Knowledge Commoning
Contextual Quote
Knowledge Commoning as Commitment Pooling:
"Commitment pooling is simple: we make clear promises to one another - time, mentorships, apprenticeships, care, materials, and shared knowledge—and place them in a common well. We draw from that well when needed and reseed it after: hosting peer circles, opening new apprenticeships, or publishing what we’ve learned into the commons. Education becomes livelihood and relationship, not purchase and debt.
Education works best as a commitment, not a commodity. When promises are visible and rhythmic, teaching and learning become reciprocal by design. People place clear commitments into a shared well and receive support; those who draw also reseed - hosting peer practice, opening apprenticeships, publishing notes, films, and guides. Wisdom circulates through the commons instead of being fenced behind credentials."
- Will Ruddick [1]
Description
Simon Grant explains:
"the process of setting up a knowledge commons; and after that, maintaining and improving it."
The steps outlined (and detailed in the article):
1. Find the others who are in line to share the commons and be the commoners.
2. See what technologies, both informatic and social, those commoners can work with.
3. Do enough ontological commoning to establish a shared base ontology.
4. Collectively, scan everywhere for similar or related knowledge sources, to find your focus.
5. Build up your actual knowledge commons.
6. Widen participation and collaboration.
7. Carefully structure the knowledge commons to facilitate learning.
7¾ Use all the feedback you can get to continually improve your knowledge commons."
(https://wiki.simongrant.org/doku.php/d:2025-07-27)