Welcome back, Deep Divers.
Today we're gonna get into something pretty interesting.
It's called technology stewardship.
And what's really cool is that it's all about,
well, you know, those groups we're all a part of,
those communities of practice.
Yeah, communities of practice.
You might be thinking communities of practice,
hmm, that sounds kind of formal, doesn't it?
But really it's just any group of people,
you know, who share a common interest,
or maybe they're working on a project together,
learning from each other along the way.
Think about a book club's sports teams,
even like that online forum
where everyone's super into that one video game.
Those are all copies.
You know, it's crazy.
It's how technology is so connected to these communities.
And it's not just about like using social media
to chat or anything.
We're talking about technology
actually creating new copies entirely online,
while also being shaped by those that already exist
in ways you might not even realize.
Yeah, it really is like a two-way street.
One of the most interesting things about this
is the rise of these technology stewards within copies.
Okay, so not like the IT person
who shows up to fix the printer.
No, no, not at all.
These are leaders who come directly
from within the community itself.
They get it, you know.
They know what makes the group tick.
And of course they're usually pretty good
with technology too.
So can you give us an example of a cop
that's really had an impact on shaping technology?
Hmm, well think about Wikipedia.
You've probably used it a ton, right?
But here's the thing.
It's completely made and maintained
by a massive global community of volunteer editors.
That's a cop that not only uses technology,
but they actually created this really powerful
piece of technology that we all rely on every single day.
Wow, that's pretty wild when I think about it that way.
So how do these technology stewards,
like how do they make it all happen?
What are they actually doing behind the scenes?
Well, researchers have actually identified
five key functions that these technology stewards do.
It's kind of like a roadmap for how they connect the dots
between the technology and the needs of the community.
Ooh, okay.
Like a tech-savvy superhero origin story.
Tell me more about this first stage.
All right, so first up, you have community understanding.
Might sound basic, but it's super important.
Technology stewards,
they really know their cop inside and out.
It's not enough to just be good with tech.
They really understand what the group's goals are,
what they struggle with,
even those unspoken rules that everyone just seems to know.
So it's less about knowing the newest gadget
and more about understanding the people
who are gonna be using it.
Exactly.
Let's say you're a technology steward
for a group of knitters.
You wouldn't just tell everyone to go out and buy
the most expensive high-tech knitting machine out there.
You'd wanna understand what kind of projects
they're working on, their skill levels,
what yarn they prefer, how they usually share patterns.
Okay, that makes total sense.
It's about finding the tech that fits the community,
not the other way around.
So what's the next stage?
Next is technology awareness.
This means that technology stewards
are always keeping an eye out for new tools and trends.
They kind of have this like sixth sense
for what's next to the tech world.
Imagine a technology steward for,
oh, I don't know, a podcasting community.
They need to keep up on all the new editing software,
microphones, recording techniques.
You know, they're always learning.
So they're kind of like the trend setters of their cop,
always on the cutting edge.
That's awesome.
What comes after that?
Right, so this is where things
get a little more interesting.
Stage three is selection and installation.
Now, you might think this is all about
like choosing the coolest new tech gadget,
but it's much more complex than that.
Okay, I'm intrigued, why is that?
Well, first of all, there are tons of choices out there.
And tech is constantly evolving.
So a technology steward has to sift through
this constantly changing world of options.
And they have to figure out what's good enough
for their community right now.
What does that mean?
It means finding the right balance between
what the tech can do
and what the community's actual skills and resources are.
Oh, finding the Goldilocks solution.
Not too complicated, not too simple, just right.
Yeah, exactly.
Just right.
Picture a technology steward for a classroom.
They're not gonna pick out some crazy advanced software
that teachers have no idea how to use
or that needs like a million dollar computer lab.
It's all about finding that perfect balance.
Yeah, that could definitely be tricky.
What about stage four?
Okay, so stage four is adoption and transition.
Now, it's not like technology stewards
just dump a box of gadgets on everyone's desk
and say, good luck.
