Neither digital or open. Just researchers: Views on digital/open scholarship practices in an Italian university

Authors

  • Antonella Esposito PhD candidate, E-learning program, Open University of Catalonia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v18i1.3881

Keywords:

higher education, research practices, digital scholarship, open scholarship, knowledge production and distribution

Abstract

How do university researchers consider attributes such as ‘digital’ and ‘open’ as regards to their research practices? This article reports a small–scale interview project carried out at the University of Milan, aiming to probe whether and to what extent actual digital research practices are affecting cultures of sharing in different subject areas and are prompting emergent approaches such as open publishing, open data, open education and open boundary between academia and society. Most of the 14 interviewed researchers seem not to see any clear benefit to move to further technological means or new open practices and call for institutional support and rules. However, a few profiles of ‘digital, networked and open’ researchers stand out and show both a self–legitimating approach to new modes of knowledge production and distribution and a particular sensitiveness towards values and perspectives driven by ‘openness’ in digital networks.

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Published

2013-01-09

How to Cite

Esposito, A. (2013). Neither digital or open. Just researchers: Views on digital/open scholarship practices in an Italian university. First Monday, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v18i1.3881