Social Technology CoP

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Contents

Summary

Build Community of Practice in Nariobi/Kenya/Globally on Social Use of Technology

And on New Media and Journalism


Concept

In Nairobi, there are many people working in the area of "social technology" - that is, implementing projects with the goal of using new technology to improve people's lives, particularly computers, internet, mobile phones, digital cameras, video, social media sites, and more. The challenge in using technology to achieve human development goals is in the program implementation - technology enthusiasts are creating new programs and devices with social application, but the true test of worth is when people put them to use and adapt them to their own needs.

We think it's important to bring together in a learning and sharing community those groups and individuals who are in the process of working with technology in Nairobi and Kenya. We can discuss each of our projects and ideas, what has worked and what has not, and form new partnerships and opportunities. The goal is to create a community of practice around using technology for development.

Strategy

As a starting point, we would like to collaborate with Ushahidi and the users of this platform here in Nairobi to share progress and challenges to implementation. A casual coffee meeting would be enough to get the ball rolling. Then, for those interested, we can plan for a larger meetup to include anyone working in social technology with a focus on sharing our challenges and successes. A frank discussion that is friendly to non-techies and techies alike should inspire debate and cooperation. The best setup for such an atmosphere might be a quick presentation or two focused on challenges and the process of overcoming these, including requests for community input and suggestions (rather than the typical success-only presentation) - that is, bringing a problem for a shared solution. Then, a socializing time (should we include beer?).

Project Components

  • Connect with existing groups like Netsquared, Ushahidi
  • Hold kick off meeting February 2010
  • Aim for regular meetup


Technical Needs

Personal tools