Stillman, L. and J. McGrath (2008). "Is It Web 2.0 or Is It Better Information and Knowledge That We Need?." Australian Social Work 421-428(61): 4.

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Stillman, L., S. Kethers, R. French and D. Lombard (2008). Representing Practice Wisdom: Adapting Corporate Modelling for Better Welfare Practice. 10th Australian Conference for Knowledge Management & Intelligent Decision Support. Ballarat.

I've recently been through a struggle to get an article in shape for Comminf-06 as part of OTM Workshops (On the Move Workshops) in Montpellier at the start of November. Even the very name of the workshop and the way the website is structured speaks of technical logicians.

This paper is to appear in volume 36, no 1, 2005 of COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: Journal of the Community Development Society.

ABSTRACT

The paper encourages the adoption of participative action research methodologies for the evaluation of community technology, given the complex and emergent mix of community development and information technology which these projects represent. Much of the richness of the processes which take place can best be captured through collaborative participative research that is valued by communities, rather than through less engaged approaches. The use of participative methodologies also gives communities a better understanding of research processes leading to more effective uses of new technologies. A participatory action research tool test for electronic community networking is introduced and its use is described in several countries. For an emergent field such as community technology or community networking, an adaptation of action research which can provide a “thick description”, the range of meanings, interpretations and effects of human and technical interactions which come to constitute community networking for community development, appears timely.

What follows are the html versions of a powerpoint presentation about further developments in my work with Neighbourhood Houses. This was presented at the CommunityIT conference (cisa.asn.au) conference in Adelaide in May 2005.

I tried to highlight the different conceptual and practice realms that government, community and researchers work in, and the dilemmas faced in qualitative work, serving different interests. Some of the possible policy impacts of the work were also discussed. I also put forward some ideas about decentred notions of technology-- it's not at the centre, but part of a network of activities and agents.

Larry Stillman & Andrew Cunningham VICNET, State Library of Victoria, Australia

This presentation is an html version of powerpoint slides presented at the GOVIS conference, Wellington, New Zealand, 2 May, 2001

1. The Multicultural Context

Three three dimensions of multicultural policy:

• Cultural identity: the right ... to express and share individual cultural heritage, including their language and religion
• Social justice: the right of all Australians to equality of treatment and opportunity
• Economic efficiency: the need to maintain, develop and utilize effectively the skills and talents of all Australians

At a micro level, part of the Victorian Libraries' policy, and Open Road is an attempt to implement this electronically.