Dear Collab members,
For this mail, we have 2 topics, both requiring your generous input:
1. Collab membership discussion 2. February Collab meeting
*Collab membership discussion:*
It's about time we set our next call, and i'd like to sum up the ideas that have been shared on-wiki: https://outreach.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk: Education/Wikipedia_Education_Collaborative/Goals
It's quite clear that the idea of an "open membership" is a favorite, and it is inherently coherent with the spirit of the movement. "Open membership" seems to mean that anyone could become a Collab member, offering time and capacity to serve the need of the Education Program in general, and its self-appointed goals specifically.
In order to explore the concept of "open membership", i think the following ideas could be useful, and definitely want to hear your ideas on what makes sense, what doesn't, and what is missing.
Perhaps, the question is: What does "being an active Collab member" mean? the following examples come to mind:
- Dedication to the goals of the Collab https://outreach.wikimedia.org/wiki/Education/Wikipedia_Education_Collaborative/Goals. Those goals will evolve over time, but represent the current consensus on the Collab's activities. - Dedication to the Wikipedia Education Program ie. carrying out education activities. The activities each member carry out are necessarily diverse, as they work with different levels of education, and different types of education (extracurricular as well as within formal education settings). - Participation in Collab meetings and discussions, including sharing information about our activities as Collab members.
Can you think of other ways we can determine that a person is "an active Collab member"? Please share them!
The next question that comes to mind is How do we track progress on those activities as a group?
- Phabricator https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/project/view/1479/ is one of the tools that has been is , and there is an actual track record of its use (and usefulness to the Wikipedia Education Program). - Self-reporting during the online meeting is another means to track our progress. While less formal than Phabricator, it allows for a more lively interchange of experiences.
Are there other ways to track our activities? Please share them!
Finally, what kind of process do we need to acknowledge Collab membership? It could be as simple as adding your name to the Collab wiki and adding yourself to the Collab mailing list, or it could include an interview by Collab members.
What do you think would be the most appropriate ways to acknowledge new Collab members? Please share them! Let's keep that conversation on-wiki at https://outreach.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Education/Wikipedia_Education_Colla...
_________________________________________
*February meeting:*
We should definitely meet online to discuss these ideas and share updates. I'm sharing this doodle so we can can all suggest the times that accommodate us best.
Best Regards,
Vahid.