User talk:Ray Calvin Baker

I now understand that the preferred place to post notes is at the end of the user talk page. So, I post this note here to reassure the community that I will be looking there in the future.

Please post your notes, suggestions, requests, and comments there, below the line (horizontal rule), where I can find them quickly. I'm obviously using this page as a staging area for essays and a multitude of other materials.

How delighted I am to have attracted a couple of mascots, a note from a Rubik's Cube fan, and some gentle hints on proper etiquette! Ray Calvin Baker 23:19, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

Ray Calvin Baker 03:06, 10 November 2011 (UTC)

 I will be searching the Wikiversity for topics of interest to me. These may include: Geometry 20th Century Mathematics (I don't have enough 21st Century Math yet, Computer Science (I need a remedial course), Origami, Puzzles and Games

I may be able to add some materials in short order Numeration (How to count past a googolplex) Napier's Bones (a fourth-grade class has FUN with long division) How to Find Your Very Own Personal Way to Solve Rubik's Cube If I can learn to do Wikiversity friendly computer animation, that sounds like fun, too.

I desperately need sponsors or interested persons to post me a note! --Ray Calvin Baker 21:06, 16 July 2011 (UTC)

 Hello Ray Calvin Baker, and welcome to Wikiversity! If you need help, feel free to visit my talk page, or contact us and ask questions. After you leave a comment on a talk page, remember to sign and date; it helps everyone follow the threads of the discussion. The signature icon in the edit window makes it simple. All users are expected to abide by our Privacy policy, Civility policy, and the Terms of Use while at Wikiversity.

To get started, you may


 * Take a guided tour and learn to edit.
 * Visit a (kind of) random project.
 * Browse Wikiversity, or visit a portal corresponding to your educational level: pre-school, primary, secondary, tertiary, non-formal education.
 * Find out about research activities on Wikiversity.
 * Explore Wikiversity with the links to your left.


 * Read an introduction for teachers and find out how to write an educational resource for Wikiversity.
 * Give feedback about your initial observations
 * Discuss Wikiversity issues or ask questions at the colloquium.
 * Chat with other Wikiversitans on #wikiversity-en.
 * Follow Wikiversity on twitter (http://twitter.com/Wikiversity) and identi.ca (http://identi.ca/group/wikiversity).

You don't need to be an educator to edit. You only need to be bold to contribute and to experiment with the sandbox or your userpage. See you around Wikiversity! --Gaidheal1 12:26, 8 June 2011 (UTC)

 LINKS TO IMPORTANT PAGES 

RCB_LastBSHistoryBook The page this link is supposed to point to has mysteriously vanished!

Fortunately, 98 per cent of the text still survives on the flash drive I used to transport it to the public library branch. So, here goes, again

RCB_LastHistoryBook Last History Book Before the Singularity

Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 17:07, 18 July 2012 (UTC)

Ray%27s_Sandbox Ray's Sandbox

The end (for now).

From now on, I will be looking for notes from other users below this line. Ray Calvin Baker 23:19, 28 November 2011 (UTC) 

Greetings
No worries at all - Be bold is the 'golden rule' especially for newcomers who want to learn and share learning. Welcome. Sincerely, James. Note -- Jtneill - Talk - c 05:12, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

 Hello , you can call me Jacob Frank. I'd like to be your mascot and welcome you to Wikiversity. Even though I was a plain and untutored man back in 18th-century Europe, that still didn't stop me from contributing my ideas to the world. Neither should it stop you. As a religious leader who developed the doctrine of "purification through transgression," my advice to you is to be bold and to ignore all rules&mdash;yes, these are two of Wikiversity's official policies! Happy editing.

Here's another random mascot, in case you don't like that one. Anyone can make a mascot. It's just a bit of fun. -- Jtneill - Talk - c 05:14, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

 Hello , we are the Baah and Bahh twins and we'd both like to welcome you to Wikiversity. While you sit back and explore Wikiversity, enjoy some of our fresh goat milk. You can help us learn by creating new learning resources or help us by improving the guided tours and other exploration tools. We look forward to seeing you around. Baaaahbye for now.

