This is part of the problem for WikiEducator - there are lots of great resources and contributors, but some answers to these questions are difficult to find. That's why WikiEducator needs your help with this project.
Which universities or institutions are currently your major contributors?
Otago Polytechnic, Athabasca Open University, St Michael's College
And countries - India has a significant participation
http://wikieducator.org/India
There are many great individual contributors as well. A few who have received recognition in the User Page Expo are listed
http://wikieducator.org/UPE
What are some of your more popular projects? How about the lesser known?
http://wikieducator.org/Learning4Content - this is a tutorial for using wikis in education
Summary of participants
http://wikieducator.org/Learning4Content/L4C_Online_participation_by_country#Number_of_L4C_Online_Participants_by_Region_and_Gender
http://wikieducator.org/Open_Educational_Content
http://wikieducator.org/Special:PopularPages
http://wikieducator.org/Initiatives
Is there any statistical data of how many unique visitors come to the site?
There is a wonderful reference page that automatically records all the WikiEducator statistics
http://wikieducator.org/Special:Statistics
Sunday, February 28, 2010
kick-off - 2
How did all this began? What was it that started WikiEducator?
There is a nice history of WikiEducator in Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikieducator
Goal: WikiEducator aims to build a thriving and sustainable global community dedicated to the design, development and delivery of free content for learning in realization of a free version of the education curriculum by 2015.
Could it be done before 2015?
Possibly - there have been several recent collaborations established that have significantly increased the breadth of curriculum covered.
Will it really be accomplished by 2015?
Projects like WikiEducator are never really "complete" because there is always more that could be done. Education, teaching and learning, technology are changing rapidly so there are new possibilities that are changing the goal and the deliverables. But that's ok. WikiEducator is very much on the leading edge of this evolution, and that is the objective.
How will WikiEducator spread the word? How will they advertise to get more people aware/interested?
WikiEducator already has a significant community of users who can be reached via email, and various groups. These users are themselves involved in other educational organizations and can help spread the word. Many of the significant leaders in global education who present to broad audiences are including references to WikiEducator and promoting WikiEducator, as well.
It is important to have fresh new promotional information available so that these users and supports have something to say and distribute to potential new users. There are lots of people all over the world who can influence others. But they need to have interesting material to distribute.
That's where you come in. These WikiEducator promotional pages that your groups are creating will be available to everyone for public relations outreach and reference.
There is a nice history of WikiEducator in Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikieducator
Goal: WikiEducator aims to build a thriving and sustainable global community dedicated to the design, development and delivery of free content for learning in realization of a free version of the education curriculum by 2015.
Could it be done before 2015?
Possibly - there have been several recent collaborations established that have significantly increased the breadth of curriculum covered.
Will it really be accomplished by 2015?
Projects like WikiEducator are never really "complete" because there is always more that could be done. Education, teaching and learning, technology are changing rapidly so there are new possibilities that are changing the goal and the deliverables. But that's ok. WikiEducator is very much on the leading edge of this evolution, and that is the objective.
How will WikiEducator spread the word? How will they advertise to get more people aware/interested?
WikiEducator already has a significant community of users who can be reached via email, and various groups. These users are themselves involved in other educational organizations and can help spread the word. Many of the significant leaders in global education who present to broad audiences are including references to WikiEducator and promoting WikiEducator, as well.
It is important to have fresh new promotional information available so that these users and supports have something to say and distribute to potential new users. There are lots of people all over the world who can influence others. But they need to have interesting material to distribute.
That's where you come in. These WikiEducator promotional pages that your groups are creating will be available to everyone for public relations outreach and reference.
Friday, February 26, 2010
virtual kick-off meeting
Which colleges and universities do you see as being potential contributors?
What other types of institutions and teaching associations could also be contributors? Do you consider the Wiki Educator community to be mainly for academic instructors or would you consider vocational instructors?
There has always been considerable interest in Vocational programs. Some of the earliest WikiEducator contributors are associated with the vocational programs at Otago Polytechnic. Eg. conference session PCF5:CYP - Open Schools: Expanding access to pre tertiary and vocational education and training
Would WikiEducator be willing to work with other professionals such as librarians? While not strictly educators, Librarians hold masters degrees in library science. It would seem that their specialized knowledge on conducting research for example, might make some interesting and valuable contributions.