They are responsible for guiding the entire cop
through integrating that new tech
and making sure it actually helps them.
I bet that's super important
because change can be tough
even when it comes to exciting things
like cool new technology.
Oh, absolutely.
So this part involves helping people get used to the new tech,
troubleshooting any problems that come up,
and even maybe finding unexpected ways to use the tech.
Imagine a technology steward helping a small business
switch over to a new online payment system.
They might need to provide training, answer questions,
or even discover cool new features
that no one knew about before.
So they're kind of like translators
between the tech world and the community's everyday life.
Yeah, that's a great way to put it.
And then finally we reach the fifth stage, everyday use.
Bring it on.
What's the final chapter
in our technology stewards epic journey?
This is where the tech truly becomes
like ingrained in the community.
It's not some clunky add-on anymore.
It just feels natural.
Like it's just integrated into everything they do.
It just works.
So it kind of fades into the background.
You could say that.
Think about a technology steward in a neighborhood group.
They might set up online forums and communication tools
that everyone can use.
But after a while, those tools are so essential
to how the group communicates
that they don't even think about them anymore.
They just become like how things are done.
You know, this makes me wonder about all those groups
that I'm in and if there are like some unsung tech heroes
working behind the scene,
have you ever seen someone just naturally step
into that technology steward role in a group you were part of?
Like what made them so successful?
That's a great question.
It's often someone who's really passionate
about both the community and about technology.
And they have this knack
for bringing those two worlds together.
But before we get too deep into that,
maybe we should take a minute to recap
what we've learned about these technology stewards.
Yeah, I think that's a good idea.
We've covered a lot, so a quick review would be helpful.
So we started by talking about communities of practice.
You know, copy-peace and how they use technology in some way.
And like you listening right now,
you're probably part of a few yourself,
maybe more than a few.
And you might not even realize it.
These technology stewards,
well, they kind of emerge as leaders in these groups.
Breaching that gap between like the whole tech world
and what the community actually needs to really thrive.
Exactly.
And it's not just knowing how to, you know,
fix a computer or install some program.
It's like they're tech savvy guides.
They really get their community
and they can find those like perfect tech solutions
to help everyone achieve their goals.
Yeah, that's a good way to put it.
And remember those five key things we talked about.
Community understanding, technology awareness,
selection and installation, adoption and transition.
And then finally, everyday use.
Those are the steps they take.
It really is pretty amazing how they wear so many hats.
From understanding what the community needs to,
you know, keeping up with all the newest tech
to then actually helping everyone learn
and use the new tools.
It's like they're like tech whispers.
I like that, tech whispers.
And their role really boils down
to making technology work for the entire community.
So it's not a burden, you know,
it's just a natural part of how things get done.
That makes me wonder though, how does a community,
like how do they recognize
and empower these technology stewards?
Is it like a formal position?
Do they get a special badge?
Or is it more like, you know, informal?
That's a great question.
And honestly, it depends on the cop.
Sometimes it just happens naturally, you know,
someone steps up and everyone kind of sees their expertise,
their willingness to help.
But sometimes, especially in bigger organizations,
it might be a more like official role.
So it's not so much about having a fancy title,
but more about having that like trust
and respect from the community.
You mentioned earlier how technology stewards
are often, you know, trusted advisors.
Why is trust so important in this role?
Well, trust is huge because technology stewards
are making decisions that affect the whole community,
you know, they're often handling sensitive information,
managing resources, bringing in new tools
that can completely change how people interact
or like work together.
A lot of responsibility.
It's like they're like digital Sherpas or something,
guiding the community through uncharted territory.
Everyone needs to feel confident
in their judgment and expertise.
I like that, digital Sherpas.
You know, because technology is so powerful,
there's also a certain responsibility
that comes with technology stewardship.
Oh, that's interesting.
What kind of responsibility?
Well, one thing is that technology stewards
have to be very aware of like potential risks
and unintended consequences.
You know, just because some new technology exists
doesn't mean it's always the right solution
for a particular community.
Oh yeah, that makes sense.
