Title: Analysing and cultivating scientific communities of practice

Authors: Andrea Kienle, Martin Wessner

Addresses: Fraunhofer IPSI, Dolivostrasse 15, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany. ' Fraunhofer IPSI, Dolivostrasse 15, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany

Abstract: Taking the Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) community as an example, we explore methods of analysing and cultivating scientific communities of practice. The focus is set on continuity of membership, geographical distribution and international connectivity. We present design principles for cultivating scientific communities and requirements for a platform to support their analysis and cultivation.

Keywords: community analysis; community cultivation; citation analysis; social network analysis; computer-supported collaborative learning; CSCL community; scientific communities; communities of practice; web based communities.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWBC.2006.011765

International Journal of Web Based Communities, 2006 Vol.2 No.4, pp.377 - 393

Published online: 20 Dec 2006 *

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