Peer production & peer support at the Free Technology Academy

Abstract

The Free Technology Academy (FTA) is a programme of master-level courses on Free Software and Open Standards that publishes all of its materials as Open Educational Resources. The FTA is run through a virtual campus, entirely based on Free Software and implemented as part of a European project. The goal is to make the production of course materials economically sustainable. We surmise that peer production is an alternative that will foster the sustainability of the FTA. Our ultimate goal is to identify how peer production can be fostered and supported. To that end, in this paper we first describe the FTA educational methodology as well as the characteristics of peer production. Next, we present some evidence that shows the motivation people have to participate in peer production, mainly in Free Software, as well as the importance of Learning Networks in this context. Thereafter, we discuss our initial thoughts about what lessons can be drawn. Finally, we present conclusions and future work.