). This project will aim to establish a research, teaching and community engagement platform in Community Informatics (the social appropriation of Internet Technologies for local benefit) which will link Cape Technikon into a rapidly expanding international area of research and teaching as well as putting it into a national leadership position. Outputs will include demonstrated linkages with local, national and international Community Informatics efforts, the establishment of local projects and entities, the establishment of courses, the attraction of undergraduate and post graduate students, a profile with national and international funding agencies, publications, funding proposals, internal agency recognition in research and teaching, a program of high profile and internationally recognised visiting research fellows and academic sabbaticals. This paper discusses activities towards this South African initiative and experience elsewhere.
Latin American Community Telecenters: "It's a long way to TICperary"
Authors: Menou Michel J. , Poepsel Karin Delgadillo , Stoll Klaus
Published: December 2020

Community Telecenters, that is centers for community development using ICT (Information and Communications Technologies) , have become the focus of attention in international development circles over the past ten years, especially in Latin America. A virtual community called Somos@Telecentros is progressively taking shape in the region (http://www.tele-centros.org) with a specific interest in supporting and enabling these Community Telecenters. As part of the build up effort an inventory of telecenters was conducted, followed by a review of the situation. The latter involved self description, recording of stories on the web and through Email, and Email and face to face interviews. The results were synthesized into an analytical panorama of the telecenters movement in the region, the challenges faced, the solutions encountered and the lessons learned. This paper will summarize these findings and highlight a number of key issues, in particular, the trade-off between top-down connectivity and computer literacy programs; and horizontal and community-led and controlled comprehensive development efforts.
Role of Community Informatics in Socio-Cultural Transformations in Russia and the CIS
Authors: Stafeev Sergei
Published: December 2020

Role of Community Informatics in Socio-Cultural Transformations in Russia and the CIS
Editorial: Sustainability of Community ICTs and its Future
Authors: Gurstein Michael
Published: December 2020

Editorial: Sustainability of Community ICTs and its Future
Sustainable Community Technology: The symbiosis between community technology and community research
Authors: Day Peter
Published: December 2020

The social sustainability of any community technology activity is dependent on whether or not it forms an integral part of, and contributes to, the shared experiences that constitute community life. Drawing from this premise the paper presents a human-centred exploration of community informatics (CI) by proposing that, as a field of study and practice, a central goal should be to develop shared understandings of ways in which ICT contribute to building and sustaining active and healthy communities. The diversity of community ICT practices have the potential to contribute to a collective knowledgebase that is not only of import as a resource for academic investigation but also in terms of its broader social significance to community life. With this in mind, the authors analyse and critically evaluate the significance of the emerging symbiosis between community technology and community research. Applying a human-centred perspective of CI to a community technology research and development project the paper concludes with a story about Black Elk, a Lakota shaman, as a metaphor for the relationship between community technology and community research.
Tsunami Warning Systems and the Last Mile
Authors: Gurstein Michael
Published: December 2020

Tsunami Warning Systems and the Last Mile
A Way Forward: Sustainable ICTs And Regional Sustainability
Authors: Hearn Greg , Kimber Megan , Lennie June , Simpson Lyn
Published: December 2020

From the participatory action research we have conducted in two rural communities in Australia we suggest six factors that assist in achieving sustainability for ICT initiatives undertaken in pursuit of regional development. They include:

Clearly specified sustainability goals;

Leveraging micro-business enterprise development off government funded technical and human infrastructure provision, and using local industry strengths;

Learning from global experiences whilst building on local assets;

Finding innovative business models to capitalise on new opportunities for content and applications;

Ensuring community involvement in deciding, planning and evaluating projects; and

Adopting a learning approach.
Emotion, Gender and the Sustainability of Communities
Authors: Tanner Kerry Jeanne
Published: December 2020

