Thanks Michael,
On 8/23/06, Michael R. Irwin michael_irwin@verizon.net wrote:
Cormac Lawler wrote:
Dear all, I'm just passing on an email which you might find interesting. It's from Ray Saintonge, who I think was the one who coined the name "Wikiversity" (which he questions, below). The context of the mail is that I asked him what he originally meant by a mailing list post in 2005, in which he said:
snip
The preparation of elaborate courses will get us nowhere in the absence of sudents. The prospective student needs to relate the prospectus for these courses to his own circumstances. What other incentive could he possibly have for participating? Wikipedia has succeeded because it began with an original idea that inspired people; that kind of inspiration is absent from Wikiversity. Perhaps Newman should be obligatory reading for anyone who seeks to teach a Wikiversity course.
Well he is undoubtedly correct that without participation the project will go nowhere.
I find his statement that there is no original idea or vision behind Wikiversity the project, rather than "Wikiversity" the grandiose term first used in an email by me; rather patronizing and totally incorrect. Perhaps he did not intend it for public consumption.
If you mean the email he sent to me - he said it was fine to share in any way I pleased. I thought this list would benefit from some provocation to discussion ;-) - and I'm sure that Ray's intention is not much different, if at all.
Roadrunner has grasped my original vision of the Wikiversity the project quite admirably. He has proposed a learning portal for undergrad physics student to help each other out damn near identical to what I had in mind. Tutoring each other and leaving some crumbs behind for others. There is some organizing principal involved when people reach similar conclusions regarding how to proceed.
That's great. I haven't had a chance to look, but I hope that goes well for you. it's always a big help when someone else shares your vision and you can work together on realising it. I think that will mark the success of Wikiversity - possibly beyond any other wiki.
Perhaps you should invite Ray to come discuss Wikiversity, the project, with some of us who think there is a vision and some goals for the project to pursue.
regards, mirwin
Yes, I should have pointed out that Ray is User:Eclecticology, predominantly on Wiktionary but has just joined Wikiversity recently. He's already added his comments on voting on policies: http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity_talk:Policies#Aghast.21.21.21
As a postscript, I should point out that Ray is really positive towards the kind of active, critical learning that we have been fighting for for Wikiversity. I didn't mean for his mail to cause concern - I just added it in to the melting pot of ideas at this vital stage.
Cormac