This proposal was co authored by Sam Rose, Paul Hartzog, Suresh Fernando and Matt Cooperrider. Respectively of http://forwardfound.org/ and http://openkollab.com

We (Forward Foundation and Open Kollab) propose to partner to carry out the tasks outlined below to achieve proposed deliverables as participants in the grant that is proposed by Parwinder Grewal, Ph.D. ULEP Administrator The Ohio State University.

Objectives

Problem That We Are Solving: The Great Lakes and Mid-west United States region is now transitioning from traditional role based institutional framework to affiliate based/activity based networks.

We propose to create and facilitate:

   1. Research/analysis/knowledge distillation tools and processes that will provide useful visibility into, and co-construction of knowledge about how to successfully operate in the transition taking place in regards to specialty crops and Urban Agriculture.
   2. Communities of Practice(1) that are engaged with the tools and knowledge base that we create.

This proposal will develop tools, methods, and foster processes that will integrate research together, and connect research more accurately with communities, allowing data collected to be aggregated, analyzed and effectively output as knowledge for both the public and for public services management. Knowledge bases here are defined as a combination both of tools as well as the community of practice that uses the tools. Hence, it is our aim that, after the conclusion of the term of the grant we will have delivered both a suite of tools as well as self sustaining communities that have been trained in the literacies of tools and the processes necessary for development and formation of  their community of practice around applying collaborative and cooperative processes to the production of specialty crops in urban settings.

We propose to create and support a knowledge base that is derived from the aggregated research object data archives,  by providing data structures and tools so that data can be reanalyzed, knowledge can be accessed and re-contextualized and extended. This will effectively a dynamic knowledge base that evolves.

The research system we create will allow work package participants to do the research they propose, and will output the research as refined knowledge that is available to those being researched. Those being researched will have access to critique or fact check results, plus access to contribute data, and access to extend existing data in structured/managed ways. We will also propose support systems for enabling of communities of practice that contribute to the open knowledge bases of research created by our work beyond the time period of work package. Communities will possess means to become self-sustaining.

This proposal specifically addresses objectives:

    * Qualitative and quantitative research into production of Specialty crops in Urban settings
    * Assess through topological and complex systems (2) modeling and analysis that is connected to qualitative and quantitative data gathering.
    * Supporting other researchers in the project by creating tools and processes for integration of research methods and processes.
    * The formation of sustainable communities of practice that are engaged with the knowledge base.

Description of work

The approach taken within this proposal is based on the following tasks:

Information Strategy

Task 1: Ongoing integration of research systems with external information ecologies to enable research objectives for all researchers

 
In order to achieve the the objectives of this proposal, we deploy tools that are open source(3)  software derived for both this group and for other research groups working in this project. We will iteratively create a way to integrate analysis frameworks, both statistical and modeling, with distributed frameworks for data gathering. Both gathered data and analysis output, and all other activity will be stored in a standardized archive as objects with appropriate metadata. This will allow for future re-use of data and other output by all efforts.

Task 2: Ongoing integration of research data and analysis into uniform archive with standard metadata to allow for sustained re-usability

All data gathered during research, and data for coordinating workpackages shall be archived in a uniform/standard way, which will require the creation of technical and process integration on an ongoing basis. Plus, monthly review to ensure that effective integration is taking place

Task 3: Ongoing analysis of uniform archive data using network and complex systems models

This will integrate a toolkit for applying complex systems and network models to data that is being gathered throughout research. Data, internet-based tools, and analysis output will be released to public as part of integrated knowledge base

Communities of Practice Support

Task 4: Identification of, and engagement with, communities of practice that might be synergistic with the  knowledge base that is created by this project

This will include connecting with existing, or fostering new communities of practice that might fall within the domain of research inquiry being addressed by this project, or those that might have an interest in the output of the research

Task VII.5: Ongoing stewardship and fostering of communities of practice to sustain and extend knowledge base that is created by this project

This will facilitate the integration of new communities of practice into the knowledge base. Stewardship includes providing technical and logistical support to those who wish to contribute to the knowledge base, creating documentation that allows potential contributors to self-support, and relaying contributor feedback to the developer team so that the contribution process can be improved. Fostering includes an outreach program through traditional and new media channels in order to attract new contributors, and organization of virtual and in-person events to improve collaboration among contributors.

Task VII.5.b: Creation of basic Work Package Coordination Processes
This task requires communication with all other workpackages and directors of project, to create and deploy a set of processes and software tools for project management and coordination of work (both for this workpackage and others). This will consist of both existing open source and open standards tools, plus possibly the creation of new tools, and/or the integration of existing tools and data streams when applicable.

Documentation and open education resources

Task 6: Creation of Instructional Documents for all participants

In order for the goals of this project to be met, it will be necessary to effectively document all aspects of this process. Documentation will be necessary so as to:

    * Enable effective utilization of the knowledge base
    * Enable engagement, fostering, and growth of the communities of practice
    * Enable replication of this model in communities of practice not considered in this proposal.

