Wikimedia Education Greenhouse/Unit 1 - Module 1

  Wikimedia & Education, knowledge equity, and SDG4

Education Paradigms
Start this module by watching an extract of a talk by Sir Ken Robinson about education systems and culture. As you watch the video, think about your own education experience: Does his presentation reflect your local education system? How is it similar or different? Do you agree with his statements? Why or why not?

Quiz: What was the main idea of the video?

Select one answer.


 * 1) Current education systems are based on interests and paradigms of the industrial era, they work against a culture of curiosity and collaboration.
 * 2) Current education systems are innovative,  creative and do not need to change.
 * 3) Education should focus on increasing standardization, it reflects the economic systems of production of a country.

Check the "Discuss" page for the answers.

Education and the Sustainable Development Goals
Have you ever heard of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? In this section we are going to focus our attention on SDG 4 - Quality Education. Let's start by exploring the targets and indicators that help education actors and institutions guide our actions to achieve this goal and measure our success. Data collection is an important aspect needed to advance SDG4, Quality Education. To continue thinking about SDG4 we invite you to watch this video created by UNESCO on data collection for impact. As you watch the video reflect on the data available about the state of education in your country. Is it easily accessible? What kind of indicators does it present? What is the most surprising fact you have learned through this video?

Quiz：Choose the correct statement:


 * 1) Data about education only comes from one source.
 * 2) Collecting data helps us to measure the progress on different education issues.
 * 3) Collecting data is an easy and straightforward process.

Check the "Discuss" page for the answers.

Education Inequalities in the World
To wrap up this section, we invite you to explore the "World Inequality Database on Education" (WIDE). The WIDE "highlights the powerful influence of circumstances, such as wealth, gender, ethnicity and location, over which people have little control but which play an important role in shaping their opportunities for education and life. It draws attention to unacceptable levels of education inequality across countries and between groups within countries, with the aim of helping to inform policy design and public debate".

See how the world is achieving the different targets for SDG 4. Explore the data available about your country. Compare the realities that people from different regions, genders, religions, language communities, etc. face in your country. Observe how the data available changes every year and how/if these inequality gaps are being addressed.

Wikimedia strategy and Open education
In this next section we will start thinking about how the Wikimedia strategic direction connects to open education.

Active learning with Open Education Resources
On EdTechMagazine, Jim Vander Putten presents some reflections around open educational resources (OERs) and principles for active learning in the classroom. As you read his article start thinking how these principles connect to the Wikimedia and education projects you are involved in.

Quiz: What are the three levels that ensure an active learning environment?
 * 1) Understand, analyze, create
 * 2) Read, understand, respond
 * 3) Copy, adapt, reshare

Wikimedia Strategy
How familiar are you with the Wikimedia movement's strategic direction? Check out the video below and see the movement strategy towards knowledge equity and knowledge as a service. Once you have watched the video, go to the Meta page containing more information about the movement's strategic direction and the 10 Movement Strategy Recommendations. As you explore the content think about how the Wikimedia and education projects you are involved in align with this strategic direction.

Course Portfolio Assignment: Stop, reflect, share
So far we have:


 * explored the global goals for education
 * reflected on the societal inequalities that can impact education, and
 * we have begun to connect the principles of active learning and OERs to the Wikimedia strategic direction of knowledge equity and knowledge as service.

But how does that look in practice? What does a Wikimedia and education project look like? Check out the Education Newsletter Archive and the different ways that our community is advancing the Wikimedia movement while addressing the needs and opportunities of their local education contexts. Can you find or think of a Wikimedia and education initiative that demonstrates clear learning objectives and that uses the Wikimedia projects to achieve global education goals? Or do you have an idea for one?

Remember that you can document your thoughts on your Course Portfolio and share them with us on the Discuss section as well.

Additional resources and activities

 * Explore the Framework for 21st Century Learning. What are your ideas for ways you can teach these skills using Wikimedia projects?
 * Look for the article "The spectacular failure of One Laptop Per Child" by Martin Morse Wooster. As you reflect on the case presented think about other technological initiatives in your context that were not successful. What went wrong? If you were in charge, what would you have done differently?
 * Discuss with your peers or write a reflection piece answering the questions: When is providing technology the right solution to educational challenges? Where can Wikimedia make a difference, and what is outside of our influence? Use the previous content and case study as references to back your arguments. Document it on your Course Portfolio!
 * Create a Tweetstorm! A tweetstorm is a series of connected tweets around a topic that allows you to extend your ideas but still keep them dynamic and digestible. We want to challenge you to create a tweetstorm on your Twitter account with the following goal in mind: persuading an audience that Wikimedia projects help achieve global education goals. Make sure your tweet: demonstrates understanding of global goals for education, identifies learning outcomes that happen when students participate in the Wikimedia movement, and is written for a specific audience (educators, parents, policy makers, Wikimedians). You can use the hashtag: #WikimediaEducation so more people can find it and retweet!

 Go back to Comms Channels  Go to Unit 1 - Module 2