Hi
Hi there! Finally someone who knows something about solving a Rubik's cube! I put your comments on the talk page here: Talk:Speedcubing. You can link pages within Wikiversity by putting them in a pair of square brackets. You can change the page as you see fit, or you can start making new pages to supplement what is already there. Some people like to add changes incrementally to Wikiversity, while others prefer putting complete pages all at once. It is just a matter of style. Do let us know if you need help with anything. See you! --HappyCamper 06:08, 28 November 2011 (UTC)


 * On another topic, have you tried putting items into your watchlist? Each page on Wikiversity has a star at the very top of the page. If you click that, the page is bookmarked. Changes to the page will show up whenever you click on the "My watchlist" link, also at the top. It's another way to keep track of interesting pages you find. --HappyCamper 06:07, 29 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Hi there -- so it looks like you've recently figured out how to leave messages on other people's talk pages. Good! On each talk page (user talk pages, content pages, etc...) there is an "add topic" link at the very top. If you click that it will automatically create a new section on the talk page that will contain your message. It's often easier than having to edit the whole page and scrolling to the bottom to leave new messages. --HappyCamper 23:24, 1 December 2011 (UTC)

Wow nice guide! (you should complete it though) Sistemx 12:24, 2 December 2011 (UTC)

The noble adventure of asking for permission
This is the "A_NobleAdventureDownload.txt" file, which was created SAT 2012 JUN 02 10:00 PM, revised WED 2012 JUL 04 03:36 PM.

The noble adventure of asking for permission

Newly revised and uploaded, this section now contains all of the texts of the email conversations involved, except for the form (in proprietary format) the publisher asked me to fill out. It's much easier to do most of the editing off-line, then upload, especially when a large chunk of text is involved. This is the way I celebrate the Fourth of July! Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 19:46, 4 July 2012 (UTC)

I dove right in and started to write some material that I hoped might be educational. I was excited to find further encouragement in Tom Peters' book, _Re-imagine!_ (Business Excellence in a Disruptive Age). But, there is some fine print in the "front matter" of the book:

 "Copyright (C) 2003 Dorling Kindersley Limited Text copyright (C) Tom Peters All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, phoyocopy, recoding, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner." 

This is not the usual "except for brief passages in a critical article" wording. All of this seems quite at odds with what Tom Peters is saying inside the book, "to empower the powerless", and I really wanted to share his advice with those who might be interested in a course on "Creativity". First, of course, I had to prove to myself that I really could write course material "in the cloud", using free public facilities. So, I started a Wikiversity account, and now I am Ray_Calvin_Baker (talk) 00:49, 12 March 2012 (UTC). IT WORKS! But how to contact Tom Peters for permission to quote? One of the staff members at the Caroline County (Maryland) public library branch in Denton helped me set up a gmail account so that I could send a request to Tom.

 vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv

Insert number one.

This is the "F:\sRequestFromTom.txt" file, created WED 2011 AUG 24, 06:17 PM, revised WED 2011 AUG 24, 06:17 PM.

Dear Tom, I would LOVE to make short quotations from _Re-Imagine_ and possibly, some of your other works, as well, in book reviews, as instructional materials for use in the Wikiversity.

You may, if you wish, preview my first five hours of work. 1. google "Wikiversity" 2. look for, then click on sandbox 3 select the "history" tab 4. look for "Ray Calvin Baker" user page and talk page.

If you give permission, I hope you will enjoy My rant. I may widen your audience,and you can certainly widen mine!

If you do NOT give permission, you will receive only a reference to your work.

Your publisher (I enjoyed your story of why you chose DK!) did not include the more standard verbiage, so I am asking for permission, while seeking to use your works.

The end.

^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ 

Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 21:05, 13 May 2012 (UTC) The reply was very encouraging, but suggested further work for me.

 vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv

Insert number two

This is the "F:\TomsReply.txt" file, created WED 2011 AUG 24, 06:13 PM, revised WED 2011 AUG 24, 06:14 PM.

Hello Ray, You have our permission to quote from the book Re-imagine as you choose. Thank you for requesting the right to do so. You should check with the publisher, too, however, as they own the rights to the book. Regards, Cathy Mosca

The end.

^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^  Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 20:58, 13 May 2012 (UTC) So, I forwarded my request to "Adult Permission".

 vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv

Insert number three

Dear DK Publishing: I had the following exchange with Tom Peters, about his book Re-Imagine; Tom's crew suggested that I ask you!

Dear Tom, I would LOVE to make short quotations from _Re-Imagine_ and possibly, some of your other works, as well, in book reviews, as instructional materials for use in the Wikiversity.

