User:Awadewit/sandbox8

As you and I discussed we'll use short testimonials as graphic elements in the brochure. In general, I would rather see actual sample assignments shown and how these assignments might be graded within a course structure that includes non-WP assignments as well.

Rod, I have links to other assignments here. Would you prefer those assignments copied here? I think that is overkill, but let me know. Also, I'm confused by your last sentence - do you mean that you want entire syllabi?

Testimonials

Jon Beasley-Murray, Assistant Professor of Latin American Studies, University of British Columbia: "I should say that I had not previously realized how high [Wikipedia's] own standards are, how rigorously they are applied, as well as how well its synergistic processes can work... if you are prepared to contribute your own activity and, above all, do the requisite research to add properly sourced content. Again, I should also mention that we have been very fortunate with the particular individuals that we have come across; though I suspect that that fortune is likely to be encountered by others, too.... I'd like to think that [the assignment] is teaching the students research skills and writing skills in what is very much a real world environment. They were set a medium- to long-term goal at the beginning of the semester, and were required to work collaboratively both within their own groups and with strangers in the public domain to plan how to achieve and deliver that goal. And their final product is to be a professional piece of work that will be viewed by many thousands of people, a resource that is in most cases the first port of call for future researchers, whether students like themselves or any of the many millions from all over the world who visit Wikipedia. Most of these articles are, after all, the top hit (or very close to it) in any internet search of the topic. By comparison, the usual essays and exams that we assign our students really are rather pointless busywork." - from his essay "Was introducing Wikipedia to the classroom an act of madness leading only to mayhem if not murder?"

Bob Cummings, Assistant Professor of English and Director of the Center for Writing and Rhetoric at the University of Mississippi: "Teaching writing with Wikipedia has several advantages which serve to complement the traditional college essay. When teaching writing with Wikipedia, the audience is real and, often, writes back immediately. One of the foremost problems in teaching writing in the college classroom is helping students gain a more profound concept of audience. Trained for years to write answers to short questions in text books, while writing fewer and fewer essays in high school, students often come to college first-year composition without much appreciation for the fact that real humans read their writing. Wikipedia changes this writing environment, and students are often shocked when Wikipedians respond to their contributions with a critical eye. Sometimes those responses are polite, and sometimes, not, but they are mostly accurate and engaging. This puts the writing teacher in the role of assisting students in making meaning for an audience with their text - something surprisingly elusive." - from his essay Are We Ready to Use Wikipedia to Teach Writing?

Barry is not working with us right now and this quote came after his initial meeting with Pete and Frank. I'll ask LiAnna for another quote

Barry Bozeman, Professor of Public Policy, School of Public and International Affairs, University of Georgia: "The idea of working with Wikimedia Foundation to integrate wiki page development into my policy analysis course is novel and potentially powerful. The approach has the advantages of helping students produce, not just passively consume, knowledge and gives then valuable experience working within the framework of new media. Policy-making is becoming an increasingly collaborative and participative process. Technologies enabling broader, informed participation in policy-making and agenda-setting play a crucial role. The Public Policy Initiative seems to have strong potential for enabling the application of technology for improved participation in policy."

Sample assignments

Let's also add some of the assignments from the PPI project. Also let's look at adding the multiple mini-assignments that you, Ellie, and Chanitra created. Below are a few detailed assignments:

Sample Wikipedia sites

Some professors have developed extensive sites to help their students on Wikipedia and to explain their projects to the Wikipedia community:

Sections

NOTES:

Testimonials and sample assignments --Sample Assignments incorporated
Interacting with the community --Important information should become a separate handout document?