User groups: community collaborative learning

This work explores the behaviour of User Groups -- the ad hoc, geographically-based, socio-technical networks formed by users of particular software technologies as networking, self-help and mutual learning spaces. We compare these networks to the discussion lists, (general) social networks and communities of practice which these users also inhabit. We situate the work in ideas from Computer Supported Collaborative Learning and Communities of Practice, as well as the ongoing research into discussion list and social network use. We have postulated a taxonomy of the modes of participation in these User Groups, looking at both the structure of the Groups and the way that participants' engagement varies over time. We are now moving on to validate that taxonomy with a more formalized investigation of participants' interactions and particularly the role that Peripheral Members and Visitors (external speakers and technology evangelists) might play as Weak Ties transferring teaching, learning and innovation between the Groups.