You may, if you wish, preview my first five hours of work. 1. google "Wikiversity" 2. look for, then click on sandbox 3 select the "history" tab 4. look for "Ray Calvin Baker" user page and talk page.

If you give permission, I hope you will enjoy My rant. I may widen your audience,and you can certainly widen mine!

If you do NOT give permission, you will receive only a reference to your work.

Your publisher (I enjoyed your story of why you chose DK!) did not include the more standard verbiage, so I am asking for permission, while seeking to use your works.

Hello Ray, You have our permission to quote from the book Re-imagine as you choose. Thank you for requesting the right to do so. You should check with the publisher, too, however, as they own the rights to the book.

Regards, Cathy Mosca

^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ 

A very intimidating reply came back (especially intimidating because it required that I gain some familiarity with yet another unfamiliar software tool).

 vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv

Insert number four

I'n not at all sure how to properly record this in its original format. It was a Word form; I had to use Microsoft Office Starter 2010 to fill it out and return it to the publisher who sent me the form.

The form, as I filled it out, contains personal information I would prefer not to divulge. Doing so would expose me to risks, and it would not greatly serve my educational purposes.

Sorry, folks. I got interrupted for supper, and to walk the whippets. If anyone really needs to know the details, you may request permission yourself. I am confident that you will be asked to fill out the form yourself. Upon request, I can provide a plain vanilla ASCII version of at least the relevant portions of the form.

Please let me congratulate "the Penguin Group". They publish a wide line of books on business management, and some especially interesting books on mathematical topics. Their dealings with me were very business-like; and publishers really do like to see people taking an interest in, and praising, their works.

^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ </PRE> Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 01:43, 15 May 2012 (UTC) Yet once more, I got interrupted without the signature and time stamp! ... to be continued (And I will need to insert the other material, too!) Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 00:49, 12 March 2012 (UTC)

It is surprisingly difficult to take conversations from gmail and post them in "plain vanilla ASCII" for the Wikiversity. The difficulties have been largely to blame for the long time it has taken me to finish this chronicle of the process of asking for, and receiving, permission. The results, success at last, have been gratifying to me. I hope the process is also of interest to you. I sent in the form, filled out as best I could using Word Starter 2010.

I got a request for more information from Hayley at Penguin.

<PRE> vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv

Insert number five

Dear Ray,

Thank you for your request. I'm afraid the below link doesn't seem to work, could you resend it? Will this webpage be password protected and could you please give a brief outline of the context in which the extract will appear?

Best wishes,

Hayley

Hayley Davidson Permissions Assistant Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL Fax: +44 (0) 20 7010 6702

Sent: 13 January 2012 19:03 To: Adult Permissions (PUK) Subject: Request for permission to quote from _Re-Imagine_

^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ </PRE>

I sent in the requested clarifications, and additional information, as requested.

<PRE> vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv

Insert number six

Feb 4 to adultpermissions. Hayley Davidson Permissions Assistant Penguin Books Ltd. 80 Strand London WC2R0RL

Dear Hayley:

Thank you for your timely reply, requesting the following information. It has taken me some time to search out reasonable answers for your questions. Sorry about that!

(1) The website where I am preparing public domain educational materials is:

http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/RCB_LastBSHistoryBook

Sorry! the address seems to be too long to fit conveniently in my browser. Here's how I find the page:

At the suggestion of a librarian at the Denton (Maryland) public library, I tried using "Tinyurl.com" to shorten this to:

http:/tinyurl.com/6psosch

If neither of those work, here is the way a typical "user/browser" might find my page:

Use your search engine to find "Wikiversity" You should get a reference to "_Wikiversity_ Oct. 19, 2011, etc. Click on the underlined word, _Wikiversity_. You should get the "Wikiversity: Main Page" Look for the Wikiversity search entry window. (near top right of page) Enter "RCB_LastBSHistoryBook" Get a list of contibutions, including the above. Click on "RCB_LastBSHistoryBook" Look for paragraph headers:

"TOM PETERS ON EMPOWERING THE 'POWERLESS'" and

"TOM PETERS' RANT ON 'EDUCATION'".

I would much rather post the quotations (and document the process) than just make the citations!

(2) No password is required to access the wikiversity -- it's free and public. (3) Context for quotation: I am preparing a course on "Creativity", spurred on by recent alarming reports in several news magazines. And, yes, there are several new books out concerning failures to address "The crisis in education". I wish to share Tom Peters' most relevant ideas, in hopes of enabling students to prepare for the quickening pace of technology.

