Web-based Learning Solutions for Communities of Practice

The Argentine IT Professionals Forum
knowledge developed throughout decades by the
ITPF members.
Step Two: Overcoming the Crisis
As of 2003, the different groups have widened
the scope of their tasks. This came about because
the ITPF members became familiar with the KM
tools. Another reason for this positive result was
the stability that the Kirchner administration
has achieved. Thus, the groups have been able
to envision long-term core activities. 14
Up to the present, an important activity has
been the creation of the Web Space Group that
deals with the ITPF Web site, where the interaction
between the members is enhanced through
virtual support.
Besides this, it is worthwhile noticing the development
of the Free Software Group. It created
three subgroups:
1. Training Group: It organizes training based
on an inter-sectorial cooperative-practices
model. A training scheme was developed in
LINUX for three learning levels on which
different organizations have been contributing
complementary resources (tutors,
classrooms, and computers). 15
2. Software Licenses Group: It works on two
items: the incorporation of free software
developed outside the state, and state developments
and internal transferences among
public organizations. 16
3. Interstate Knowledge Network: It is constantly
being upgraded on the ITPF Web
site, where successful public free-software
experiences can be accessed. A support desk
is under way thanks to the voluntary and
anonymous help of the ITPF members. 17
The other work groups continue improving
their lines of action. 18
The development of the ITPF can be seen as
contrasting with bureaucratic structures that so
far have failed to provide an integration proposal
for a back office.
I will try go over the following issues in the
light of the strained relationship between the
network and stiff bureaucratic structures.
With regard to the network’s range of action
in the face of political institutional power that
continues to manage institutions in the traditional
hierarchical way, it can be declared that
the relationship between traditional hierarchical
institutions and the ITPF was the main concern
in the first period of the process.
The beginning of this process signaled the
change from a negative view toward informal
working relationships. The resulting benefits
started to be seen inasmuch as these informal
relationships decreased bureaucratic drawbacks,
such as the following:
1. Lack of shared effort and a tendency toward
fragmentation
2. Reduced capacity to integrate innovation
3. Censorship related to such innovation
4. Self-centeredness
The forums brought “fresh air” into bureaucratic
behaviours
The ITPF’s range of action was wide from the
very beginning. The national authorities overlooked
IT areas (ITNO), thus leaving this field
open for the ITPF to operate in. It can then be
concluded that the government did not delegate to
the ITPF the responsibility of handling IT policies
in a legal fashion. The ensuing problem was that
the available tools managed by the ITPF were
applied in a random way. If the back office tasks
are understood as standard practices that implement
an interoperable system, the lack of general
rules brings about a difficult problem to solve.
However, little by little, this situation has been
changing as the institutions gain stability and the
crisis diminishes. During 2003, President Kirchner
achieved a general consensus that enabled an
increasing inflow of economic resources. The
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