The Knowledge Hydrant

I’ve been looking into both Pattern Languages and Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning over the past month.

The Knowledge Hydrant is where these two meet in a lovely swirl of collaborative learning and organically emergent systems.

It’s a draft document written up by Joshua Kerievsky in 1999_26ya . The mini-manifesto describes a set of Design Patterns that people can use to set up their own indie study groups outside of formal structures like universities.

While the original focused on IRL, “co-present” Getting real good at the Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning buzzwords and jargon over here groups, I’m fascinated by how we might adapt these patterns and turn them into internet-friendly, distributed digital versions.

Here’s notes on the original while I’m thinking it through…