I believe I gave you the page numbers from my note cards concerning Tom Peters' book for all of chapter 16 and chapter 22. The actual material I would like to quote is: 19 steps, from page 208, and Tom's "Rant", from page 277.

I expect to include a record of my "request for permission" as a vital part of my on-line journal, _The_Last_B._S._(Before the Singularity)_History_Book_in_History_. Raymond Kurzweil lists 25 pages of "Recommended Reading" in his book, _The_Age_of_Spiritual_Machines_, so I know I can find plenty of material for preparing educational content..

I am hopeful that I will soon have your permission to update my article with quotes from pages 208 and 277 of _Re-imagine!_. In any case, I should have an interesting chronicle of the entire process of requesting permission from famous publishers! Sincerely, :-)

Ray Calvin Baker

^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ </PRE>

Finally, I received a response (We don't have any problem with whatever you post in the Wikiversity) that should allow me to restore my _Last_B.S._History_Book_in_History_ to the state in which I conceived that material.

<PRE> vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv

Insert number seven

Hayley Davidson Permissions Assistant Penguin Books Ltd. 80 Strand London WC2... Adult Permissions (PUK) adultpermissions@uk.penguingroup.com

Mar 8 to me

Dear Ray,

Thank you for this additional information and apologies for the delay in getting back to you. It looks like Penguin do not control electronic format permissions for Re-Imagine! so you should clear your request directly with the author. I believe Tom Peters is represented by ICM New York:

http://www.icmtalent.com/

Best wishes,

Hayley

^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ </PRE>

Insert number two (above) should be quite adequate to allow me to post my "book review" as I originally envisioned it.

Yes, it seems easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission (see famous quotation from Grace Hopper). But, the proper way to show respect for intellectual property is to ask for permission. And THAT has been a noble adventure!

And here is the material I was so excited about:

<PRE> vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv

SUBVERSIVE LITERATURE Part One -- I actually asked for (and received!) permission to post this.

TOM PETERS ON EMPOWERING THE "POWERLESS"

Chapter 16 No Limits: WOW Projects for the "Powerless" ! Technicolor Rules ... It's about PASSION and IMAGINATION and PERSISTENCE. "up the chain of command." the Holy Authority of Today's Bosses. Opportunity. take independent charge of things quickly -- and early in your tenure.
 * "Getting Things Done" ultimately is not about "power" or "rank."
 * The biggest waste of time in the world: trying to sell an idea
 * A Cool Idea is by definition a ... Direct Frontal Attack ... on
 * The power of the "powerless" lies in "Boss-Free Implementation."
 * You don't need an Officially Big Project to attack a Very Big
 * Volunteer for Crappy Jobs: crappy jobs that [w.c. 100] let you

Power Suite: Tools for the Putatively Powerless Don't screw around. START NOW. Find an excuse. ANY EXCUSE. Do something. DO ANYTHING. Get going. POSTHASTE. More specifically, try taking some version of these steps. 1. You get passionate about a Seriously Cool and Subversive Idea. 2. You successfully resist blubbering to the boss about your idea. (Even if it's your Dad at a family-owned company!) (Especially    if it's Dear old Dad.) 3. You express your passion with folks from hither or thither. 4. You find (or [w.c. 200] trip over) One Freaky Friend ... One Passionate Playmate. 5. With your One Passionate Playmate, you test and modify your idea in her Podunk Playpen. 6. You and your First Faraway Freak scour the networks for "line" folks who might be interested in "playing" with you at the next stage of the game. 7. You concoct a rough Rapid Prototyping schedule. 8. You start prototyping like a fiend. 9. You have a bunch of failures. You have a few successes. You learn ... a lot. You learn ... fast. You begin to    accumulate a compelling track record. You sharpen your story. 10. You score some "small wins" and also get some quick learning ("small losses") under your belt. 11. You continue to resist the impulse to tell the boss. 12. A freshly recruited (don't forget those lunches!) Freaky Friend of your First Freaky Friend Faraway (Premier    Passionate Playmate) starts the Dance of Prototyping in his little bailiwick. 13. The Friend of the Friend unearths yet another Freaky Friend, maybe not quite so far away now, who wants to play with your now battle-tested idea. And so on ... 14. Meanwhile, you adjust and adjust and adjust. (Remember:    Innovation = Reaction to Rapid Prototyping.) 15. You start low-key "buzz building," letting word of Cool Small Wins trickle out -- Always giving Freaky Friends the credit. (Remember, Nancy's LINE engineering. You're    wet-behind-the-ears non-credible division STAFF.) 16. You begin nudging your growing Coven of Cool Converts to    initiate a Major Proposal "up the line." 17. Before you know it, you are on the way to Surrounding the (Establishment) Bastards. 18. now, and only now -- flush with compelling data about successful "demos" by real line players -- your pitch gets made to the Big Boss. 19. Only you son't make the pitch even now! Remember: You are a Junior Staffer. Instead, you get those "real" line people -- people who have been working successfully with Your Baby -- to make it for you.

