Community Media 4 Kenya: a partnership approach to building collective intelligence

Abstract

Collective intelligence for the common good is considered here in terms of its contribution to social transformation at the micro level of community. A critical evaluation of the knowledge limitations of research programmes currently focussing on collective intelligence is presented before the case is made to widen collective intelligence research efforts and understanding. The application of a ‘common good’ focus to collective intelligence research and practice provides a contextualising space for community practice in the digital age to be considered through a philosophy of community technologies. Community media is presented as providing tools, spaces and processes for such critical considerations to be made. Community learning and community-based learning theories are discussed and drawn together to illustrate how community–university partnerships can be developed to facilitate and promote collective intelligence for the common good. The paper concludes with an introductory discussion of the Community Media 4 Kenya (CM4K) community–university partnership as an exemplar of collective intelligence for the common good.