Overview

In this new Facilitating Learning Online (FLO) MicroCourse - Exploring a World of Open in the WikiVerse - we will be taking you on a journey to explore the open, diverse and rich resources available to anyone in the world through Wikipedia and the varied sister projects like Wikimedia, Wikidata, Wikivoyage, etc.

You'll have a chance to learn more about the rigour and value of this crowd-sourced and maintained universe of learning and identify ways you can contribute (and why). We'll encourage and support you to identify potential pedagogical applications - to enrich your teaching and to involve your students in learning in the open.

This MicroCourse takes place over 5 days with the goal of providing you with a supportive environment to explore the educational and pedagogical potential of different parts of the WikiVerse. When you're done, you'll have had the opportunity to:

  • Articulate the process by which knowledge is invited, created and negotiated in Wikimedia Foundation projects
  • Make minor edits in a Wiki-project 
  • Identify one or two projects you could revisit to inform an open pedagogy project for your students or yourself.

Participation

The course officially begins on Monday, August 10 and activities end on Friday, August 14. The course will stay open until Sunday, August 16 so that we can complete unfinished conversations or activities.

We plan to open the course site earlier (by the previous Friday) so that you can familiarize yourself with the proposed approach to the week and get comfortable with navigating around the course page and links. Post any general questions or thoughts to the Open Forum.

As is explained in the MicroCourse Handbook, we suggest you plan to spend at least 5 to 7 hours for course activities during the week (depending on your distractibility, you may find that you're spending more time.)

Each day

Check the Open forum for the Pedagogical Inspiration of the day. 

Exploration Phase

Suggested completion of Steps 0 - 4:  by middle of day, Wednesday

Step 0:  Take a few minutes to review the information in the MicroCourse Handbook. If you've taken a MicroCourse before, you'll note there's a new page to the Handbook: About the additional resources.

Step 1:  Meet your fellow explorers!    

First thing - go to the Introductions forum, and do a micro-meet-and-greet.  Keep it brief so you'll have time to read other learners' posts. Share your:

  • name
  • what you do and where you do it
  • one thing about yourself that might surprise us

Throughout the week, get to know your fellow explorers. Check out the other introductions and say "Hi!". These are the people you will be exploring the Wikiverse with and they can make your journey more fun and enrich your learning.

Step 2:  Review the Moodle Book - A high-level tour of the WikiVerse.  We'd like to hear what you think about the WikiVerse & the construction of knowledge, so when you're finished reading this short book of information, please go to the Activities forum and post a reply to the topic titled Exploring the nature of knowledge. 

Step 3:  Get your ticket to explore by signing up for a Wikipedia global account: 

  • if you have never created a Wikipedia account before, start here
  • if you created a Wikipedia account so long ago you can't remember, you may need to convert it to a global account. It's easy to do and this page explains the process to merge your accounts.
Once you've logged in to Wikipedia, complete a brief solo reconnaissance of the Wikipedia main page.

Step 4:  Review the annotated slide show - Two2Xplore: Wikimedia & Wikiquote.  As you're browsing the slides, you may find it helpful to open the project page on your computer or mobile device so you can click on areas that we haven't covered but that pique your curiosity.

Optional Activity - 12 noon on Wednesday, Collaborate Ultra meeting - details to be shared in Open Forum - join us to discuss your ideas or questions.

Your turn Phase

Suggested timeframe for completion: by end of day Thursday

Step 5:  Feeling curious about contributing to Wikimedia Projects? Now is the time to dive in and try one of the following:

  • Upload an image to Wikimedia Commons** (how-to page)
  • Add a quote to Wikiquote (how-to page)
  • Make a minor edit to a Wikipedia page (how-to page)
  • Add information to your Wikipedia user page or play in your Sandbox (how-to page)
  • or, if you're feeling pretty confident & bold, go straight to the Community Portal & scroll down to the Help out section. (You might want to keep a how-to guide handy.)
If you'd rather just browse the various activities first, go straight to the how-to pages in the Tips and Resources section. We ask that you report back to the Activities forum  topic: Step 5: Report on your actions to share what you chose to do.

**Optional:  When you contribute images to Wikimedia Commons, you are asked to ensure they have "educational value." We encourage you to participate in the Activities forum topic: Does your image have educational purpose? to discuss ways to determine what this means.

Reflection Phase

Suggested timeframe for completion: by end of day Friday

 Step 6:  Reflect on your explorations this week. Did you take time to review any of the daily stories of how others have used the WikiVerse to challenge themselves or their learners? How do you see yourself using what you've learned in the future - what are your key take-aways? Please post your final reflections in the Activities forum  topic: Reflections.




Last modified: Thursday, 6 August 2020, 11:44 AM