-- (pages 202 - 209) _Re-imagine_, by Tom Peters

^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ </PRE>

<PRE> vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv vvvvv

TOM PETERS' RANT ABOUT "EDUCATION" (MORE SUBVERSIVE LITERATURE, Part Two, posted with permission)

22 Getting It Right at the Start: Education for a creative & Self-Reliant Age

Technicolor Rules ... creativity. everything -- except the school system, which should (in theory) underpin, even lead, the rest. organization pumping out obsolete information in obsolete ways" not good at designing: 'What can be.'  the people inside."
 * Our school system is a thinly disguised conspiracy to quash
 * We are at an inflection point. We seem to be reinventing
 * "The main crisis in schools today is irrelevance."
 * "Our education system is a second-rate, factory-style
 * "Our educational thinking is concerned with: 'what is.'" It is
 * "Every time I pass a jailhouse or a school, I feel sorry for

! RANT -- We are not prepared ... We attempt to "reform" an educational system that was designed for the Industrial Age -- for a Fordist era in which employees needed to "know their place" and in which employers needed uniformly "trained," interchangeable "parts" ("workers" in collars both blue and white). Yet now we must prepare for a world in which value emerges from individual initiative and creativity. And we must reject all notions of "reform" that merely serve up more of the same: more testing, more "standards," more uniformity, more conformity, more bureaucracy.

-- (pages 276 - 280) _Re-imagine_, by Tom Peters

^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ </PRE>

The end.

My To Do List
<PRE> Sorry, folks. This is going to take LOTS of "minor edits". In order to make any of this work, I will need to learn to exploit to the fullest extent possible, my modes of non-linear thinking. (So non-linear that I have several other lists of things in progress already started. An important "Thing to do" -- consolidate all such lists here, and work on them!)

Fortunately, the associative possibilities of HTML and Wikimedia links seem to be begging for this sort of development. When I'm working at home, I am subjected to LOTS of interuptions, so, of necessity, I must try to keep each session very short. I have already convinced myself that is is POSSIBLE (though not desirable) to do computer programming in "interruptible" mode. Each tiny step forward adds some funtionality to the slowly expanding program. I am confident that this approach will also work at the Wikiversity (although it will make wading through the "minor edits" in the history files very tedious!)

This may seem redundant -- much of the info may be available from the "My Contributions" page and from my "Watch lists". But posting items here allows me to add relevant comments.

(A) Start serious study of topics necessary for using Wikiversity: (1) MIT's "open course", "The Mathematics of Games and Toys". (2) Tutorials on building better web pages and learning resources. </PRE> [] Web design

[] Electric Circuit Analysis Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 20:05, 4 July 2012 (UTC) A featured item; possibly a good place to start the study of electrical engineering. My son has built several pedals for modifying the sound of an electric guitar. I think it would be nice to understand what these devices really do, and to be able to simulate their action. I should know enough about audio file formats (some of them) to be able to simulate the action of analog devices to edit digital files. Then, if I can figure out what kinds of sounds Benjamin likes, I may be able to emphasize those kinds of sounds for him. Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 23:34, 30 July 2012 (UTC) Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 00:39, 4 July 2012 (UTC)

[] Composing Free and open online educational resources

[] Teaching and Learning Online

[] Portal: Primary Education

[] Category: Primary School Mathematics

[] A "Featured Course" for the beginner interested in Computer Science,

with neat layout, pictures, and good-looking stuff which should entice me to study the material, with an eye for reverse engineering it, and using the techniques to improve my own articles.

[] A software engineer in Plano, Texas, has already posted a course on "How to quickly set up your User page".