Emotional expression is the lifeblood of any organisation or community. The paper reviews recent approaches, research issues and trends in emotion research and then applies insights from this body of research to the area of community sustainability. A particular focus is the gendered nature of emotion and how emotion facilitates connections within communities. Utilising examples from the author's case study research in a women's community organisation in Melbourne, Australia, it contrasts the barren emotional landscape of many organisations with the vibrance and warmth of a feminist community organisation, and considers how ICTs may either facilitate or constrain this emotional expression. It draws implications on the vital role of emotion in sustaining communities.
Sustaining Computer Use and Learning in Community Computing Contexts: Making Technology Part of Who They are and What They Do
Authors: Merkel Cecelia Bridget , Clitherow Mike , Farooq Umer , Xiao Lu , Ganoe Craig Harvey , Carroll John M , Rosson Mary Beth
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we describe our work promoting technological sustainability among community organizations in Centre County, Pennsylvania (USA). We define sustainability as a dynamic process in which IT professionals, designers, and researchers work with community groups in ways that give them greater control over technology in their organization. Promoting sustainability involves finding ways of encouraging technology learning and planning in community groups. We report on the efforts of a community organization (CentreConnect) that works with area nonprofits to promote IT adoption and a participatory design research project (Civic Nexus) aimed at helping community groups use technology to solve problems that they think are important. We report on a joint effort to provide web design training for area nonprofits using this shared experience to consider ways of bridging research and practice when addressing sustainability in community computing contexts.
Community Democratization of Telecommunications Community Cooperatives in Argentina: The Case Of TELPIN
Authors: Finquelievich Susana , Kisilevsky Graciela Cecilia
Published: December 2020

A telecommunications community cooperative (TCC) is an autonomous association of individuals, which join forces to solve common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned enterprise, democratically governed and managed. In Argentina, TCCs were created by community conscious members to fill in for the State role when it was unable to provide telephone service in remote areas, generally marginalized from services provision. In 1989, the State telephone enterprise was privatized. From 1992 onwards, TCCs replaced the large private telephone enterprises, since these were not interested in providing non profitable services in remote or low-populated areas.

TCCs provide telephone and Internet services, by dial-up and/or broadband (ADSL) connections, as well as IP telephony, to their target populations at significantly lower costs than the large traditional firms (Telefónica and Telecom). Most of them offer also free community services, such as courses on information and communication technologies (ICTs), free Internet access to public schools, libraries, and public facilities (police stations, hospitals, etc.).

This work focuses on a particular case study: TELPIN, the Pinamar Telecommunications Cooperative. Telpin was created by a group of Pinamar neighbors, most of them founders of the local community, in 1962. Since then, it has become the largest and most successful Telecommunications Cooperative in Argentina.
Community Informatics and the World Summit on the Information Society
Authors: Gurstein Michael B.
Published: December 2020

Community Informatics and the World Summit on the Information Society
A short movie about ICT
Authors: Cisler Steve
Published: December 2020

A short movie about ICT
The modal nature of ICT: challenging the historical interpretation of the social understanding and appropriation of ICT.
Authors: Leaning Marcus
Published: December 2020

This paper proposes a sociological model for understanding the social appropriation of information and communications technology (ICT). It is argued that the relationship between a media form and the society in which it is deployed is of key import in understanding how media is used. An account is given of the way in which the power of ICT to affect society has been understood. It is argued that positions within this debate are deeply tied to Western cultural beliefs and values. An alternate model of technology is proposed. In this model ICT is regarded as modal in operation, that is, it may operate differently in different situations.
Mapping the Virtual in Social Sciences: On the Category of "Virtual Community"
Authors: Proulx Serge , Latzko-Toth Guillaume
Published: December 2020

Lately the term "virtual" has been used more and more frequently by both scholars and journalists to refer to social phenomena and entities. Quite representative of this trend is the phrase "virtual community" which has been rapidly accepted in common language. However, its use by social scientists raises many questions. Since the words "virtual" and "community" are both polysemic, what exactly might the term "virtual community" mean? And what new kind of collectivity is it supposed to circumscribe? Doesn't it imply a sort of nostalgia for a mythical form of community, along with an idealization of face-to-face interactions? This paper attempts to offer some elements of solution to these questions by means of a critical examination of recent social science texts.

Résumé

Ces dernières années, universitaires et journalistes ont fréquemment recours à l'adjectif « virtuel » pour qualifier des entités et phénomènes sociaux. L'emploi de l'expression « communauté virtuelle », aujourd'hui naturalisée dans la langue courante, est particulièrement représentatif de cette tendance. Cependant, son usage en sciences sociales soulève plusieurs questions : étant donné la polysémie des mots virtuel et communauté, que signifie exactement l'expression « communauté virtuelle » ? Quel nouveau type de collectif est-elle censée décrire et éclairer? N'implique-t-elle pas paradoxalement la nostalgie d'une forme mythique de communauté, ainsi que l'idéalisation du face à face comme situation de communication ? Cet article tente d'apporter des éléments de réponse à ces questions à travers un examen critique de textes récents en sciences sociales.

