Chris,
Yes, that was my impression too - I have some ideas/proposals to try and bring into play but didn't want to step on top of an active project that I'd missed :P
I'm based in Lincolnshire.
Alex,
I've been keeping a close eye on the Ambassadors project - it looks like some great work (yet another reason to wish I was a student again :)). Expanding that into schools is a major project, but one that I think would net us some massive gains long term. I'd be really interested in hearing about your work with the high school professors.
In general:
I've been interested in education for a while; I'm a scout leader here & my parents have their own business doing educational visits to schools on the topic of astronomy (so I have fairly extensive experience of that sort of "business model"). The reason I have a specific interest now is that I've been approached to look at doing an evening class on computers and the internet at a local secondary school. One of the topics I want to cover is Wikipedia and WP editing.
I could put together some teaching material & release it for others to use on an ad-hoc basis, but I think there is loads more we could expand into if WMUK were behind it - stuff like working with the teaching bodies to get WP recognised as a resource, and perhaps even worked into the curriculum (at the very least work with them to provide useful material for teachers/students about Wikipedia). In fact, something like the training events Cancer Research people (but for teachers) would be really interesting to explore.
Another off-hand idea; it would be great to try and team up with some of the GLAM institutions to run educational days (i.e. have groups of kids turn up to learn about stuff using local and Wikipedia content, and to get an introduction to Wikipedia).
And more; we could use WMUK resources to train up and support Wikipedia volunteers who want to go into the classroom - because teaching kids can be damned hard!
There's a lot to focus on, but I think it is one of our most important outreach areas in the UK.
Tom
On 1 June 2011 16:40, Chris Keating
<chriskeatingwiki@gmail.com> wrote:
I think it's been hibernating for a while. I haven't heard it mentioned at all since the new Board took office.
Of course, if someone wants to pick up the ball and run with it, that would be very welcome. Whereabouts are you, Tom?
Regards,
Chris
Hey all,
Is any of this still active?
I only ask because I've been approached locally to do some in-school work relating to Wikipedia and it occurred to me that this is a major area we could be focusing on.
I've got a decent amount of experience working with children, schools and educators and it would be great to contribute that on a wider scale.
If none of those projects are particularly active, would anyone be interested in working on this (including volunteering to go into schools and youth groups)?
Tom / ErrantX
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