This looks like a great way for me to improve my pages! Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 22:32, 17 July 2012 (UTC)

[] Study the "Wikiversity the Movie" Project -- IMHO, video production should not be dependent upon having and using a camera. Cameras can only record images of real objects which reflect (or otherwise interact with) light. How can one make movies of things which don't exist (haven't been invented) yet? Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 23:54, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

I haven't a clue as to the best ways to prioritize these courses. After all, the entire idea of the Pi-man teaming up with "Simple Simon" is to promote the finding of interesting pathways through the Wikiversity, and building new pathways.

I expect that the best way to do this is to study the best available courses I can find, keep looking for new ideas and new material, and do the best I can with what I know at every step of the endless process. Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 21:35, 15 July 2012 (UTC)

<PRE> (3) Learn how to upload diagrams to Wikimedia Commons. This is required to add diagram for grid of regular pentagons for item (B) (5) below.

(B) Finish topics already begun: (1) "The Noble adventure of Asking for Permission" (2) Port C++ source code files to QB64 BASIC. (3) Revise "Rubik's Cube" book. (4) Work out protocols for downloading and using software tools (e. g., QB64 compiler) on public facilities. This will require some "real world" working with library professionals. (5) Finish the lesson plan for "RCB_FoldingWithTheStars". </PRE>

[] RCB_DanceWithTheStars (original, OBSOLETE version)

[] RCB_DancingWithTheStars (newer, revised edition. My wife suggested that "RCB_FoldingWithTheStars" would be a much better title, to avoid disappointing so many persons interested in choreography, instead of in paper crafts, the actual content.) This is still incomplete in about 20 places, and still contains the big ERROR in How to Make the Core of the Traditional String-and-Straws Model. Some pictures are included; more pictures would probably be helpful. Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 00:56, 10 August 2012 (UTC)

<PRE> (6) Machine Theory with Conway's Game of Life

(C) Keep and update a list of contacts: I can't have too many friends. I can't get too much encouragement. </PRE> (1) Someone is a sci-fi fan and student of studies relevant to women. This combination of interests may help me address some issues which have arisen from my readings of Robert J. Sawyer's "www" trilogy, _www_Wake_, _www_Watch_, and _www_Wonder_.

[] Xtgyal

(2) One of the custodians who welcomed me:

[] HappyCamper

(3) Another helpful custodian:

[] Jtneill

(4) My first mascot:

[] Jacob Frank

Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 02:37, 30 April 2012 (UTC)

(5) More mascots:

[]Baah and Bahh

Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 02:37, 30 April 2012 (UTC)

<PRE> (D) Keep and update a list of reading materials relevant to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics.) (1) 510.92 HEN, Henderson, Harry, _Modern_Mathematicians_, 1996, Facts on File, Inc.   ISBN 0-8160-1235-1 (hb: acid-free) (Relevant to computer science) Charles Babbage (1792-1871) Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) George Boole(1815-1864) Staislaw Ulam (1909-1984) Alan Turing (1912-1954) John H. Conway (1937- ) (role models for women) Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) Sofia Kovalevskaia (1850-1891) Emmy Noether (1882-1935) Julia Bowman Robinson (1919-1985)

(E) Real-world Contruction Projects

(1) My children want me to do some indoor activities when it is too hot in the shop. They have gotten me some simple electronics kits from radio shack. A simple project with blinking lights so encouraged Benjamin (my son), that he ordered some guitar pedal projects. He has completed two (and they work!) with only a minimum of advice, and a helping hand while he is soldering things together. ~

(2) "The Greatest Show on Earth" toy circus train designed by Norman Marshall, _The_Great_All-American_Wooden_Toy_Book_, Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania, 1986, pages 200 - 203. For Jody.

(a) Lion (b) Camel (c) Giraffe (d) Hippopotamus (e) Elephant (f) Bear (g) Wheels

(3) Saw Horses, with shelves

(4) Stand for Band Saw

(5) Wheelbarrow Planter (yard decoration) for Mike P., using the plans he provided.

