Showing revision 5
SESSION TOPIC: LearnAboutOpenSpaceOnline

Host: DianaLewis

Scribe/note taker: multiple

Participants: NancyFranklin, DougGermann, MistyDunn, GayatriErlandson, SheilaIsakson, TedErnst

Discussion Highlights: Sheila has experience with this technology and recommends it. We were fortunate to have her here with first-hand experience. Gabriel Ender originated Open Space Online in 1999. The software allows people from anywhere in the world to meet in OS in real time. One sponsors an OS conference on [theme] on [date] at [time]. Gabriel has built an easy-to-use process with helpful features such as archieves of the sessions available for download within 30 minutes of the session and for a couple of days. People who wish to attend register, pay a fee, receive a password, and download software beforehand. The archieves are wasy to reference so partricipants can followup on, clarify, etc. Another feature is the ability to ask another participant to "meet me in the cafe" to discuss where one disagrees--rather than having a heated "discussion" "in front of" all participants. The discussion is conducted like a "regular" OS with opening the space, etc. A difference is that the session ends at precisely the time it is scheduled to end. The convener has an opportunity to summarize. The software includes a digital docent who is timekeeper, prompter, etc. Yes, we might cobble together a way to do this, but Gabriel has made it easy with elegant, helpful features like fast arrangement of sessions in the marketplace, etc.

Recommendations: We touched on other technical advances to allow us to "meet" online or via telecon. Ted uses and recommends www.freeconference.com. Doug uses and recommends www.mrconference.com

Ted also shared (with great enthusiasm) about gobby--a free collaborative editor that allows real time creation of a document. It allows people to edit/create at the same time! This is transmission based while wiki is document based. Sounds really cool--and helpful! Goggle "gobby" to learn more.x Powerful quotes: "Open Space is paticipatory goverance"

Unanswered questions: What's the lowest number of participants for an effective OS online? 75 is the maximum with Gabriel Ender's software.