Task 7: Ongoing Curricula Development for using research/assessment tools and integrating processes
This development supports both the other work packages, and the communities of practice that are engaged in research. Development is driven by iterative monthly review and needs assessment. This is generated in collaboration with the actual groups exploring specialty crop production, processing, and distribution in projects supported by this grant.

 
Open source software, technology, and open education resources

Task 8: Evaluate and connect project participants with access and knowledge to effectively use appropriate open licensed software, hardware, and open education resources (4). This evaluation, and education are integrated into knowledge base deliverable.
 

Supporting and tracking specialty crops exchanges through urban systems

Task 9: Creating and deploying systems, both digital and physical as context dictates, that allow for tracking of exchanges. These systems are commonly referred to as "metacurrency" (5) tracking systems. These metacurrency systems give project participants an affordance for mapping their activity to the broader asset mapping that is also proposed for this grant

Deliverables

D.1:  Ongoing integration of research systems with external information ecologies to enable research objectives for all workpackages

Creation and deployment of uniform archive that can support research of active projects and their research tools. If needed, delivery of research infrastructure for all groups in project

D.2: Ongoing Curricula Development for using research/assessment tools and integrating processes
This will be delivered both as re-usable objects in uniform archive, plus available as web-based output, and in tools that will allow for co-editing and new revisions. This delivery is to be considered part of "knowledge base" production, and will be delivered on a scheduled basis.

D.3: Ongoing integration of research data and analysis into uniform archive with standard metadata to allow for sustained re-usability
Research data and analysis data and tools shall be archived/made publicly for *both* public use, *and* for project research. Interfaces, multiple ways of accessing data shall be released on a regular schedule

D.4:Ongoing analysis of uniform archive data using network and complex systems models
Toolkit/interface that can access data from uniform archive via the web, and process using complex systems models, and network analysis models  shall be made available for analyzing data, and monthly analysis of data when possible, shall be produced by this group

D.5:Identification of, and engagement with, communities of practice that might be synergistic with the  knowledge base that is created by this project

Deliverables

   1. Assessment of domain of inquiry of existing groups working in project
   2. Identification of gaps/potential for engagement of other communities of practice
   3. Mapping of landscape of communities of practice
   4. Engagement with synergistic communities of practice - those that are interested in the knowledge base under development

D.6: Ongoing stewardship and fostering of communities of practice to sustain and extend knowledge base that is created by this project
A monthly review report, which shall include direct feedback from communities of practice, shall be produced that covers stewardship/fostering of communities of practice to extend knowledge bases

D.7Creation of Instructional Documentation

Deliverables

   1. Develop Knowledge Base Architecture documents
   2. Develop User Manual
   3. Develop summary documents
   4. Develop website with documentation, feedback options, user generated help sections etc.
   5. Modify documents monthly on the basis of feedback from users
   6. Coordinate monthly cycles to solicit feedback from project participants
   7. Coordinate digital storytelling around existing activity, and coordinate re-usable documentation
   8. Generate navigable online and other needed output from storytelling and documentation

D8: Creation of basic Project Coordination/report Processes and toolkits

Basic project  coordination processes/toolkits shall include delivery of one or more (as needed) workspaces online,  for tracking and reporting of grant progress.

D9:

    Creation of open education resources   

Open education resources for effectively creating, using, sharing, and co-maintaining open source software, hardware, and open education resources in specialty crop production in urban settings.

 
D10:
Creation and support of Metacurrency systems

Metacurrency systems can be integrated with other asset mapping activity to give a clearer picture of the flow of energy and resources through urban specialty crop systems

Development cycle outline:

1. Survey: Seek out appropriate Communities of Practice (CoPs), or help to foster new CoP that are not yet involved, and are within the scope of the research
2. Index: Document each CoP and any important facts, including useful data sets, in a standard format in online workspaces
3. Integrate: Make sure all of the data is talking to each other nicely, and that the data is easily accessible in the workspace
4. Document: Explain what's been done so far, how it works, why we did it this way, how others can use it
5. Engage: Reach out to CoPs that have been targeted in this iteration and show them what's going on, invite them to sign up for appropriate lists, announcements
6. Collaborate: work with highly-engaged members of CoPs to brainstorm, gather feedback
7. Plan: make a plan for how the next iteration of the cycle will proceed

references:
 

   1. Wenger, Etienne, “Communities of practice,” http://www.ewenger.com/theory/.
   2. a survey of complex systems available in S. Kauffman, The origins of order, Oxford University Press, New York (1993)
   3. “The Open Source Definition | Open Source Initiative,” http://www.opensource.org/docs/osd.
   4. “Open educational resources - Wikiversity,” http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Open_educational_resources#What_are_OERs.3F.
   5. “MetaCurrency Principles | The Metacurrency Project,” http://metacurrency.org/content/metacurrency-principles.