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Creating People-Centered Community Knowledge Networks
http://lone-eagles.com/smart.htm
To survive in a world of accelerating change, all rural communities must quickly learn how to effectively create community learning programs to keep as many citizens as possible up-to-date on that new knowledge which creates new opportunities - on an ongoing basis. Community learning programs can start with something as simple as "live" online presentations of the best replicable innovations from other communities. As more new knowledge is put online for convenient access by the community, common sense use of appropriate knowledge sharing tools can have a dramatic impact by providing a means for everyone to contribute to keeping the whole community informed. In the knowledge age, fueled by an innovation economy, the quality of our community knowledge networks will determine the adaptability and survivability of our rural communities.
Inexpensive community knowledge networks are one easy way that everyone can work together to gather and share that new knowledge which creates new opportunities. Below are recommended first steps that do not require outside funding. As citizens and community leaders become aware of the replicable innovations already working in other communities, as included in the self-quiz and web tour below, the benefits for supporting ongoing community learning will become clearer. At issue is nothing less than preservation of our cherished rural lifestyle.
The following very short non-technical self-quiz on community "smartness" is recommended as a first group activity for community leaders. Consider "What’s the best your rural community can do for itself based on new knowledge of the best successful innovations already working for other communities?" As you review the suggested innovations below, make a list of which innovations make sense for your community and consider the potential benefits of routinely gathering and sharing the best innovations from other communities as they emerge, on an ongoing basis. At the very least your community can save hundreds of hours by simply borrowing the gathered links from other community sites.
Following the quiz is a short web tour of examples of great community knowledge networking innovations, and a recommended reading list to better understand what your community can create, even without grant funds. You'll find extensive community planning resources such as community action plans written as grant templates, K12 community service projects, and many more useful resources. Lone Eagle Consulting provides all the following resources for unrestricted use to support creation of more lone eagles and sustainable rural communities.
Creating community learning programs is everyone's responsibility and our challenge is that we have so many diverse communities within each community that could, and should, be players: K12, Higher Education, elected community leaders, unofficial community leaders, business leaders, parents, youth, disabled, faith-based organizations, non-profit organizations, etc. Each "community within the community" has their own agenda and typically none of them are yet focused on Internet empowerment or community learning. Each such community needs to understand how they will benefit by supporting a community knowledge network that integrates knowledge sharing across our "community of communities."
Just How Smart IS Your Rural Community?
Here’s a Self-Quiz:
1. ___Y/N Do You Already Have Local Web Business Directories?
Are all local business web sites listed on one web page to support local online shopping and to generate awareness as to which local businesses are now doing business on the Internet?
Bethel, Alaska Business Directory
http://www.deltadiscovery.com/Shopping/shoppingalpha.htmlAn elegantly functional business directory to facilitate local online shopping. All local businesses are displayed on one page with all businesses with web sites easily identified by their names as blue hyperlinks.
Joseph, Oregon business directory
http://www.josephoregon.com/business_directory.htm
A database is one way of presenting a business directory but this model doesn't lend itself to convenient browsing and it can be tedious to shop around town.
2. ___Y/N Do You Already Have Your Local Media Engaged Raising Ecommerce
Awareness?
Does your local media regularly celebrate local Ecommerce success stories,
- or are they ignored?Bethel, Alaska
http://www.deltadiscovery.comCitizens regularly share their news on this regional community network. One can quickly see than many citizens are directly involved in regularly generating local news for this community information site.
Caithness, Scotland
http://www.caithness.orgAn exceptional model of a community web site that is well maintained. This community makes sure all local businesses receive help establishing an ecommerce web page and that new information appears daily. A review of the diverse array of information reveals that this community truly "owns" the responsibility to make this site a true reflection of the community's spirit and citizenry.
3. ___Y/N Do You Already Have Local Peer Mentoring Programs?
Are local experts and community mentors celebrated for the value they bring to the community and engaged in local peer mentoring programs?
A simple model for a local mentors roster. While this national mentors site is dedicated to K12 students and educators, this serves as a simple mentoring model any community could easily use to connect those with specific skills with those needing friendly mentorship to attain new skills. Mentors should be listed both by topic and by name, and by free mentoring offered and/or for-profit mentoring services. A mentoring program is described at
http://lone-eagles.com/mentoring-mission.htm4. ___Y/N Do You Already Have An Integrated Ecommerce Incubator?
Are all local Ecommerce support businesses listed on one web page so anyone can easily find the expertise they need to bring their business online?
