Wikiversity:Think tank

The Think Tank is intended to serve a similar function to the "WikiProjects" on Wikipedia, as a place to organize efforts to create new community learning initiatives.

Choosing topics
Topics can come from any source, from current events that people might want to learn about to topics of interest brought up in another context. Focus could also be given to current events within the wikimedia community. The idea is to rapidly create base structures for learning initiatives in order to attract and serve contributors who may be interested or concerned about something going on in the world or their community.

Possible topics

 * 2008 global economic crisis
 * Consensus in a wiki environment
 * Creating imagemaps for use on wikis
 * Digital media and democracy -- maybe needs a better name, but the use of digital media in the 2008 U.S. election could be a very interesting topic.
 * Topic:International Year of Astronomy - 2009

Requested topics

 * article 31 of the Convention of the rights of a child, which states that every child has the right to (1)rest and leisure, to engage in (2)play and recreational activities and to participate in (3)cultural life and the arts. What are scientific and psychological arguments that can under build this article?
 * A more organized curriculum and more comprehensive course materials in neuroscience. I'm involved with the course materials in this area.  --AFriedman 22:00, 5 January 2009 (UTC)
 * /History of Science/ -- Per emailed request, incubating. --SB_Johnny talk 11:22, 17 December 2008 (UTC)
 * See also Category:History of Science. The Jade Knight (d'viser) 08:46, 24 December 2008 (UTC)
 * Possible cures for influenza virus, which is currently killing people in mexico and may become a global pandemic.
 * A more in-depth film program
 * The possibility of a total rebuild of the educational system using modern technology and ethics.

Finding projects
Many new contributors come to Wikiversity and begin creating content, but all too often receive very little assistance. Think tank participants can help identify and reach out to these users by watching the recent changes or new pages.

Participants interested in watching for new projects

 * --SB_Johnny talk 12:14, 15 December 2008 (UTC)
 * The Jade Knight (d'viser) 23:21, 15 December 2008 (UTC)
 * AFriedman 22:00, 5 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Bobby 16:07, 24 Feburary 2009 (UTC)
 * Debarko De 03:28, 16 May 2009 (UTC)
 * User:Chandra Janakiraman 11:30, 17 Jun 2009 (IST)

To-do

 * 1) Create a template for the user talk pages of people who begin new resources.

Designing projects
The skeletal structure of the initiatives should be set out in a quick and efficient way. Examples:
 * Will it use surveys or personal reflection?
 * Can participants collect data?
 * What Wikimedia resources are available? If it's a current events topic, can Wikinewsies or Commoners help provide documentation?
 * Choosing a "logo" for initiatives?
 * Navigation templates and general structure of the initiative.

Participants interested in helping develop new projects

 * --SB_Johnny talk 12:14, 15 December 2008 (UTC)
 * AFriedman 22:01, 5 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Djd011 12:24, 14 February 2009 (GMT-6)
 * Tejas V Hoskatti 18:40, 4 April 2009 (GMT-5:30)
 * Debarko De 03:29, 16 May 2009 (UTC)
 * (you?)

To-do

 * 1) Create a list of templates and other materials that can easily be adapted to new projects
 * 2) * Start a Wikiversity Project (tutorial)

Launching initiatives
Once a skeletal structure has been created, the initiative should be "advertised". In general, this could be done via regular announcements on the Colloquium and its analogs on the other Wikimedia projects. To avoid becoming a "pest", we should probably do this on a schedule announcing all of the new projects every 3 weeks or so, rather than announcing each project when it comes up (i.e, we don't want to be accused of "spamming" the other projects).