(6) A working, low-tech, solar-powered, Stirling Cycle Hot Air Engine. See videos on-line, from Community College

</PRE>

I really do make prototypes. Here is the contributor hiding behind two home-made puzzles, based on designs by Stewart Coffin. I have also begun working om "The School of Creativity" and "The School of Wikiversity Studies". These should be (hopefully) a better place for some of my on-line work.<BR [] "School of Creativity"<BR> [] "School of Wikiversity Studies"<BR> Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 02:05, 7 October 2012 (UTC)

Progress is slow, but I keep at it. Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 02:00, 15 May 2012 (UTC)

Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 02:17, 19 April 2012 (UTC)

Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 18:40, 25 April 2012 (UTC)

Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 18:49, 1 May 2012 (UTC)

Talkback
Hr.hanafi (talk) 04:14, 22 May 2012 (UTC)

Distinction between "Data" and "Information"
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Data_and_information.png

http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Data_Codeing_and_Information_Decodeing

Hr.hanafi (talk) 08:22, 23 May 2012 (UTC)

Edit "introduction to computer"
http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Computers

Hr.hanafi (talk) 18:46, 24 May 2012 (UTC)

Proposal: School of Creativity
Just to get things started, I actually created pages for both schools: "The School of Creativity" and "The School of Wikiversity Studies". I also put in navigational links so you can easily move between the new schools.

Both schools will need "Portals". I propose that the Portal for "Wikiversity Studies" be addressed primarily to teachers and providers of content, while the Portal for "Creativity" should be addressed primarily for students and learners (the younger the better! They need all the support in developing Creativity which the can find!) Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 23:01, 15 September 2012 (UTC)

Just to prove that they are "real", here are links to both new schools: "School of Wikiversity Studies" [] <BR> "School of Creativity" [] Ray Calvin Baker (talk) 23:01, 15 September 2012 (UTC)

Hello Ray Calvin Baker, I am Orschstaffer, and would like to discuss the possibilities of this school of creativity. The Create room (this page is on Wikimedia Meta-wiki) has been created and waits upon worthy imaginations to produce some usable content. I am still trying to figure Wikiversity out, and looking for people who are currently doing something here. My interest at present involves learning the Russian language. I have also some interest in geology, which I have recently begun some research. Education is an area that needs some special considerations. I concur with some of your observations.

I like your style of notating and keeping things in their proper perspective. Something I sometimes struggle with. Chaos is my friend (as I seem to hang with him mostly), but I thrive on organization and live daily by some form of it.

Maybe we can creatively come up with some answers/solutions to this Wikiversity and the minor encumbrances it embraces for the moment.

Here is one of my ideas I would like to mull over with someone. It is the talk page of this topic.

Give me a communique at User talk:Orschstaffer, or here as I have this page on my watch list. Orschstaffer (talk) 18:47, 27 August 2012 (UTC)


 * Under your comments/notes at A(3), I have uploaded images and may be able to help through some uploads. Look on the left column, click Toolbox and it opens a drop down menu, click on Upload file. This takes you to a page with nice instructions for upload from your computer to the commons. Orschstaffer (talk) 19:02, 27 August 2012 (UTC)

Thanks for your reply(s)/communique.

I am liking your ideas for creative learning. I can see the cogs turning toward some improvement on the Wikiversity. Categorizing is still some mystery to me but if I put some effort in it maybe it will suddenly become easy to achieve. I too would like to fluently understand Spanish. I did two weeks of it in high school and have a small grasp of it (better so than the Russian).

Mathematics was never one of my favorite subjects. I did alright with most of it until algebra, the teacher would not answer my question at the very beginning when she was covering the formulas and my brain went into lock down mode. After 3 or 4 weeks I went back to related math 2 instead, the next year I did geometry and completed with a b+ average. What's that all about? Teaching methods I am sure of it. Number puzzles seem to be easy for me. And I like geometry things.

Looking forward to more things to discuss and organize. For now I am distracted with things about living life but I'll keep in touch periodically. Thanks again for your reply and interest. Orschstaffer (talk) 13:37, 31 August 2012 (UTC)

Wikiversium Yardstick
Here's a Hello! back,

I used the yardstick to evaluate the Economics, Language and Literature, and maybe one other school. It's all about Lessons. If a school has three courses, apparently anywhere on any subject, each of which has at least three lessons, the school gets a good grade. There are some additional "requirements" after that but I'm not sure how applicable those are here at Wikiversity. Personally, there are around 130 schools, many of which are not in the Category:Schools so evaluating them all is a long process. Currently, all in the "Schools" category have an F except those three I've changed, and maybe one the colorful circle user missed. On the one hand, I'm good with deleting all the colorful circles. On the other, evaluating the courses against some control group would probably be a good idea. Feel free to transfer these comments to your new School:Wikiversity Studies. --Marshallsumter (talk) 18:10, 27 September 2012 (UTC)