Education/Newsletter/August 2012/Involving more professors in the Wikipedia Education Program in Brazil

Juliana Bastos Marques at the Open Workshop on Campus Outreach

Involving more professors in the Wikipedia Education Program in Brazil

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By Everton Zanella Alvarenga

A pioneer initiative was held by the Brazilian Education Program for the second semester of 2012: an open call for professors took place and we have received 36 proposals from all regions in Brazil in less than one month. Professors really showed interest in joining Wikipedia Education Program. We have selected 8 proposals at first place, who will attend a workshop organized by Wikimedia Foundation on August 11 in São Paulo. The head of the global program, Frank Schulenburg, will visit Brazil and will be present at the workshop. More professors will be invited to join the program during the semester and to attend a second workshop that will be held in Rio de Janeiro (different calendars are due to a federal professors strike in place in Brazil). Wikipedia community also showed interest for the program - we've received more than 80 applications from volunteers to support education activities as ambassadors. And last but not least, while no press release was sent about the call, online media gave proper attention to the program, informing readers about the call in their websites.