Lone Eagle Self-Employment Incubator
http://lone-eagles.knet.ca Inexpensive open source content management systems (CMSs) can streamline the flow of essential information in communities and serve as the public hub for skills mentoring and the proliferation of fast-track web-based self-employment businesses. Offering robust content and peer-training resources, this incubator was created to support peer mentoring for the “Montana Choice” five-year demonstration project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment policy as described at http://lone-eagles.com/montana-choice.htm One innovation for emphasizing the people-centered focus of this project is demonstrated through the photogallery slideshows of co-op crafters in Idaho, aboriginal artists in Australia, Jamaican visionaries, and Alaskan Natives.
5.___Y/N Do You Already Provide Accessible Ecommerce Training?
Are entry-level Ecommerce education training opportunities (such as eBay) and peer mentoring programs readily available online in your community?
A Beginner's Guide to Profiting from the Internet
http://lone-eagles.com/ecom.htmA train-the-trainers program to support local peer mentoring programs with ten two-hour hands-on lessons to raise awareness on "what's working for others like you." Lesson one includes an overview listing of many other Ecommerce online courses and resources. Provided through the Idaho State University College of Technology Workforce Training Office, this course is being used in Idaho and for the "Montana Choice" project described at http://lone-eagles.com/montana-choice.htm.
6. ___Y/N Do You Already Have Ongoing Access to the Best Innovations as They
Emerge?
Are successful innovations from other rural communities readily gathered and
shared locally by any means?Community Networking Resources Clearinghouse
http://lone-eagles.com/community.html
Lone Eagle Consulting http://lone-eagles.com/articles/articles.htm
A regular short newsletter focused on rural knowledge network innovations is planned for 2005.
Community Network Models - A Short Web Tour
The following short web tour begins with an article describing the most common four types of community networking and leads you to a limited number of excellent examples of innovations to consider for your community.
The Four Levels of Community Networking
http://lone-eagles.com/afcn4levels.htmA short article detailing successively more elaborate community networking models from simple informational pages to fully integrated use of diverse content creation and collaboration tools.
Joseph, Oregon
http://www.josephoregon.comA very nice basic informational web site. While nicely designed and rich with community information, this site might be maintained by one person, leaving in question whether citizens are using their community network for collaboration beyond these general postings.
Joseph, Oregon business directory
http://www.josephoregon.com/business_directory.htm
A database is one way of presenting a business directory but this model doesn't lend itself to convenient browsing and it can be tedious to shop around town.
Joseph, Oregon panoramas
http://www.josephoregon.com/panoindexpage.htm
A wonderful example of an innovation to promote the local beauty.
Free software is available to create panoramas and they are easy to make.
Bethel, Alaska
http://www.deltadiscovery.comCitizens regularly share their news on this regional community network. One can quickly see than many citizens are directly involved in regularly generating local news for this community information site. Bethel is the hub community for 28 small Alaskan Native villages. All have high speed Internet and 2-way video capabilities.
Bethel, Alaska Business Directory
http://www.deltadiscovery.com/Shopping/shoppingalpha.htmlAn elegantly functional business directory to facilitate local online shopping. All local businesses are displayed on one page with all businesses with web sites easily identified by their names as blue hyperlinks.
Caithness, Scotland
http://www.caithness.orgAn exceptional model of a community web site that is well maintained. This site is based on open source content management software and shows lots of regularly updated content. This community makes sure all local businesses receive help establishing an ecommerce web page and that new information appears daily. A review of the diverse array of information reveals that this community truly "owns" the responsibility to make this site a true reflection of the community's spirit and citizenry.
Outer Hebrides Islands, Scotland Telework Success Story
www.work-global.comDonnie Morrison, a grassroots champion of the Outer Hebrides Islands in Northern Scotland, saw dwindling populations in his regional communities. Young people were moving away, schools were losing students, the local economies were dying. Donnie was successful bringing high speed Internet to his communities and high-paying telework jobs, and today the communities are once again healthy and growing. By Donnie's own report, his most successful innovation and key to his success was his creation of a community skills registry database.
Lone Eagle Self-Employment Incubator
http://lone-eagles.knet.caSee the photogalleries. Use the Internet explorer browser to view. Another postnuke open source content management software system. Registered users will find a growing array of multimedia tools they can use to self-publish their own content. This site is planned as a training hub for ecommerce and telework skills training for rural citizens as part of a five-year demonstration project funded by the US Dept. of Labor. Details at http://lone-eagles.com/montana-choice.htm Rich content is evident with emphasis on supporting self-directed online learning with the option of friendly peer mentoring.
