Joe,
 
I'm definitely interested in keeping options open here. As Cormac has said, this project has the potential to realize some longstanding ideals of Wikiversity. I mentioned the community's reluctance because its something we would have to deal with if we decided to collapse PlanetMath under the Foundation's umbrella, and used Moodle as a example because its one of the biggest free CMSs available. We also will have room on sandbox server for other software, which should allow us to increase functionality.
 
Geoff

From: Joe Corneli <holtzermann17@gmail.com>
To: Mailing list for Wikiversity <wikiversity-l@lists.wikimedia.org>
Sent: Thu, April 1, 2010 3:51:34 AM
Subject: Re: [Wikiversity-l] planetmath teamup?

Hi Geoffrey:

> One of the issues with running a for credit class on Wikiversity is that the
> Wikimedia Board specifically doesn't want us (the participants) running
> certification/accredited classes under the Foundation's umbrella. This
> doesn't bar us from hosting them, (I'm designing one for a school right
> now), it just requires that a organization be willing to sponsor it.

Sounds like a fine arrangement to me.  Wikimedia is making a sensible
decision here.

>We are also working on a sandbox server which might be able to host a CMS like
> Moodle to expand on the wiki software.

That's a good plan.  This has basically been the sticking point that
has prevented me from trying to initiate an intensive "PlanetMath teamup"
in the past.  As I see it, what PlanetMath has to offer is heavily
conditioned by (and upon) the features of our software.  We're trying
to build a completely state-of-the-art online mathematics collaboration
facility.  That's hard work and quite technical!  The 'open content'
that PlanetMath produces is only part of the picture.  Another
key aspect of things (which we haven't exactly nailed yet, though
we're working on it), is "workflow" -- what some people might call
"Open Educational Practices".

I can't say one way or another what advantages or disadvantages
Moodle has versus other "similar" platforms -- because I simply don't
know.  I know that The Open University uses Moodle for OpenLearn
(http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/ - CC-by-sa-nc).  Other things to think
about are Elgg and (PlanetMath's own) Noosphere -- and maybe
especially how not to be limited by the chosen platform(s).

> Other projects have discussed collapsing into Wikimedia, but the community
> tends to be pretty reluctant about approving new projects. Wikiversity is
> the newest project, and was approved in 2006. It would probably be better to
> maintain a partnership, and perhaps have PlanetMath collapse into a new free
> university or something.

Let's keep putting options on the table.  I'm sure there are
people at Wikimedia who are interested in collaborating
on shaping this space -- I want to make sure that PlanetMath
is involved in those conversations whenever that would
be appropriate or useful.

Joe

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