Yes, certainly. Librarians are already some of the most innovative WikiEducator users. WikiEducators really appreciate the contributions Librarians make. Librarians are an important educational resource! For example, Wiki as an online presentation tool demonstrated by Meredith Gorran Farkas, a distance education librarian.
Would WikiEducator consider setting up customized pages for potential contributors as templates they can use ? If you know someone’s field of study or expertise, offering them a basic course outline to complete might be helpful.
Yes, there are tools already available for customization. There is a very active technical support group who are ready to help.
Customization for an Institution - Biology Educator Declan' McCabe's pioneering and innovative model to engage student teacher in OER Content Development
Quickstart guide/pedagogical templates are used when authoring teaching content in WikiEducator. A number of templates are predesigned to save you time with more complex layouts Wikieducator tutorial/Pedagogical Templates/Examples
Educators love to teach and share with other educators, Have you considered asking them to contribute? Would WikiEducator consider a targeted mailing of brochures with links where these potential contributors could see examples of the type of material available for them to access and contribute?
What you come up with for this project will the basis for promotions and outreach that WikiEducator has planned in the coming months. We need examples and stories about WikiEducator that will inspire more educators to access WikiEducator, contribute and become active members of our community of practice. That is our goal. We want you to help us achieve it with your creativity.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
8. Errors, Failures, and Risks
Errors, Failures, and Risks is the topic for this week. There are uses of computers where they have very direct personal implications for our health and safety. Computers have capabilities to apply information according to millions of rules defined by programmers over decades.
What happens when there are conflicts within the rules or data and something goes wrong? Who is responsible for the use and abuse that can result from these relationships and interactions? Lots to think about.
FINAL PROJECT
The final project groups are forming and starting to exchange ideas. In addition to your outline, workout a schedule with checkpoints. This is important for keeping the project on track.
Communicate often. Let everyone know how you are doing. Ask questions.
LATE SUBMISSIONS
Past due assignments will be graded for partial credit. The grading will be done the last week of the quarter.
EXTRA CREDIT
There are several extra credit assignments listed at the bottom of the main CIS2 page. You can complete any of these at anytime during the semester to earn additional points.
What happens when there are conflicts within the rules or data and something goes wrong? Who is responsible for the use and abuse that can result from these relationships and interactions? Lots to think about.
FINAL PROJECT
The final project groups are forming and starting to exchange ideas. In addition to your outline, workout a schedule with checkpoints. This is important for keeping the project on track.
Communicate often. Let everyone know how you are doing. Ask questions.
LATE SUBMISSIONS
Past due assignments will be graded for partial credit. The grading will be done the last week of the quarter.
EXTRA CREDIT
There are several extra credit assignments listed at the bottom of the main CIS2 page. You can complete any of these at anytime during the semester to earn additional points.
Monday, February 22, 2010
important points
What are the main points or ideas you want to be prominent?
- WikiEducator is a resource for educators and a community of practice where educators can learn and share educational materials and teaching skills with other educators. The idea of wikis, online authoring and collaboration, open education, adoption and re-use are new to many educators who would benefit from them. The point is to highlight some of these benefits and showcase the lessons, articles and collaboration available through WikiEducator.
- WikiEducator is currently fulfilling its intended function for a relatively small number of educators. It is now ready to expand to provide the same resources and opportunities to a much broader audience of educators worldwide.
- We hope that your group will come up with new and exciting ways to present WikiEducator, the educational materials and the participating educators. There is a lot of great educational material in WikiEducator. There is training available for educators so they can make use of the wiki for content creation, collaboration and adapting information for their needs. We want to get the word out. We want to attract many more educators to share and benefit. This is active marketing rather than the static "facts" usually associated with About pages.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Scenario - startup
- Read the Final project description - Final Projects - Public Relations for client : WikiEducator.org
- Kick-off meeting - everyone is invited to participate in the virtual "client meeting" for the project. This will be held in the Catalyst discussion - Final Project discussion - Virtual Kick-off Meeting topic.
