[Education] Appropriate tone for this list...

[Andrew Owens]

Agreed.

Two points that come to mind:

* We're all working in distant locations around the globe, and sometimes
it's easy to feel like one is isolated or alone in trying to get something
going - maybe even get disheartened and give it up. At events such as the
Chapters meetings and Wikimania, however, there is a tremendous amount of
goodwill and willingness to share and help each other, and an amazing
variety of projects going meaning that one doesn't have to start from
scratch or "re-invent the wheel", and this list is an opportunity to make
sure that such momentum isn't limited to those 5 or 6 days of the year when
we do all meet.

* Different people's and countries' circumstances will necessarily be
different as we're working with different institutions, bureaucracies,
curricula, mindsets, cultures - that's part of the fun of being part of a
global enterprise. What works in one part of the world may not work in
another, or may work only to some extent before significant "tweaking" is
needed. It's a good argument for a decentralised, collaborative approach to
these things and I think the more we can achieve this way, the more
recognition we'll get as a movement from WMF that we are the best agents of
change in our respective parts of the world with regard to their mission so
far as it extends to education and educational institutions/projects.

I also like the idea of doing something special and having an informal
get-together at Wikimania. :)

kindest regards
Andrew.

On 14 April 2011 14:41, Jan-Bart de Vreede <janbart at wikimedia.org> wrote:

> Hello Everyone,
>
> Well, it took us four emails on this list in order to reach the moment
> where someone started being negative in tone.
>
> The reason we started this list was to exchange ideas in a positive
> atmosphere. There are incredible examples (best practices) on how to use
> Wikimedia content en projects in an educational setting. We can share these
> and point out opportunities to one another. One of the people I talked to
> when discussing this list stated that for him it was important that the tone
> of the list be positive, but above all: constructive.
>
> Therefore this list is not a place to:
>
> 1) Antagonize one another or show a lack of respect to individuals
> 2) Continue crusades which are already being fought on other platforms
> (however just they may be)
> 3) Be close-minded
>
> If people can't abide by these guidelines, please feel free to unsubscribe
> and "take it elsewhere". If you have suggestions for other guidelines to
> make this a welcoming place, feel free to mail me.
>
> In support of Frank's suggestion I think it would be great to get together
> in a larger setting of some kind at wikimania. When looking at
>
> <http://wikimania2011.wikimedia.org/wiki/Call_for_Papers>
> http://wikimania2011.wikimedia.org/wiki/Call_for_Papers  (PS: your
> deadline for adding proposals is the 30th of april)
>
> I see a lot of educational talks. Every year we have more and more of these
> at Wikimania, and every year we see more cool cases and theory. Can we come
> up with suggestions for doing something special at Wikimania this year where
> we can celebrate this and have an informal get together?
>
> Jan-Bart
>
>
>
> On Apr 14, 2011, at 3:54 AM, Virgilio A. P. Machado wrote:
>
> Great idea. It will not be ready for Wikimania in Haifa, this year,
> but I just added to my list of case studies: "The crusaders against
> education in the Brazilian Wikipedia." Right now it is an unfinished
> case because the crusade is still raging at full throttle in the
> Brazilian Wikipedia, thanks to... YOU. That's right, YOU. It is all
> happening under your very noses, using the resources that the
> Wikimedia Foundation makes available to the gang that runs the
> Brazilian Wikipedia. A word of warning, also, to all the donors to
> the Wikimedia Foundation whose money is unwittingly being used to
> support that big sham called Portuguese Wikipedia. Sounds dramatic,
> exaggerated, overblown? I wouldn't believe it myself if I were not
> there, right on top of the list of those blocked to infinite for
> daring, for trying such foolish endeavor. My worst sin, I'm very
> sorry to say: being a Portuguese university professor trying to run a
> successful higher education project in a Wikipedia dominated by
> Brazilian highschoolers. In the mean time, have fun in Haifa, patting
> each other on the back for a job well done.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Virgilio A. P. Machado
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Education mailing list
> <Education at lists.wikimedia.org>Education at lists.wikimedia.org
> <https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/education>
> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/education
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Education mailing list
> Education at lists.wikimedia.org
> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/education
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/education/attachments/20110414/c9a7aecc/attachment.htm