[Wikiversity-l] free online degrees?

[Teemu Leinonen]

Hi Michael and all,

I pretty much agree with all the others in the list, but would still  
like to open up a bit the concept of "degree", and think how  
Wikiversity could respond it its own way? I have wrote about this in  
one blog post over here:

http://flosse.dicole.org/?item=wikiversity-academy-popular-education- 
and-free-school

<- Reading instructions: in academy, popular education and free  
schools there are "recognitions" which the community awards for its  
community members. No degrees, nor certifications, nor accreditation.

So, then back to the concept of "degree". Here are some questions:

Why are there degrees?

1) To guarantee for the employers that the degree holders can do a  
certain job
2) To guarantee for the educational institutions goods with a value  
in the markets

In addition to these there are jobs for what you need a license to  
practice (in most parts of the world): medical doctors and other  
medical professionals, lawyers, teachers teaching children,  
policemen, military etc. I assume that it is not realistic to aim to  
give "degree programs" on these topics in the Wikiversity, *but there  
are many other topics we may include to the Wikiversity offering and  
even give recognitions to each other when someone has made a good job  
in some course*.

Summary: I would like to see some kind of "recognition" system /  
practice in the Wikiversity. It could be a simple list of Wikiversity  
course each user has took with links to the course pages and course  
work. This way people could use their "Wikiversity portfolio / CV"  
also when they are looking for a job. The employer / person hiring  
may then decide what value she gives for the "Wikiversity courses".

As a person also hiring people once in a while, I would actually  
right now value pretty high "Wikiversity courses" in someone's CV.  
For me they (at the moment) tell that the person is into new things,  
active, capable and willing to learn new things etc.

Best regards,

	- Teemu

Michael Wehrle kirjoitti 1.5.2007 kello 5:40:
> 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?

-----------------------------------------------
Teemu Leinonen
http://www.uiah.fi/~tleinone/
+358 50 351 6796
Media Lab
http://mlab.uiah.fi
University of Art and Design Helsinki
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