Resumen

En estas últimos años, universitarios y periodistas han utilizado frecuentemente el adjetivo «virtual» para calificar entidades y fenómenos sociales. El empleo de la expresión «comunidad virtual », hoy naturalizada en la lengua corriente, es particularmente representativo de esta tendencia. Sin embargo, su uso en ciencias sociales plantea varias cuestiones : teniendo en cuenta la polisemia de las palabras virtual y comunidad, qué significa exactamente la expresión «comunidad virtual »? Qué nuevo tipo de colectivo pretende describir y esclarecer? Esa expresión, no implica paradójicamente la nostalgia de una forma mítica de comunidad, como también la idealización del frente a frente como situación de comunicación? Este artículo intenta aportar elementos de respuesta a estas preguntas a través de un examen crítico de los textos recientes en ciencias sociales.
Community Security By Widely Available Information Technology
Authors: Fujii Yusaku , Yoshiura Noriaki , Ohta Naoya
Published: December 2020

We contend that a community will have a strong ability to prevent crime only if some residents keep watch on what happens around their houses with the aid of their own home computers, commercially available cheap cameras, and free-software. Under this scheme, residents would view their surroundings using cheap cameras as their own eyes and home computers as their own brains. Community safety would thus be realized by the voluntarily cooperation and altruism of ordinary citizens using widespread modern technology.
A Review of New Zealands Digital Strategy
Authors: Williamson Andy
Published: December 2020

The advent of New Zealands world-leading Digital Strategy underpins the increasing importance of ICTs in community settings. It marks a significant change in government policy and marks the first attempt at a whole of government approach to ICTs. This paper explores some of the ideas behind the strategy, describes the processes for its implementation and discusses some of the potential limitations.
Community Inquiry and Informatics: Collaborative Learning Through ICT
Authors: Bishop Ann Peterson , Bruce Bertram C. , Jones M. Cameron
Published: December 2020

This paper presents the integration of community informatics with the theory and practice of community inquiry, describing community-based projects in which people simultaneously learn about their community and the production and use of information and communication technologies (ICTs).
Supporting the Appropriation of ICT: End-User Development in Civil Societies
Authors: Pipek Volkmar , Rosson Mary Beth , Stevens Gunnar , Wulf Volker
Published: December 2020

The more open-ended and less organized contexts of home and social organizations present considerable challenges for the design and application of information and communication technology (ICT). An approach that actively supports user communities in their appropriation activities can help alleviate the lack of professional support in home and volunteering settings of use.
Special Section on Learning in Communities: Complete
Authors: Carroll John M. , Bishop Ann Peterson
Published: December 2020

Community learning is an area of investigation that goes to the heart of community informatics as we attend to questions of how knowledge is shaped and shared at the local level. This special section of the Journal of Community Informatics is based on a multidisciplinary workshop organized by John Carroll and held in August 2005 at Penn States School of Information Sciences and Technology. It contains an informal report of the workshop, as well as mini papers contributed by some of the participants.
Community Informatics and Systems Design
Authors: Gurstein Michael
Published: December 2020

Community Informatics and Systems Design
Beyond Users to Communities – Designing Systems As Though Communities Matter - An Introduction to the Special Issue
Authors: De Moor Aldo , De Cindio Fiorella
Published: December 2020

Beyond Users to Communities – Designing Systems As Though Communities Matter - An Introduction to the Special Issue
Community Networks as lead users in online public services design.
Authors: De Cindio Fiorella , Ripamonti Laura Anna , Peraboni Cristian
Published: December 2020

Computer professionals are used to conceive people who use the applications they develop as users, or, in the best case, as consumers. People are owner of a fundamental sovereignty right which allows them to play an active role in designing the computer-based systems shaping their working and social life. This role cannot be played in isolation: a community which converges over a shared understanding is a precious asset for designing computer-based systems and online services. The net makes this change feasible, and both the private and the public sector can effectively exploit these new perspectives.
Code of Ethics for Community Informatics Researchers
Authors: Averweg Udo , O'Donnell Susan
Published: December 2020