Sustainable Ecommerce Entrepreneurship Development Strategies (SEEDS)
http://lone-eagles.com/seeds.htm), A major community grant template model which can be conducted without outside funding.Within a three-six month period, this intergenerational initiative will create the most significant measurable outcomes possible regarding new skills imparted to a specific number of citizens, new self-employment businesses, new web sites for existing business, and a community co-marketing initiative of all businesses plus a rapidly growing skills registry of the citizen’s new skills to be co-marketed regarding telework jobs.
Community Networking Self-Study Reading List:
The following recommended readings are for those who wish to better understand the tangible benefits and measurable outcomes from community knowledge networks.
What is Community Networking; And Why You Should Care
http://www.comtechreview.org/fall-2005/000347.html
Many related links are listed in Community Technology Review
http://www.comtechreview.orgThe Power of All of Us
http://lone-eagles.com/powerofallofus.htm
Published in the Community Technology Review, January 2005. A primer on the potential of community knowledge networks.The Four Levels of Community Networking
http://lone-eagles.com/afcn4levels.htm
Includes collected resources from the Dec. '03 National Community Networking Conference held in Austin, Texas is recommended reading.Community Networking Primer
http://lone-eagles.com/articles/networking.htm
A good first article on the practical function and applications of community networks.
Written for AT&T's 1996 Community Guide. This is chapter one from
The Good Neighbor's Guide to Community Networking
http://lone-eagles.com/cnguide.htm Eleven chapters, including a bibliography of guides.Reinventing Community Networks as Economic Development Solutions
http://lone-eagles.com/solutions.htmThe Future of Community Development;
Making the Living You Want, Living Wherever You Want
http://lone-eagles.com/comdev.htm
Written for a book on rural community development to be published
by TechnoPress "Future Courses; A Compendium of Thought about Education,
Technology and the Future.The New Gold Rush; Are You Ready?
http://lone-eagles.com/mining.htm Part II: http://lone-eagles.com/goldrush.htm
Themes from the Frontier of Rural Community Development, written for the
Journal of Municipal Telecommunication Policy, March 2001Making the Missing Connections…
A Wake-up Call Regarding True Community Internet Empowerment
http://lone-eagles.com/wake-up-call.htm
A realistic view of issues to be considered when implementing community projects.An Executive Overview for Project Planners on the Hard Questions
for Community Internet Empowerment
http://lone-eagles.com/overview.htm
A hard look at what's not obvious for planning a successful community project.Community Networking Best Practices and Global Citizenship:
A Knowledge Management Trend Report
http://lone-eagles.com/global-citizenship.htm
Spring 2006 CTC VISTA Digest http://www.cpcs.umb.edu/vista/digest/Peer-to-Peer Social Networking; The Next Big Thing
http://www.cpcs.umb.edu/vista/digest/?q=node/67Empowering Americans: CTC VISTAs in Community Networking
http://www.cpcs.umb.edu/vista/digest/?q=node/64
Past article: What is Community Networking; And Why You Should Care
http://www.comtechreview.org/fall-2005/000347.html Many related links are listed in the overall publication.The Power of All of Us? — The eBay Lesson for Community Development
http://www.comtechreview.org/article.php?article_id=261
National and International Community Networking Resources
Community Networking Clearinghouse
http://lone-eagles.com/community.htmlYou can continue your tour of community knowledge network innovations indefinitely through this extensive listing of international community networks and related resources.
Community Technology Centers National Organization
www.ctcnet.orgTen years of experience. Lessons and resources to share, and a free manual, too.
Association for Community Networking
www.afcn.orgExpertise and resources on community networking.
The Community Inquiry Lab
http://inquiry.uiuc.edu/cilAn easy-to-use, free, community network incubator. A good place to start for those who are unfamiliar with how a community network actually functions using collaborative tools to gather and share new knowledge. A youth project based on use of these community networking tools to create a working model for the community to consider is at http://lone-eagles.com/inquiry.htm (See also http://inquiry.uiuc.edu for an educational approach to the use of these "Inquiry Lab" systems.)
Two Example "Community Network" Applications
SisterNet: Participatory Design
http://sisternetonline.org/ourinquiry.html
A model project using the community inquiry lab above.
Puerto Rican Community Projects
http://www.prairienet.org/pbclp/community_inquiry_lab.htm
This page describes how this group is using the community inquiry lab.
