August 12, 2010 1

Canadian Rural Research Network(CRRN)

http://rural-research-network.blogspot.com/

Alessandro AlasiaNetwork coordinator

Presentation to the Rural Development Network (RDN)Thursday, August 12, 20101:30 pm to 3:00 pm (EST)

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Outline• CRRN vision, development, and accomplishments• An emerging research network model?• Various sections of the CRRN blog and the other

social media tools • Priorities for the coming year• How individuals and organizations can become

involved with the CRRN

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CRRN vision

A vibrant, free and comprehensive on-line community of rural research stakeholdersthat facilitates links, exchanges, partnerships and information sharing among all parties interested in rural research by means of new and innovative networking approaches

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CRRN development

• June 2009, the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation (CRRF) supports a proposal to revitalize the network (as Canadian Rural Research Network) with a renewed mandate and networking model

– June 2009, the CRRN blog is launched – August 2009, first bi-monthly email update is sent out– September/December 2009, a management committee is established– December 2009, first online meeting of the management committee– January/February 2010, established presence on social media

(Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)– March 2010, first presentation of the CRRN at the BCRRHRN Scientific

Exchange– May 2010, first annual meeting of the CRRN partners– June 201, started LinkedIn Group– July…. summer break…

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Achievements

• Over 30 provincial and national organizations with an interest in rural research meet around a virtual table

• A volunteer management group spread across Canada maintains the network

• A large number of feedback from a community of users

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Achievements

• Established a simple-to-use platform to compile and disseminate rural research information– Stats on usage over the past 15 months:

• Close to 10,000 unique visitors• Close to 25,000 page loads• Recently, between 20 and 30 visitors per day • Email distribution list of about 3,500 contacts, largely in the

public (fed/prov/municipal) and non-profit sector

• Presence on major social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) and RSS feeds

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An emerging research network model?

• Three ideas (with some simplifications) that can shape an emerging research network model which brings together supply and demand of rural research:

– The Wickinomics (of research information sharing)• (Tapscott and Williams 2006)

– The Socialnomics (of research information sharing)• (Qualman 2009)

– The world (of rural research) is flat• (Friedman 2005)

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Wikinomics, Socialnomics and research networks• Shift in Internet applications (Web 2.0): from a publishing environment to a

participative environment

• People are getting more relevant, timely and free content from their peers via social media (Qualman 2009)

• Cost of (online) collaboration has plunged

• A new mode of production emerges: peer production– A way of producing goods/services that relies on self-organizing, egalitarian

communities of individuals who come together voluntarily to produce a shared outcome (Tapscott and Williams 2006)

• Peer production works for production of: (1) “information” outputs; (2) small increment contributions are possible; (3) low cost of re-assembly parts

• Peer production can outperform traditional production models because people self-select for tasks

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The (rural research) world is flat

• Several technological forces have converged and generated a global, Web-enabled playing field that allows for multiple forms of collaboration regardless of distance and (soon) language (Friedman 2005)

• “Globalization 3.0” is about individuals and small groups globalizing

• A flat rural research world is open for exploration. Our research community should be at the cutting edge of this exploration (because we know why and how distance still matters!)

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… more work is needed …• Get all partners more involved with CRRN activities

– “Posting guidelines” draft– The blog can have up to 100 authors (currently about 20)

• Expand interactive applications and opportunities for users’ interaction– Promote the use of and participation to CRRN social media

(LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, RuralTube– … a wiki? Other?

• Promote the use of CRRN applications within specific groups (graduate students, professionals, public sector)

• Develop simple rules for the operation of the network as the network grows and expands

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How to get involved

• Take the lead! Share and/or develop your ideas and/or make suggestions for improvements

• Email: crrn@bell.net• Email the management team (see web page)

• Join the management team (see web page)

– conference call meetings every second month

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Thank you for your attention --

Questions / feedbacks