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Knowledge commons for human development

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    • pdai on Peer-producing knowledge: a game-changer for development cooperation? – Question 5 of 10 on ‚learning by sharing’
    • Balthas on About
    • Balthas on Emerging Schools of Thought on Commons-Based Peer Production – New Article Out
    • Wahdan Arum Inawati on About
    • WINDA EKA SAMODRA on Emerging Schools of Thought on Commons-Based Peer Production – New Article Out

    Recent Posts

    • Landmark study identifies 89 examples of digital commons in Sub- Saharan Africa, looks at how they are sustained
    • Build it! How to democratize AI by creating AI training commons and new alliances
    • How to build Open Source Software Systems in Development Cooperation Projects
    • More repositories for commons-based peer production! – compendium updated
    • Emerging Schools of Thought on Commons-Based Peer Production – New Article Out

    Archives

    Landmark study identifies 89 examples of digital commons in Sub- Saharan Africa, looks at how they are sustained

    Posted on January 7, 2023 in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn, Open Source & Africa, Work by Balthas

    I am super-happy, that the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) through Jan Krewer has managed to shed some light on a crucially under-researched topic: How are digital commons in Sub- Saharan Africa doing? Which resources are governed through a commons-approach on the continent? How important are they and how are their communities functioning? Although the […]

    Posted in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn, Open Source & Africa, Work Tagged Africa, commons, commons-based peer production, knowledge commons, open source Leave a comment

    Build it! How to democratize AI by creating AI training commons and new alliances

    Posted on January 9, 2022 in Freedom to innovate, Open Source & Africa, Work by Balthas

    So I have been involved in an AI project since a while professionally (see https://toolkit-digitalisierung.de/en/fair-forward/). Also, this website is all about how to understand and how to foster knowledge commons and open knowledge peer production for human development. Therefore, I would like to present you here some thoughts on how we might be able to […]

    Posted in Freedom to innovate, Open Source & Africa, Work Tagged Africa, AI, AI for All, Artificial Intelligence, commons-based peer production, GIZ, knowledge commons Leave a comment

    How to build Open Source Software Systems in Development Cooperation Projects

    Posted on March 15, 2021 in Freedom to innovate, News on publications, Open Source & Africa, Open Source & Asia, Work by Balthas

    So you would like to build a software system for a project of development cooperation and you consider using “Free and open source software (FOSS)”? Good choice, as going open source will offer you a highly sustainable and cost-effective way of developing these systems. See also my think-piece on the “why development cooperation should use […]

    Posted in Freedom to innovate, News on publications, Open Source & Africa, Open Source & Asia, Work Tagged BMZ, checklist, development cooperation, FOSS, Free Software, German Development Cooperation, open source, toolkit Leave a comment

    More repositories for commons-based peer production! – compendium updated

    Posted on July 19, 2019 in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn by Balthas

    I just updated the “Compendium of hubs for commons-based peer production 4Dev”, which is hosted on this site. By adding the “Low-tech Lab”, I now count fourteen hubs and repositories. If you are aware of any other hub, please let me know. Check out the compendium here.

    Posted in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn Tagged commons-based peer production, compendium, development, documentation, hub, low-tech, open source 1 Comment

    Emerging Schools of Thought on Commons-Based Peer Production – New Article Out

    Posted on November 10, 2018 in Freedom to innovate, News on publications, Open Source IT business by Balthas

    Researcher Evangelos Papadimitropoulos just published a cool article that sums up and puts into perspective some of the emerging schools of thought on commons-based peer production (cbpp). Fresh hot off the (virtual) press, it also presents a pretty comprehensive and up-to-date list of references. I recommend the article to everyone interested in getting beyond the basics […]

    Posted in Freedom to innovate, News on publications, Open Source IT business Tagged Bauwens and Kostakis, Benkler, cbpp, commons, commons-based peer production, design global-manufacture local, digital commons, empowerment, knowledge commons, open source, P2P, peer-to-peer, research 2 Comments

    How can digital, open manufacturing help to cover basic needs in crisis situations?

    Posted on May 19, 2018 in Freedom to innovate, Open Source & Asia by Balthas

    I report here about one of my favorite sessions at re:publica 2018, which was on „Crisis response makerspaces“. I finally had the opportunity to meet Susan Long, innovation adviser at Field Ready in Syria and Bahar Kumar, strategic adviser at Nepal Communitere. Both stressed the need to „be locally grounded“ and to build strong communities […]

    Posted in Freedom to innovate, Open Source & Asia Tagged 3D printing, Crisis, humanitarian aid, maker, manufacturing, Nepal, open manufacturing, open source, Syria Leave a comment

    What is Open Manufacturing?

