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Conclusions

15 January, 2016 - 09:48

More than 100 years ago, Dewey noted that, in order for students to become critical consumers and producers of knowledge and effective actors in social contexts, they needed to understand how technological processes function. In online forums, we believe that we see an example of a relatively open technological process—a process which, despite technocratic elements, allows knowledge to be created in a reasonably transparent fashion.

Given our analysis of interactions, we believe forums can empower users to think critically and act as agents of knowledge production. It is also possible that this sense of agency will transfer to the overall social context. Though the forums we highlight are not completely open or transparent technologies, we do not foresee this as limiting the production of new knowledge or the interactions between users. Within these online communities, there do exist rules and hierarchies which govern the validation of such knowledge. As seen in our analysis, these rules, which are enforced through an inter-connected and complex network of expert and novice users, are dynamic in nature and constantly evolve with the needs and individual preferences of users.

Our analysis points out that users and creators who are aware of how open knowledge production technologies function can develop substantial new possibilities for agency. They can choose to use the tools to create new knowledge, intervene in existing knowledge production processes, and criticize the means of knowledge production. However, from our analysis, it is clear that even a relatively open system can result in the propagation of technocratic structures. These structures add richness and authority to the discussions and facilitate some types of interaction between experienced users, but they also hinder new users in certain ways. Given the limited scope of our analysis, it is important that further research be conducted into the potential of Internet-based forums to create democratic spaces that promote knowledge production processes. Despite these technocratic structures, the opportunity for new users to enact change and to become prominent members of the community does exist—the very openness and transparency of the community allows them to see a clear path to increased participation and respect within the community.