- Scenario: You work for a public relations (PR) company - What are some examples of public relations companies? What does a public relations company do for their clients? What do the employees do?
- Client: WikiEducator.org - What is WikiEducator.org? What public relations does WikiEducator have? What can a PR company do for them?
- Deliverable: A "presentation" in the WikiEducator.org wiki. What information about WikiEducator can be presented in a wiki? How will this address the public relations needs of the "client" - WikiEducator?
- Resources: What support and information will you need to great a great presentation for the client?
- Assumptions: Because this is a scenario, you will not have access to all the information that you might have in "real life" but you can make assumptions about the situation, so you can finish your project. What assumptions are you making? Is there any information that helped you make these assumptions? Will your project presentation depend in these assumptions?
Additional resources for Scenario-Based Learning
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Scenario: You work for Global Public Relations Inc. WikiEducator.org is your client.
Scenario: You work for Global Public Relations Inc. WikiEducator.org is your client.
You and your team are assigned to research and develop a wiki page outlining work on the WikiEducator global initiatives and provide examples of projects that are addressing the initiatives. These examples should include a range of projects by governments, non-profits and individuals that show work done and progress. Try to include examples can be adapted for use in other locations with similar needs.
Your team's work will be part of a worldwide promotion of the WikiEducator awareness program. Your page should be informative and interesting as well as factual. You are promoting the projects that are underway and encouraging others to see the value of the work and join in.
Include a section of Recommendations listing things that the client, WikiEducator.org can do to help promoting and recruiting - if these existed, your PR job would be easier.
Also, provide a Strategy section, outlining the assumptions you made for your presentation - audience, what they want to know. Describe your strategy for encouraging educators in your presentation. What was the thinking behind the presentation?
Global Public Relations Inc. management and the client will need to know how your project is progressing. Be sure to develop a timeline for your project work with deadlines, activities, responsibilities and deliverables. Update your project Status and Timeline section weekly for review.
You and your team are assigned to research and develop a wiki page outlining work on the WikiEducator global initiatives and provide examples of projects that are addressing the initiatives. These examples should include a range of projects by governments, non-profits and individuals that show work done and progress. Try to include examples can be adapted for use in other locations with similar needs.
Your team's work will be part of a worldwide promotion of the WikiEducator awareness program. Your page should be informative and interesting as well as factual. You are promoting the projects that are underway and encouraging others to see the value of the work and join in.
- http://www.wikieducator.org/WikiEducator:About - general information about WikiEducator
- http://www.wikieducator.org/WikiEducator:OER_Foundation/FAQs - information about the host organization OER Foundation, and their initiatives to encourage participation and membership
Include a section of Recommendations listing things that the client, WikiEducator.org can do to help promoting and recruiting - if these existed, your PR job would be easier.
Also, provide a Strategy section, outlining the assumptions you made for your presentation - audience, what they want to know. Describe your strategy for encouraging educators in your presentation. What was the thinking behind the presentation?
Global Public Relations Inc. management and the client will need to know how your project is progressing. Be sure to develop a timeline for your project work with deadlines, activities, responsibilities and deliverables. Update your project Status and Timeline section weekly for review.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
7. Evaluating and Controlling Technology
7. Evaluating and Controlling Technology
The Community Service Learning summaries are wonderful! Several students worked with their communities of interest - youth groups, sustainable farming, the California History Center. Others worked on the suggested projects - Project Gutenberg, Tar Heel Reader and Lingro dictionary.
Sorry, I forgot to ask earlier. Please post a brief summary of your project work to the Community Service Learning discussion - there is a wrap-up topic. The projects are great. It is really important for everyone to know what others have been doing. You worked hard on your project with your community partner. Now lets' celebrate and tell your classmates!
These projects give you first-hand experience working with the power of computers and the internet to benefit society in many different ways. Some of you worked directly with the community who would benefit. For others, you don't get to see who is benefiting from your work, but you are part of a large group of thousands of volunteers who are making something amazing happen that will benefit people all over the world for many years to come.
This week we will be looking at some broader issues. There are many issues that are less well defined than some we have explored. What are the implications for a global society when a very small percentage of the world population has access to computers and computing, while most other people do not? Will this imbalance lead to unrest or encourage the have-not's to work harder to close the gap? There are people who have no interest in the benefits of computers in society and believe that we, as a society, are better off without the technology.