Canadian Tribal Community Sites
http://smart.knet.ca/internationalA profoundly interesting indigenous community network initiative using open source content management software.
Deer Lake Tribal Site
http://deerlake.firstnation.caA model tribal community web site based on open source content management system software, created www.knet.ca
Costs are $300 for installation and a small amount per month.
Community Action Plans
The Bootstrap Academy
http://lone-eagles.com/academy.htm
Do it yourself! A primer listing of many specific short-term youth-driven community Internet awareness activities.
Includes three online mini-courses for citizens, and models for conducting local web-raisings.
Community Grant Templates
Recent (2004) Lone Eagle Ecommerce Entrepreneurship Grants:
SEEDS - Sustainable Ecommerce Entrepreneurship Development Strategies
A Rural Community Future-Proofing Program
http://lone-eagles.com/seeds.htm A youth leadership community project written Jan. 2004.
Rural Ecommerce and Telework Incubator Centers
http://lone-eagles.com/intelligent.htmAMIGO - Awareness Mentoring Integrating Group Outcomes
http://lone-eagles.com/amigo.htmEcommerce and Telework Incubator Centers
Actual grant written January 2003.
Here's the longer most readable version http://lone-eagles.com/top-expanded.htm
Shorter 9 page submitted version http://lone-eagles.com/top.htmCommunity Bootstrap Project -
Learning to Do for Ourselves; Together!
http://lone-eagles.com/boot2.htm
Please feel free to use in your grants: without restriction.
Boilerplate text for YOUR community networking grant!!Alpine, Texas Grant Template
http://lone-eagles.com/alpine2.htm
Grantwriting Tutorials
Community Network Funding Sources and Grantwriting Tips
http://lone-eagles.com/granthelp.htm Specifically for rural community development.
IncludesA Simple Proposal-writing Tutorial http://lone-eagles.com/mira2.htm and an online lesson on grantwriting at http://lone-eagles.com/asdnl8.htm
Addressing the Ecommerce Equation
Rural Ecommerce and Telework Strategies
http://lone-eagles.com/eguide.htmA 200 page leadership guide for rural communities with online lessons, community grant templates, and more. This was written January 2002, the new shorter version of the online course suitable for youth is immediately below.
A Beginner's Guide to Profiting from the Internet
http://lone-eagles.com/ecom.htmTen two-hour hands-on lessons to see what's working for others like you. Lesson one includes a list of many other Ecommerce online courses and resources. Provided through the Idaho State University College of Technology Workforce Training Office, this course is being used in Idaho and Montana. See also a new course on Essential Internet Ecommerce Skills at
http://lone-eagles.com/essential-skills.htmHomesteading the Ecommerce Frontier
http://lone-eagles.com/ecommerce-homestead.htm A short article on the real and profound opportunities.The Idaho Ecommerce Homesteaders' Cooperative
http://lone-eagles.com/montpelier.htm Big possibilities for the small community of Montpelier, Idaho. A story in progress defining how to seed and grow community involvement and capability building by focusing on replicable successes and measurable outcomes. Montpelier successes detailed at http://lone-eagles.com/montpelier-story.htmEcommerce Successes from Idaho
http://lone-eagles.com/connect-idaho.htm
Funded by USDA, this listing of genuine success stories will inspire anyone to reconsider their opportunities.
Alaskan Native and Native American Community Grant Templates
Realizing Cultural and Community Sustainability Through Internet Innovations
in Alaskan Native Villages http://lone-eagles.com/village-sustainability.htm
A detailed review of strategies for community involvement to produce measurable outcomes.
Many grant templates and online self-directed resources are included in the appendix.
An Alaskan Village Bootstrap Academy
http://lone-eagles.com/northstar.htm
A grant for a six-month intensive community Internet awareness raising program.
An Alaskan Native Model Village Pilot Project
http://lone-eagles.com/yukonkoyukuk.htm
A short term community learning initiative showcasing satellite Internet and wireless for education and Ecommerce.
Alaskan Native Youth Cultural Community-building
http://lone-eagles.com/bartsgrant.htm A grant template for a comprehensive three-year community Internet empowerment program.
Seventh Generation Community Initiative
http://lone-eagles.com/articles/7gc.htm
A concept paper for a Native American Community Building Initiative
Culture Clubhttp://lone-eagles.com/cultureclub.htm
A youth-driven instructional entrepreneurship program where youth learn-to-earn by demonstrating effective online mentoring and multimedia skills instruction to youth in other cultures. (Native Alaskan, Maori, Hawaiian, and select Native Americans.)