    Posted on February 27, 2017 in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn by Balthas

    What is “open manufacturing”? When I tried to look up the term in Wikipedia some months ago, I was surprised to find no entry on “open manufacturing”.  Nice opportunity to learn more about the term by writing the first stub with a group of people discussing the issue of “open manufacturing”… Now its your turn: […]

    Posted in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn Tagged open design, open manufacturing, wikipedia Leave a comment

    Why Africa needs a local 3D printing industry and an ‘appropriate tech maker movement’ – Interview with Roy Mwangi Ombatti at re:publica 2015

    Posted on May 26, 2015 in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn, Open Source & Africa by Balthas

    Roy Mwangi Ombatti  started to tinker with 3D-printing in Nairobi, Kenya more than three years ago. He co-founded and led the Nairobi FabLab Robotics Outreach Program, he produces 3D printers from waste materials, became a Stanford Fablearn Fellow 2014 and he developed a successful low-cost solution to a pressing health problem (his project ‘Happy Feet’ […]

    Posted in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn, Open Source & Africa Tagged 3D, 3D printing, Africa, appropriate technology, Berlin, commons, commons-based peer production, e-waste, fablab, fablabs, GIG, global innovation gathering, Interview, knowledge commons, maker, maker movement, open, open source, printing, re:publica, Roy Ombatti Leave a comment

    How to make money the open-source-way, but keep the commons alive? – Question 7 of 10 on ‚learning by sharing’

    Posted on March 16, 2015 in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn by Balthas

    Open innovation – often based on open licensing and commons-approaches – is changing the business models of more and more businesses and social institutions. Before the advent of open innovation, innovation was kept within the boundaries of the firm (or research institution). In contrast, “Open innovation is a paradigm that assumes that firms can and […]

    Posted in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn Tagged business model, capacities, Capacity Development, commons, commons-based peer production, competencies, connections, development, empowerment, find, freedom, freedom to learn, GIZ, hubs, human development, IT sector promotion, knowledge, knowledge commons, knowledge sharing, learning systems, motivation, motive, motives, open innovation, open source, ownership, P2P, P2PU, peer-to-peer, peer-to-peer learning, scaling up, self-governance, self-sustainability, sharing, skills, tacit knowledge, trust Leave a comment

    Where to find free knowledge for open innovation in development? – Question 6 of 10 on ‚learning by sharing’

    Posted on January 11, 2015 in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn by Balthas

    In previous blog entries, I talked a lot about commons-based peer production and learning in areas crucial to development cooperation such as Energy, Health, Education etc. A key question then is where to find such “free knowledge” for open innovation and for peer-production in the different sectors of human development? I have collected an annotated compendium […]

    Posted in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn Tagged capacities, Capacity Development, commons-based peer production, competencies, connections, development, empowerment, find, freedom, freedom to learn, GIZ, hubs, human development, IT sector promotion, knowledge, knowledge commons, knowledge sharing, learning systems, motivation, motive, motives, open innovation, ownership, P2P, P2PU, peer-to-peer, peer-to-peer learning, scaling up, self-governance, self-sustainability, sharing, skills, tacit knowledge, trust Leave a comment

    Peer-producing knowledge: a game-changer for development cooperation? – Question 5 of 10 on ‚learning by sharing’

    Posted on November 22, 2014 in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn by Balthas

    Some critics argue that commons-based peer production and learning only apply in the digital, non-real world (“building websites”, “building online training material”). The concept, they say, is therefore less of interest to international and development cooperation, which focuses on non-digital environments and “hard” topics such as health, energy or agriculture. Jaime from Bolivia and John […]

    Posted in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn Tagged Africa, agency, capacities, Capacity Development, commons-based peer production, competencies, connections, connectivism, development, empowerment, energypedia, freedom, freedom to learn, GIZ, global transformation, human development, ict@innovation, IT sector promotion, knowledge, knowledge commons, learning systems, OECD, open innovation, ownership, P2P, P2PU, peer-to-peer, peer-to-peer learning, scaling up, self-governance, self-sustainability, sharing, skills, tacit knowledge, trust, UNESCO 1 Comment

    What makes learning communities self-governed & fun? – Question 4 of 10 on ‚learning by sharing’

    Posted on October 1, 2014 in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn by Balthas

    Frank Tilugulilwa is an IT trainer in Tanzania. He teaches local IT companies how to build services and revenues around so-called “Free and Open Source Software”. Such software can be copied and modified by every company and every individual client. Frank has written a training manual with over 80 other IT trainers and experts throughout […]

