I am about to embark on my dissertation research data-collection. For this, I am looking for K-12 educators who are involved in the use, development of and/or advocacy of free and open-source software. If you fit this description, and would be interested in sharing your experiences, please contact me. If you don’t seem to fit this description, do you know anyone who does? Please let me know, or feel free to pass on this message to others. I could really use everyone’s help on this. Please please. :-)

Participation will be done electronically, via email and online discussion boards. Possibly other methods depending on the group that is interested. There is not a lot of commitment (a few hours I am thinking), but I would certainly love to hear of your experiences.

I am also particularly interested in activities that follow closely to the open source movement such as open-publishing (e.g., blogging) and open-content (e.g., learning object repositories). Collectively, I am just referring to this as the open movement, and hoping to find participants who are involved in these areas in the K-12 system.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to gain insight into the adoption practices of technological innovation by teachers, and in doing so, develop theory which relates to the activities and beliefs of participants in relation to adoption activities. Emphasis will be placed on ‘open’ forms of collaborative practice.

Some of my guiding questions include:
1) What are the characteristics of the open (source) movement that encourage and motivate members to participate in open (source) communities?
2) Does participation in open (source) communities encourage and/or support the development and adoption of (technological) innovation by teachers? If so, in what ways?
3) What perceived value is gained through the membership and participation in open (source) communities?
4) What educational activities and experiences result from a participant’s membership in an open (source) community?
5) Are there common values and beliefs held by members of open source communities, and if so, what are they?

Please feel free to circulate, trackback, comment, pass on, etc. Would love to hear from you!