K12 Community Learning Resources
The following resources are the result of teaching teachers online courses for over 15 years.
Echoes in the Electronic Wind: A Native American Cross-cultural Internet Guide
http://lone-eagles.com/nativeguide.htm Same resources as Common Ground,
(above) but with the addition of over 20 pages of carefully reviewed Native
American web resources listed by topic.Common Ground: A Cross-Cultural Self-Directed Learner's Internet Guide
http://lone-eagles.com/guide.htm Created for USAID, AT&T and the ERIC
clearinghouse. An instructional brokerage resource with emphasis on pointing
to the best online tutorials, and educational resources, on the Internet for self-
directed learning. This is the text for the online course below "Making the Best
Use of Internet for K-12 Instruction."
The Good Neighbor's Guide to Community Networking
http://lone-eagles.com/cnguide.htm Contains 11 Chapters on Ecommerce, youth-based community development, model sites and URLs,
plus a bibliography listing the best community networking guides and resources.
Online Graduate Courses for Educators
These guides support the following two graduate credit online classes:
1. ED 597 4L - Making the Best Use of Internet for K-12
InstructionAlaska Pacific University Three Semester Credit Version
http://lone-eagles.com/asdn1.htm A hands-on course on
how to broker the best resources for your classroom.
2. ED A597 6L - Designing K-12 Internet InstructionAlaska Pacific University 3 Semester Credit Version
http://lone-eagles.com/currmain1.htm
A hands-on course on how to easily create Internet hotlists, web-tours,
lessonplans, project-based learning activities (Webquest, Cyberfair,
Thinkquest) and complete online courses using online web tools.
Alaskan Native and Native American Internet Empowerment Resources
Alaskan K12 Web Innovations http://lone-eagles.com/alaskan.htm
and Empowerment Resources http://lone-eagles.com/alaskan-resources.htm
Community Internet Empowerment Resources for Alaskan Natives and Native Americans
http://lone-eagles.com/nativeresources.htm
Alaskan Native and Native American Empowerment Guide
http://lone-eagles.com/empowerment.htm
A tribal leadership guide.
Examples of Native American Web Innovations
http://lone-eagles.com/expressions.htm
Twenty pages of exceptional cultural models
Major U.S. Native American Internet Projects
http://lone-eagles.com/adec.htm
Native American/Alaskan/Hawaiian K12 Innovations Report and Clearinghouse http://lone-eagles.com/native.htm 1999
Lone Eagle Master Listings of Resources for Building Learning Communities
Big Skies and Lone Eagles:
Lending Wings to Others, Online - A Rural Perspective
A 20 page history of Frank Odasz written for an upcoming book as a history of online learning from a rural perspective. http://lone-eagles.com/history.htm
An Updated Master listing of articles related to Community Internet Empowerment
http://lone-eagles.com/ruralempowerment.htm
The first article is a Authenticating Rural Internet and Broadband Benefits - A Reality Check Written for the Australian Government for national empowerment of all their communities.
An Updated Master Listing of articles related to Indigenous Empowerment
http://lone-eagles.com/alaskan-resources.htm
The first article is a chapter which has not yet been published
An Updated Master Listing of articles related to Rural Ecommerce Success Stories
http://lone-eagles.com/connect-idaho.htm The first article is Rural Ecommerce Successes in Idaho An ongoing collection funded by the USDA through the Rural Development Council of Idaho. See also Two Years of Montpelier Events Awareness-raising events and ecommerce success stories from the two-year effort to create Idaho’s first community success story - in Montpelier, Idaho.
International Community Networking Clearinghouse
http://lone-eagles.com/community.htmlExtensive resources to support further exploration, internationally.
Internet Satellite and Wireless Solutions
http://lone-eagles.com/wireless.htmDropping costs and rapidly improving technology advancement puts these options within reach of just about any home and any rural community.
The Big Picture and Key Global Issues
Authenticating Rural Internet and Broadband Benefits - A Reality Check
http://lone-eagles.com/wings.htm Required reading for rural citizens and leaders.
Written for the Australian Government for national empowerment of all their communities.
The trip report after visiting a dozen communities, including many Aboriginal communities is
at http://lone-eagles.com/sparks.htmBig Skies and Lone Eagles:Lending Wings to Others, online - A Rural Perspective
http://lone-eagles.com/history.htm
A 20 page history of Frank Odasz written for an upcoming book as a history
of online learning from a rural perspective.