Help us build the world's largest educational resource-sharing network using ActivityPub

[mozfest-bot]

[ UUID ] 9ce3de5f-a11a-4bce-a291-007f60444d86

[ Session Name ] Help us build the world's largest educational resource-sharing network using ActivityPub
[ Primary Space ] Decentralisation
[ Secondary Space ] Openness

[ Submitter's Name ] Doug Belshaw
[ Submitter's Affiliated Organisation ] Moodle
[ Submitter's GitHub ] @dajbelshaw

[ Other Facilitator 1's Name ] Mayel de Borniol
[ Other Facilitator 1's GitHub ] @mayel

[ Other Facilitator 2's Name ] Kayleigh Walsh

[ Other Facilitator 3's Name ] Matt Crow

What will happen in your session?

Participants will be introduced to the ActivityPub protocol (a W3C standard) which powers Mastodon and other federated networks. We'll present the work we've done so far on MoodleNet [https://moodle.com/moodlnet], and then break into 'birds of a feather' groups based on interest (e.g. developers, teachers, designers). In those groups we'll brainstorm: (i) ways to explain the advantages and peculiarities of decentralisation, (ii) additional technologies or approaches we could make use of, (iii) potential barriers. We'll then come back, mix up the groups, and prototype ways forward. Woven into the session will be opportunities for participants to learn from one another's experiences to share learning about what works and what doesn't in different contexts.

What is the goal or outcome of your session?

MozFest is a hotbed of innovation and ideas, so we're looking for help in spotting what's good about what we've done so far, as well as potential barriers to adoption or blindspots. We're talking about a specific project here, but the approach we're taking is very Mozilla-like and applicable to other initiatives. The project is based on open standards and the code is free open source software. We're particularly interested in helping facilitate conversations about similarities and differences between globally-focused decentralised projects, particularly any that are education-focused.

Time needed

90 mins

[dajbelshaw]

Hi @maboa, if this session is accepted to the Decentralisation space, we'd very much appreciate it if you could schedule it for Saturday. I've got to jump on a plane to MoodleMoot US (the biggest Moodle event of the year) on Sunday morning!

[KadeMorton]

@dajbelshaw @mayel thanks for the submission! If you want (but you don't have to), feel free you see if you want to work our zone theme into your session https://github.com/KadeMorton/Xenshana

[dajbelshaw]

@KadeMorton Could you update the title and description please?

Help us build a federated social network for educators using ActivityPub

In this workshop, we'll not only be discussing decentralisation, but practising it! Participants will be introducing one another to federated platforms and the ActivityPub protocol (a W3C standard) which powers Mastodon and other networks. We'll present the work we've done so far on the MoodleNet social media network for educators [https://moodle.com/moodlenet], and then break into smaller groups to consider:
(i) ways to explain the advantages and peculiarities of decentralisation,
(ii) additional technologies or approaches we could make use of,
(iii) potential barriers

We'll then come back to discuss ways forward for collaboration on decentralised and federated networks. Participants should leave the session with a deeper awareness of ActivityPub, what the fediverse can be used for, and with new allies for existing or future projects.