Pedro Sanchez wrote:
On 4/30/07, Daniel Cannon
<cannon.danielc(a)gmail.com> wrote:
On 4/30/07, Michael Wehrle
<mwehrle(a)gmail.com> wrote:
I just came across this list and wanted to pose a
question to all list
members as I am new to wikiversity. Are free online degrees through
wikiversity in the works? And if not, why not? What is keeping them from
being able to offer completely free online degrees?
It's not really been too heavily discussed; however, at present time
Wikiversity is simply way, way, way too immature for us to even consider
becoming a degree-granting institution. Perhaps some day in the future, but
by no means at this time.
--
Daniel Cannon (AmiDaniel)
wikiversity won't give degrees.
that was explicitly stated since its conception
so no, not now, not on the future
I don't believe that was ever stated, although there were many opposed
to the Wikiversity concept in the beginning because this could be seen
as a diploma mill as opposed to a legitimate learning center.
And this is something that must be fought against even if some sort of
arrangement to offer high school or college credits (or even "CEU"
credits) is ever developed that would be recognized through some sort of
legitimate accrediation body. The standards needed to offer legitimate
degrees are high enough that we shouldn't be deceiving anybody while
Wikiversity is starting out that such degrees are going to be granted
any time soon, if ever.
I did come across a legitimate educational institution a while back that
wanted to co-sponsor an on-line learning experience through Wikiversity,
where this other organization would be offering the actual educational
credits and accreditation. I don't know how much follow-through
happened on the idea, but it is something that has happened (they came
to us, not the other way around BTW) and may happen in the future in
other situations.
I would also have to say for myself that I would feel very uncomfortable
before even educational credits of some sort are offered (even in a
joint setting) without some sort of formal discussion happening about it
not only on the Collequium, but also with the WMF board getting involved
as well to formalize the arrangement. And for the standards to be very
clear about what would be needed by both the participants as well as
those who are setting up the instruction.
There is quite a bit we can do before we need to reach these much higher
standards for much more informal learning experiences, such as is
already happening on Wikiversity. Even if a (very) long term goal is to
eventually reach the ability to offer a degree program. I would expect
that it will take some time, meaning many years of effort, before we are
going to even offer academic credits of any kind.
-- Robert Horning