It's so easy to get caught up in the excitement of new tech,
but it's important to take a step back
and think about the downsides too.
Absolutely, technology should be empowering communities.
You know, not creating new problems
or making old ones worse.
It's all about that balance,
just like we talked about with selection and installation.
It's not about always going for the latest and greatest,
but what's appropriate and, you know,
sustainable for the community in the long run.
Yeah, I'm starting to see how this whole
technology steward thing is way more nuanced
than it might seem at first glance.
It's not just about being a tech whiz.
It's about understanding people, making heart choices,
and, you know, having the best interests
of the community at heart.
You got it.
And as technology keeps advancing so quickly,
the role of these technology stewards
is only gonna become more and more crucial
in helping communities, you know,
navigate the digital world
and use the power of technology for good.
It's almost like a calling.
Like they're on a mission to make sure
that technology is used responsibly
and ethically within their communities.
Yeah, I think you could say that.
It's about much more than just, you know, the latest gadgets.
It's about creating a healthy and sustainable relationship
between technology and the community itself.
And that's something that everyone can be a part of,
even if, like, you know, technology steward
isn't on your business card.
I love that.
It's a good reminder that we all have a part to play
in shaping how technology affects our communities.
Exactly.
By understanding these principles of technology stewardship,
we can all become more, like, informed
and engaged citizens in this whole digital age.
That's a great point.
But before we wrap up this fascinating deep dive,
I have one more question that's been on my mind.
We've talked about all the great things
technology stewards do, but is there ever, like, a downside?
Could there be any, like, challenges
or even risks to having them?
Hmm, that's a good question.
It's important to look at the whole picture.
While they can be super valuable,
there are potential downsides, for sure.
One thing that comes to mind is the risk
of becoming too reliant on technology.
Yeah, I see what you mean.
Like, if you have a tech steward who is so excited
about all the cool new tools that they forget about,
like, the value of face-to-face interaction
or, you know, maybe more traditional ways of doing things.
Right, exactly.
Technology should be there to, like, support the community
and enhance things, not take over completely.
It's about finding that balance.
So imagine, like, a community garden
where the technology steward is so focused
on setting up, I don't know, a fancy automated watering system
and all these sensors, that the members end up spending
less time actually, you know, gardening together.
Yeah, that's a good example.
Like, they're kind of missing the whole point
of the community garden, which is connecting
with each other and with nature.
Exactly.
Another potential challenge is making sure
that the technology that's chosen
really does benefit the entire community,
not just a select few.
Right, you don't want a situation
where the technology steward is only thinking
about the, like, most tech-savvy people
and leaving everyone else behind.
That's right, it's really important
to make sure everyone can participate
and, you know, benefit from the technology,
regardless of their skill level
or how comfortable they are with new things.
So, for example, if a community center
decides to go completely online for, like, event registration,
they have to consider those who aren't comfortable
using computers or don't have internet access.
You can't exclude those people.
Yeah, absolutely.
This has been really eye-opening,
this whole conversation about technology stewards.
It's clearly a lot more than just knowing
how to use the newest gadgets.
It's about leadership and responsibility
and understanding how communities work.
You said it, and that's exactly why it's so important
for communities to really talk about technology.
You know, have those open conversations
and really think about the role
that technology stewards play.
It's not about being anti-technology,
but being smart and intentional
about how it's used in the community.
That's a great point for our listeners to think about.
Technology stewardship is something
we should all be thinking about.
Whether we're in a small knitting group
or a big global community online,
we all have to make sure technology
is being used to benefit everyone
and, you know, to make those connections stronger.
I couldn't agree more.
Well, that wraps up our deep dive
into technology stewardship.
We've learned about how these, like, tech-savvy guides
work, the challenges that come up,
and how to find that sweet spot between innovation
and, you know, keeping the heart of the community strong.
It has been a fascinating conversation.
I think so too, and I hope this deep dive
has given you, the listener, some new ideas
and maybe inspired you to think critically
about how technology is being used in your own communities.
So until next time, stay curious,
stay connected, and keep exploring.