Slide 1 : WikiEducator
A Presentation by Patricia Schlicht
Programme Assistant/Learning4Content Coordinator
eLearning and ICT Policy
Commonwealth of Learning (COL)
November 21, 2008 learning for development
Slide 2 : What is WikiEducator? The WikiEducator is an evolving community intended for the collaborative:
planning of education projects linked with the
development of free content;
development of free content on Wikieducator for e-learning;
work on building open education resources (OERs) on how to create OERs.
networking on funding proposals developed as free content.
Slide 3 : What is WikiEducator? – Cont’d The word “Wiki” derived from the Hawaiian word “wiki” which means quick.
WikiEducator is an open source software that allows users to publish license-free/unrestricted (open) educational content on the web
It follows a concept of “open editing”. Anyone can do it
It allows every user to create any content page on a public website for use by anyone
It encourages the democratic use of the web
Slide 4 : WikiEducator was founded in May 2006 Mission Statement: To turn the digital divide into digital dividends using free content and open networks. We hope you can help us.
Slide 5 : Strategic plan build on 3 Phases
Slide 6 : WikiEducator in July 2007 Voted best educational wiki, Steven Downes, Dec 2007 Inaugural recipient of the award for Exemplary Open Education Resource (OER) practices d
Slide 7 : What are the benefits and advantages of WikiEducator?
Slide 8 : What are the Benefits and Advantages of Using WikiEducator? Benefits
Creating a pool of trained educationalists using Wiki Technology to develop OERs
Building local/in-country capacity by training participants on all levels who will train others and creating new educational content in the process, fit for purpose in their own environment
Creating awareness
Reducing the costs of expensive training modules.
Creating OER Materials through collaboration
Improving the quality of these materials through collaboration
Widening the access to education and technology through the use of WikiEducator.
Building sustainable support and social networks to act as agents of change.
Slide 9 : Benefits and Advantages of Using WikiEducator – Cont’d General Benefits
Free training opportunity every month how to use Wiki Technology in exchange for one free lesson developed on the Wiki (L4C initiative)
Register for monthly online training here:
www.wikieducator.org/Learning4Content/Registration
(last one for this year runs from November 24 – December 5, 2008
Opportunity to repeat and pick up where one left off, to complete the
initial basic Wiki editing skills online training, the place where it all starts.
Slide 10 : Benefits and Advantages of Using WikiEducator Advantages
Interacting with a large community of over 7,100 educators around the world, using the WikiEducator Discussion Groups, and building on established social networks that create change.
Being among the visionaries who realise that the times are changing and the 21st century learner is searching and finding innovative ways to access education, using mobile phones, blogs, email, wikis… the internet.
With often limited connectivity, it is possible to use Open Office (OO) 2.3, to develop Open Educational Resources (OERs) offline, so not on the internet, which can be uploaded to WikiEducator later.
OO allows you to export your work saving it as Mediawiki in html language for upload into WikiEducator.
Slide 11 : Benefits and Advantages of Using WikiEducator – Cont’d Advantages
Creating opportunities for women who are often bound by cultural restrictions.
Overcoming the fear of technology (technophobia) as you can work from the comfort of your office or home until you have reached a comfort level, to actively get involved.
We don’t judge you! We help you reach new heights and assist you by teaching you the basic skills first, to lay the groundwork for you to succeed in your own cultural setting, thereby turning the digital divide into your dividends.
We will send an external trainer at no costs to you, to fly into your country, to train local participants, but are looking for your help by finding an institution that will host the workshop by providing a computer lab and maybe some catering during the workshop.
Slide 12 : Established May 2006
- How is WikiEducator doing?
- Who are our WikiEducators?
- Why do they join our family?
Slide 13 : Cumulative site visits 19 months
May 2006- Dec 2007 First million visits 5 months
Jan – Jun 2008 Second million visits In Nov 2008
7,700 hits per day, or
231,000 hits per month
+
of the 1.5 Mio website there are worldwide, we are now in 159,474th place
In Jan 2009, so far (Jan 19)
7,500 hits per day, or
210,000 hits per month
+
of the 1.5 Mio website there are worldwide, we are now in 159,474th place
Slide 14 : We have exceeding our strategic targets Achieved 18 months
in advance Target for a
Community governance
model
Slide 15 : Age distribution Our WE surprise? 51% > 45 years
Slide 16 : Current roles of WikiEducators
Slide 17 : Educational level and sector
Slide 18 : Gender Male: 60% Before
Learning4Content
was launched Female: 40% Currently
Male/Female Ratio is almost equal
Slide 19 : Why do you join WikiEducator?
Slide 20 : Meeting the community – Who are they? “WikiEducator is not only ground-breaking, its foresight is defining history, and must forever be developed and continued." Victor Mensah, Zambia, Graduate 1st L4C workhop Nellie Deutsch, Israel, Graduate 3rd L4C workshop “WikiEducator is a place where I become we” Anil Prasad, India, L4C Facilitator in Sri Lanka “WikiEducator is my second home -- an online home!”
Slide 21 : How is WikiEducator governed?
Slide 22 : Community governance Canada, India, Germany, New Zealand, Pakistan, Samoa, Uganda, USA, Zambia Countries
Slide 23 : Can you give us examples of WikiEducator projects?
Slide 24 : OER Handbook (COSL)?
Slide 25 : Creating a pdf collection Add article
Create a collection
Save a collection
Share a collection
Slide 26 : Learning4Content conduct 160 workshops
train 2500 teachers/educators
2500 lessons of free content
all Commonwealth Countries Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I may not remember, involve me, and I'll understand
Slide 27 : Learning4Content – Overall Statistics Since inception of the L4C initiative we trained:
.
Slide 28 : Overall WikiEducator Statistics Today's Statistics for WikiEducator
Today is : 19 January 2009
7,390 users
8,685 articles
13,471 files
282,206 edits
15 administrators
Slide 29 : Meeting the community Anil Prsad, India, L4C Facilitator in Sri Lanka “WikiEducator is my second home -- an online home!” WikiEducator launches India Chapter
Slide 30 : Addressing Quality and Reviewing Framework WikiEducator is currently developing an Quality Assurance and Review Framework.
The purpose of this initiative is to initiate open and transparent dialogue with WikiEducators to:
discuss and develop WE processes that will assist in promoting the
quality of our teaching materials;
develop a draft policy for quality assurance for consultation and adoption by the community;
http://www.wikieducator.org/WikiEducator:Quality_Assurance_and_Review
Slide 31 : Thank you
Patricia Schlicht
Email: and