Wikiversity as a Wikimedia sister project

This page is an exploration of Wikiversity as a Wikimedia sister project. This page is for wiki editors who are already familiar with at least one other Wikimedia project such as Wikipedia. If you are new to wiki, try Introduction to Wikiversity.

What is unique to Wikiversity?
How does Wikiversity differ from other Wikimedia Foundation wiki projects?

New
Wikiversity is a relatively new wiki website. ".....we should run small experiments, tests, see what works, what doesn't, and be prepared to be flexible and change, and not be too locked into stone about how things should work." (source)

Since Wikiversity is new, the emphasis is on content development. Existing content is still currently limited and mostly under construction. Wikiversity is building learning communities that can use the wiki editing process itself as a way of learning....learning the wiki way. See the Wikiversity e-learning model.

Scope and Mission
"..... the idea here is to also host learning communities, so people who are actually trying to learn, actually have a place to come and interact and help each other figure out how to learn things. We're also going to be hosting and fostering research into how these kinds of things can be used more effectively." (source)

Wikiversity existed for several years within the Wikibooks project (see History of Wikiversity). The approved Wikiversity project proposal defines the scope and mission of the project. Wikiversity hosts learning resources that take several forms. Other WikiMedia sister projects also host learning resources. Wikiversity is not a duplication of other Wikimedia projects. For example, textbooks are hosted at Wikibooks. Wikiversity does not host textbooks, but does host lessons that make use of Wikibooks textbooks.

Namespaces and Content organization
The Wikipedia community invented WikiProjects, i.e. wiki content development projects. At Wikipedia, content development projects exist as pages in the "Wikipedia:" namespace.

Wikiversity has two special namespaces for content development projects: a "School:" and a "Topic:" namespace; so that the "School:" namespace can be for a relatively small number of "higher level" content development pages that function to organize a larger number of "lower level" content development projects ("Topic:") for narrow academic topic areas. Wikiversity content development projects are where Wikiversity participants collaborate to create, organize and develop learning resources for specific subjects.

How to participate

 * Browse existing content. See the Wikiversity portal pages.
 * Help with content development. Learn while you edit. Do not wait for an expert to do everything. Create and participate in learning projects where you can learn while Wikiversity content is created. See Portal:Learning Projects.