Wikiversity:Colloquium/archives/February 2012

If you think MediaWiki does not offer what you need to boost your learning activities...
...have a look at the current discussion in the mailing list about the Sandbox Server Some ideas from the past what the current software (installation) misses can be read here:
 * Vision/2009
 * Technical needs
 * Topic:Sandbox_Server_0.5, Erkan Yilmaz uses the Chat + Identi.ca 14:23, 2 February 2012 (UTC)

Elementary algebra
Being new here, can I know what is needed to be filled here (in very brief), and I am ready, Elementary algebra. Recently, I improved the Pythagorean theorem to a good level, if you can help me here, that would be very thankful --Extra999 13:57, 9 February 2012 (UTC)
 * Elementary algebra: you could ask e.g. User:Joshua.thomas.bird who created it (what he would like to see there? but since it's a wiki you can also "be bold"). See also here if this shares more light into the darkness and what a change of that page would mean for the other learning resources. Erkan Yilmaz uses the Chat + Identi.ca 18:24, 9 February 2012 (UTC)

MediaWiki 1.19
(Apologies if this message isn't in your language.) The Wikimedia Foundation is planning to upgrade MediaWiki (the software powering this wiki) to its latest version this month. You can help to test it before it is enabled, to avoid disruption and breakage. More information is available in the full announcement. Thank you for your understanding.

Guillaume Paumier, via the Global message delivery system (wrong page? You can fix it.). 14:57, 12 February 2012 (UTC)

wikis which use a (more) formal (peer) review process
Does anyone know some? I found so far scholarpedia, nupedia (is no wiki). There was a request in the German WV and I've collected what I found so far here - but I think there are certainly more. Thanks, Erkan Yilmaz uses the Chat + Identi.ca 01:19, 13 February 2012 (UTC)

Vision for Wikiversity in 2012?
Share your dreams: Vision/2012, Erkan Yilmaz uses the Chat + Identi.ca 01:25, 14 February 2012 (UTC)
 * As a relative newcomer, I would really love to see a push to explore ways that we can facilitate more conversation and discussion as well as simply getting more people through the door. Its a bit disheartening to see a complete lack of conversation going on and there still doesn't seem to be a critical mass of people to make significant strides forward. I'm looking forward to working on some new learning projects, hopefully some of which will be more collaborative in nature. Anyways, I'm glad to be here and I'm interested to see what others have to contribute! MyNameWasTaken 02:31, 14 February 2012 (UTC)
 * What is something useful we could collaborate on? Cheat sheets for example? --HappyCamper 08:12, 14 February 2012 (UTC)
 * Start wiki editing again as I have now completed my N.Diploma in Electrical Engineering. I'll have time finally (",) --Thuvack | talk 13:14, 15 February 2012 (UTC)
 * Thuvack, you are back!!!!! :):):) You are much needed here! --HappyCamper 17:21, 15 February 2012 (UTC)
 * Great, will be awaiting m ore of your blog posts :-) Erkan Yilmaz uses the Chat + Identi.ca 21:29, 15 February 2012 (UTC)
 * I could be interested in working on just about anything really. It's my understanding now that the goal in developing resources here is not simply to present material but to facilitate collaborative construction and development including personal learning. I would love to pick a basic topic that I know only a little about and work with one or more interested people to develop a learning project while exploring the topic for personal education. This stands in sharp contrast to my first project, which is essentially a port of a pre-existing course structure with external readings. MyNameWasTaken 18:56, 15 February 2012 (UTC)
 * Well, for collaboration most often it's just needed to make contact (be it with feedback on the talk page: of a learning resource or a user's), moste often newcomers won't contact first because of shyness. What helps here in my view is a more prominent advertizing of the chat (since people tend to ask their questions more easy in a non-permanent medium, e.g. on-wiki it stays basically forever), Erkan Yilmaz uses the Chat + Identi.ca 20:07, 15 February 2012 (UTC)
 * And another note: asking persons individually will work better than a general mention to all (people tend to not feel adressed somehow or act), Erkan Yilmaz uses the Chat + Identi.ca 21:29, 15 February 2012 (UTC)
 * Cheat sheets are a nice thing, since they save time for people, so there's an immediate win
 * Though they need more specific domain knowledge and not everybody could help create for each topic perhaps (without learning basics)? Erkan Yilmaz uses the Chat + Identi.ca 21:29, 15 February 2012 (UTC)
 * But anyone can just add something to it. Same with Formal letter writing. --HappyCamper 05:58, 16 February 2012 (UTC)

separate vision: immediately implementable + rest
There are now 2 sections: Vision/2012, would be great if you could add e.g. one or more things you miss, Erkan Yilmaz uses the Chat + Identi.ca 20:24, 15 February 2012 (UTC)
 * Perhaps we should also find an easier way of summarizing what is happening on Wikiversity. See UTPA STEM for example. --HappyCamper 06:03, 16 February 2012 (UTC)
 * Sure, will help. A use case could be: someone viewing activity + creating a page + then:
 * 1. telling the "class instructor" (in the hope there will be added more info from the insider himself. Could later also be used as a step in the WV:Feedback. On the other hand: could also backfire sometimes, because people want to stay at begin under the radar, so an email may be better?)
 * 2. making a note in the colloquium (to attract more awareness, see "under the radar" above), Erkan Yilmaz uses the Chat + Identi.ca 18:34, 16 February 2012 (UTC)

but who...
So, another question: who would do these things then? in the end: we can talk big about this and that, but who realizes it and why? Erkan Yilmaz uses the Chat + Identi.ca 18:32, 16 February 2012 (UTC)

Created new category, Freedom of speech
Created new category, for Freedom of speech. This is in conjunction with crosswiki sister project coordination at Commons:Category:Freedom of speech. Please feel free to help populate it, that'd be most appreciated. ;) Cheers, -- Cirt (talk) 06:04, 17 February 2012 (UTC)
 * Category:Freedom of speech

Mobile Version??
I see Wikipedia projects have got mobile versions. When will wikiversity have one?? --Thuvack | talk 18:53, 17 February 2012 (UTC)
 * Well, the needed extension MobileFrontend is already installed at WV, perhaps more info here or here, Erkan Yilmaz uses the Chat + Identi.ca 20:18, 17 February 2012 (UTC)
 * Better: [//en.m.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity:Colloquium Mobile Colloquium]. -- dark lama  21:05, 17 February 2012 (UTC)

Personal learning environment (PLE) retry question after 4 months
Ca. 4 months ago I asked this. I was wondering if in the new year there would be more feedback... (feedback can be by anyone), Erkan Yilmaz uses the Chat + Identi.ca 05:54, 13 February 2012 (UTC)
 * Sorry for not responding to your first inquiry but I get bogged down with all the other junk I do. Anyways, I don't use my PLE very much anymore unfortunately. I do like how fluid the wiki environment is and how easy it is to structure thoughts and content. I've noticed though that my Google Docs has become my new PLE. It's not quite the same but it roughly serves the same function. With regards to WV in general I haven't been as active as I would like to be. I've been focusing on school lately so that doesn't leave me with much time to do all the things I used to do. :( Devourer09  ( t · c ) 17:39, 21 February 2012 (UTC)