[Foundation-l] Wikiversity - courses

Wed Dec 21 11:05:20 UTC 2005

On 12/21/05, Ray Saintonge <saintonge at telus.net> wrote:
> Cormac Lawler wrote:
>
> >On 12/20/05, Ray Saintonge <saintonge at telus.net> wrote:
> >
> >
> >>I think that the key thing that would distinguish Wikiversity from the
> >>other projects is that it is about process while the others are about
> >>product.
> >>
> >>In considering your suggested three foci I think that as long as we
> >>can't get past the first one Wikiversity is just as well in Wikibooks.
> >>The third is very far ahead of where we are.  It would be absolutely
> >>forbidden in Wikipedia under the No Original Research  rule.  Making
> >>that a part of Wikiversity before Wikiversity is ready for it could be
> >>an invitation to all kinds of nutcase research that defies peer review.
> >>Peer reviewers would need to be in place before original research could
> >>take place.
> >>
> >>
> >Well, I think peer review would grow out of having research hosted on
> >Wikiversity. But until the research is peer reviewed, it shouldn't be
> >considered an appropriate source for Wikipedia/books. I personally
> >think the Wikimedia community is hampered by not having recourse to
> >publishing research somewhere within Wikimedia (even though we all do
> >- in Wikibooks!)
> >
> To make myself perfectly clear, I have never believed that "No Original
> Research" should be a rule in an ideal wiki.  It became a real issue
> when one individual sought to publish his offbeat theories in physics.
> The issue is really a matter of when, not whether.
>
> >>Your second focus is key to Wikiversity.but I would leave it simply at
> >>"growing learning communities" without reference to specific tasks.
> >>Getting tangled up in specific tasks and courses  leaves too much room
> >>for Wikiversity to repeat the educational model established by
> >>traditional universities.  The top down development of a course by a
> >>"teacher" imposes a range of requirements on what's being done.  It does
> >>nothing about revolutionizing the entire learning process.  "Courses"
> >>are about the teacher rather than the learner.
> >>
> >>
> >I agree that top-down course development shouldn't be where we're
> >going, but I just meant that learning communities generally have to
> >have some sort of goal (ie writing a good article, exploring the pros
> >and cons of advertising, etc.) - that's all.
> >
> Yes, content will eventually escape from the process, but it must not
> drive the process.  To quote McLuhan, "The medium is the message."
>
> >>The name "Wikiversity" is just fine *because* it is about all learners
> >>at all levels and all ages.  That's what universality is all about.
> >>It's about life-long learning from kindergarten to post-graduate.  It's
> >>about those who know a little bit more helping (not teaching) those who
> >>know a little bit less.  I think that it's very encouraging that kids
> >>can go into seniors' homes to teach about computers.  A book that I
> >>recently acquired "What Video Games Have to Teach Us about Learning and
> >>Literacy" by James Paul Gee.  He analyzes video game playing in terms of
> >>36 "Learning principles".  The first of these is the "Active, Critical
> >>Learning Principle" - "All aspects of the learning environment
> >>(including the ways in which the semiotic domain is designed and
> >>presented) are set up to encourage active and critical, not passive,
> >>learning."
> >>
> >>
> >Absolutely - the wiki-format is entirely geared towards active,
> >critical learning. Learning by doing - experiential learning. That's
> >the kind of learning that I'm personally talking about when I talk
> >about wikiversity - not the acquisition and repetition of facts.
> >
> Great!  I think that we need to keep that ruthlessly in mind as this
> thing develops.
>
> >>Perhaps the first "course" to be offered in the Wikiversity should be
> >>about learning, and how it happens.  If it is to have any such thing as
> >>a core curriculum maybe that should be on it.
> >>
> >>
> >Sounds good (I had already thought of this). Would you be willing to
> >help out? (I am..)
> >
> Gingerly, yes.  I must however remain modest about what I can do.
> What, currently is the best place to develop this idea?
>
> Ec

Even though I prefer to work on Meta these days, I've started a stub
at wikiboooks: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Wikiversity:Learning -
it's just bullet points, and more along the "about experiential
learning", rather than learning through it, but I hope it will grow
into something really useful. I agree that this should be core to the
project. Agree with everything above, actually - thanks.

Cormac