This draft Code of Ethics for Community Informatics (CI) researchers is intended to evolve. We invite CI researchers to contribute their ideas and perspectives based on their experiences of doing CI research and as new ethical concerns emerge.
Políticas y clivajes: algunas ideas a propósito de una revisión de políticas
Authors: Villanueva Eduardo
Published: December 2020

A brief comment on the issues arising from the policy-making process in a region like Latin America, a propos of a UNESCO document on information society policies in several countries of the region.
Trouble at Kookaburra Hollow: how media mediate
Authors: Arnold Michael V. , Shepherd Christopher J , Gibbs Martin R
Published: December 2020

Through 2005 a dispute played itself out at the Kookaburra Hollow housing estate. The dispute initially concerned allegations of poor build quality in some houses, the absence of broadband to the estate, and the absence of certain public amenities. However, it escalated to involve disagreement among residents about the strategies and tactics employed in the disputes. These strategies and tactics involved the use of four media  a Community Intranet, hand-made signs, public and private meetings, and a television broadcast. We describe the use made of these media as the dispute unfolded, and argue that each mediated the action in different ways. In our tentative analysis, the key factors that shape these sociotechnologies as actors are that they: act in different domains; act in different registers; and have different points of initiation and patterns of circulation. In comparing and contrasting the four media in these terms, we hope to understand more about this particular dispute, more about community networks, and more about media as actors.
The Vancouver Community Network, Social Investing and Public Good Models of ICT development
Authors: Bodnar Christopher
Published: December 2020

This paper links discussions of community access to ICTs to discussions of sustainability in the non-profit community and the viability of public good models of ICT development. It addresses the concepts of public goods and social entrepreneurship and their relationship to new funding sources for non-profit organizations. The paper examines the Vancouver Community Networks investigation of for-profit service models to diversify the organizations revenue stream. The paper suggests that the VCN has the potential to develop a project that may provide the basis for a new generation of community networking in Canada, based upon a new organizational structure model.
Community Wireless: Policy and Regulation Perspectives
Authors: Wong Matthew A
Published: December 2020

Wireless Internet has been available since the late 1990s, but has only recently emerged as a powerful tool for access in communities and cities at large. However, this has not gone unnoticed by parties that perceive a potential threat to the established order of Internet players. As the clash of interests grows, governments have been getting involved through policy and regulation to help bring balance to the social and economic issues. In this paper, the author attempts to put these issues in to a clearer perspective by summarizing the landscape as it pertains to wireless Internet access from the North American perspective.
Anytime? Anywhere?: Reframing Debates Around Community and Municipal Wireless Networking
Authors: Forlano Laura
Published: December 2020

Over the past three years, cities across the United States have announced ambitious plans to build community and municipal wireless networks.  The phrase ‘anytime, anywhere’ has had a powerful impact in shaping the way in which debates about these networks have been framed.  However, ‘anytime, anywhere’, which alludes to convenience, freedom and ubiquity, is of little use in describing the realities of municipal wireless networks, and, more importantly, it ignores the particular local characteristics of communities and the specific practices of users.  This paper examines the media representations and technological affordances of wireless networks as well as incorporating the practices of those that build and use them in an attempt to reframe these debates.
E-Governance in the Developing World in Action
Authors: De Jager Arjan , Van Reijswoud Victor
Published: December 2020

E-Governance is a powerful tool for bringing about change to government processes in the developing world. E-governance operates at the cross roads between Information and Communication Technology and government processes, and can be divided into three overlapping domains: e-administration, e-services and e-society. In order to be successful, e-governance must be firmly embedded in the existing government processes, must be supported, both politically and technically, by the governments, and must provide users with reasons to use these on-line domains. In order to maximize the impact, process change needs to be considered part and parcel of e-governance.

In this report, we present and evaluate an e-governance programme in the East African country of Uganda. The programme, DistrictNet, tries to provide transparency at the local government level and to improve the provision of public information through the implementation of ICT. DistrictNet started in 2002 and is on-going. The achievements of the programme are presented and evaluated according to the criteria of the three domains of e-governance and their impact on government processes. On the basis of this evaluation, we elicit lessons that can be used to guide similar programmes at the local government levels in the developing world.
Overview: Technology and Aging Issue
Authors: Loeb Gene.
Published: December 2020

Comments and overview of articles in this issue.