    Posted in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn Tagged Africa, agency, capacities, Capacity Development, commons-based peer production, competencies, connections, connectivism, development, empowerment, energypedia, freedom, freedom to learn, GIZ, global transformation, human development, ict@innovation, IT sector promotion, knowledge, knowledge commons, learning systems, OECD, open innovation, ownership, P2P, P2PU, peer-to-peer, peer-to-peer learning, scaling up, self-governance, self-sustainability, sharing, skills, tacit knowledge, trust, UNESCO Leave a comment

    How to build learning communities, that work peer-to-peer? – Question 3 of 10 on ‚learning by sharing’

    Posted on September 22, 2014 in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn by Balthas

    In the field of online sharing and learning, the “Massive Open Online Course” (“MOOC”) has received a lot of attention. Many are enthusiastic about what elite universities such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Harvard are piloting. The two schools have offered joint online courses that have attracted well over 100,000 […]

    Posted in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn Tagged Africa, agency, capacities, Capacity Development, commons-based peer production, competencies, connections, connectivism, development, empowerment, energypedia, freedom, freedom to learn, GIZ, global transformation, human development, ict@innovation, IT sector promotion, knowledge, knowledge commons, learning systems, OECD, open innovation, ownership, P2P, P2PU, peer-to-peer, peer-to-peer learning, scaling up, self-governance, self-sustainability, sharing, skills, tacit knowledge, trust, UNESCO Leave a comment

    What makes people share knowledge? – Question 2 of 10 on ‚learning by sharing’

    Posted on September 6, 2014 in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn by Balthas

    Why do peers help peers to share and co-produce knowledge? Research suggests that there is a whole set of motivations that makes people share their knowledge, a mixture between altruistic and self-serving motives summed up in the following table: 14 Reasons Why Peers Help Peers to Learn: Why Do They Share Their Knowledge? (Table 1) […]

    Posted in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn Tagged capacities, Capacity Development, commons-based peer production, competencies, connections, development, empowerment, freedom, freedom to learn, GIZ, human development, IT sector promotion, knowledge, knowledge commons, knowledge sharing, learning systems, motivation, motive, motives, open innovation, ownership, P2P, P2PU, peer-to-peer, peer-to-peer learning, scaling up, self-governance, self-sustainability, sharing, skills, tacit knowledge, trust Leave a comment

    What is commons-based peer learning? – Question 1 of 10 on ‚learning by sharing’

    Posted on September 2, 2014 in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn by Balthas

    The Internet and with it the rise of social networks have enabled a radically innovative way of producing knowledge-related goods. Software can now be jointly written by thousands of developers as the operating system ‘Linux’ shows. The encyclopedia Wikipedia is updated by roughly 1.7 million contributors worldwide. Law professor Yochai Benkler has coined the term […]

    Posted in Freedom to innovate, Freedom to learn Tagged capacities, Capacity Development, commons-based peer production, competencies, connections, connectivism, development, empowerment, freedom, freedom to learn, GIZ, global transformation, human development, IT sector promotion, knowledge, knowledge commons, learning systems, open innovation, ownership, P2P, P2PU, peer-to-peer, peer-to-peer learning, scaling up, self-governance, self-sustainability, sharing, skills, tacit knowledge, trust Leave a comment
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    Africa capacities Capacity Building Capacity Development commons commons-based peer production competencies connections development empowerment FOSS freedom freedom to learn GIZ human development ict@innovation innovation intellectual property IT business IT sector promotion knowledge knowledge commons knowledge sharing learning learning systems Linux OER Open Educational Resources open innovation openness open source ownership P2P P2PU peer-to-peer peer-to-peer learning research scaling up self-governance self-sustainability sharing skills tacit knowledge trust UNESCO

    Webwort:

    • There is always a well-known solution to every human problem—neat, plausible, and wrong. Henry Louis Mencken
      1920: Prejudices: Second Series

    Categories

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    • Uncategorized
    • Work
    1. pdai on Peer-producing knowledge: a game-changer for development cooperation? – Question 5 of 10 on ‚learning by sharing’31/10/2021

      Building that collaboration may be difficult for some people. so the project that will be built will be constrained at…

    2. Balthas on About24/09/2019

      Dear Wahdan, here ist the source of the Quote from the letter of Jefferson: http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/a1_8_8s12.html

    3. Balthas on Emerging Schools of Thought on Commons-Based Peer Production – New Article Out24/09/2019

      Dear Winda, of course you can thare the guides - all is under open licenses. See below. Just Name the…

    4. Wahdan Arum Inawati on About12/08/2019

      how quotation of the parts of the letter of Jefferson on knowledge and property?

    5. WINDA EKA SAMODRA on Emerging Schools of Thought on Commons-Based Peer Production – New Article Out04/08/2019

      Thank you for this nice guide.This really helped me, keep posting! can i share it?

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