There are lots of interesting topics to think about, but they are less specific. This may be more difficult, but it is an opportunity to think about the future of technology and society too. They work together to produce big changes but will these changes be good, bad or both.
Please post a brief summary of your project work to the Community Service Learning discussion - there is a wrap-up topic.
.
The Community Service Learning summaries are wonderful! Several students worked with their communities of interest - youth groups, sustainable farming, the California History Center. Others worked on the suggested projects - Project Gutenberg, Tar Heel Reader and Lingro dictionary.
Sorry, I forgot to ask earlier. Please post a brief summary of your project work to the Community Service Learning discussion - there is a wrap-up topic. The projects are great. It is really important for everyone to know what others have been doing. You worked hard on your project with your community partner. Now lets' celebrate and tell your classmates!
These projects give you first-hand experience working with the power of computers and the internet to benefit society in many different ways. Some of you worked directly with the community who would benefit. For others, you don't get to see who is benefiting from your work, but you are part of a large group of thousands of volunteers who are making something amazing happen that will benefit people all over the world for many years to come.
This week we will be looking at some broader issues. There are many issues that are less well defined than some we have explored. What are the implications for a global society when a very small percentage of the world population has access to computers and computing, while most other people do not? Will this imbalance lead to unrest or encourage the have-not's to work harder to close the gap? There are people who have no interest in the benefits of computers in society and believe that we, as a society, are better off without the technology.
There are lots of interesting topics to think about, but they are less specific. This may be more difficult, but it is an opportunity to think about the future of technology and society too. They work together to produce big changes but will these changes be good, bad or both.
Please post a brief summary of your project work to the Community Service Learning discussion - there is a wrap-up topic.
.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
community service learning project options
A couple of students commented about the limited number of community partner project options. This is an ongoing "problem" - if there are too many choices, students are overwhelmed by the choices. With limited choices, some students feel they don't have choices that interest them.
Also included in the guidelines, is the option of local community organizations - if you are currently volunteering for community organization, continue your work by adding a community service learning component.
The emphasis on online community service fits with the course and its objectives - flexible, web-based, not limited by location or time to do the work.For many students, this is the only option they have for community service learning work.
Although not explicitly stated, you are always welcome to ask about other organizations, either online or local.
I appreciate your feedback and suggestions. Online community service learning is evolving and we are learning new ways to work with community partners where ever they are.
.
Also included in the guidelines, is the option of local community organizations - if you are currently volunteering for community organization, continue your work by adding a community service learning component.
The emphasis on online community service fits with the course and its objectives - flexible, web-based, not limited by location or time to do the work.For many students, this is the only option they have for community service learning work.
Although not explicitly stated, you are always welcome to ask about other organizations, either online or local.
I appreciate your feedback and suggestions. Online community service learning is evolving and we are learning new ways to work with community partners where ever they are.
.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
WikiEducator page editing
The proposal (assignment) and summary (quiz) are submitted in Catalyst.
However, the bulk of your work - your research findings, sites of interest, a description of the important links - these go into the WikiEducator page that is already set up.
Log in to your WikiEducator account and open the Californian History Center that you want to add information to, then click on the "edit" link in the row of tabs near the top of the page. This will open the edit window. Make your changes and additions, then click "save" near the bottom of the edit page.
You probably want to click on [Rich Editor] link - this gives you some additional editing capabilities.
Learning to use the WikiEducator tools may take a bit of time. However, we will be using WikiEducator for more projects and assignments, so you will get some practice here too.
However, the bulk of your work - your research findings, sites of interest, a description of the important links - these go into the WikiEducator page that is already set up.
Log in to your WikiEducator account and open the Californian History Center that you want to add information to, then click on the "edit" link in the row of tabs near the top of the page. This will open the edit window. Make your changes and additions, then click "save" near the bottom of the edit page.
You probably want to click on [Rich Editor] link - this gives you some additional editing capabilities.
Learning to use the WikiEducator tools may take a bit of time. However, we will be using WikiEducator for more projects and assignments, so you will get some practice here too.
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