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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Putting Tools into Action: the
Second PRADSA workshop - 3<SUP>rd/</SUP>/4<SUP>th</SUP> Sept,
<st1:City><st1:place>Bristol</st1:place></st1:City></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">This workshop examines current
initiatives in the social action world as a way of thinking about the issues
involved in designing means and tools to support change. Focusing on the design
and the politics of constructing an online learning environment and of producing
an open space event, the two-day workshop will use these real examples to study
how we can support social change through socio-technical means. The work builds
on the first workshop in May in Loughborough that addressed <SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">Designing the Techniques and Tools that
Shape the Future - Social and Technical Challenges</SPAN>, but can be attended
separately. Come to the second PRADSA workshop on 3<SUP>rd</SUP>/4<SUP>th</SUP>
Sept in <st1:City><st1:place>Bristol</st1:place></st1:City>, at the University
of West England (UWE), and investigate how two very different approaches
contribute to making an environment for change.<SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">And for those of you who can
manage an extra day:</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Sat 1<SUP>st</SUP> September in London is
"Transition Stepney", an open space event for people interested in
transformational change, community ownership, control of public assets, and an
appropriate response to Peak Oil and climate change</I>. (more details will be
sent to you if you request them…)</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">There is no need to attend the
Transition Stepney event, though we will be using it as an example of designing
social action. At the <st1:City><st1:place>Bristol</st1:place></st1:City>
workshop, we will be working from captured footage of how the open space has
been used and exploring its values and strengths. We will look at how it was
established, its goals and the harnessing of emergence, the technology
supporting it and what outcomes might be expected.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">In addition, we have another live
project to examine and take forward. Manchester Institute of Sport and Physical
Activity is implementing a set of learning tools for a programme on leadership
and management that combines a series of face-to-face workshops with online
support. A team has been helping to develop the pilot resources and we will be
examining the choices made and the way that interventions have impacted on the
development of appropriate socio-technical systems. <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">By exploring the challenges, the
context and the design story, we will ask questions of both projects that widen
the discussion and make it relevant to many social action situations. And there
will be a short introduction to the reflective action research style of the folk
at UWE's Community Information Systems Centre, to inform our
practice.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">The workshop is for anyone working to enable
social change by supporting the development of techniques and tools within or
for organisations involved in empowering others. We have money to pay expenses,
including your stay overnight in </SPAN><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">Bristol</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"> (and a limited budget to cover your absence
from work– be that to your organisation or to you as a freelance operator), if
you wish to attend this workshop and contribute.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">So, please bring your know-how
and experience and join us. You do not need to have attended any former
workshops to participate now. To register interest, send a one-page profile of
your work and interests to Kutoma Wakunuma at <K.J.Wakunuma@shu.ac.uk> as
soon as possible. She will also be the first port of call for any questions you
have.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">About PRADSA<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">PRADSA stands for "Practical Design for
Social Action". The PRADSA project's goal is to develop and extend the
capability of social action organisations to creatively design new practices by
appropriating and adapting ICTs. There are three strands to the project, of
which the workshop series is one. The other two are: <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">.<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN>To develop a new understanding of designing in social action settings,
grounded in detailed contextual studies of design in
practice.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">.<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN>To create a collection of practical resources to support the work of
practitioners (and others) including workshop materials and easy-to-use
(open-source) on-line community communications systems.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">PRADSA is a project funded by the Arts and
Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council (EPSRC) as part of its Designing for the 21st Century
programme. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">If you would like to know more about the
PRADSA project, please see:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><A
href="http://www.technologyandsocialaction.org/">http://www.technologyandsocialaction.org</A>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
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