Why not a Wiki University? One which would employ a social fabric which allows for differences in presentation without competitive, hostile and confrontational overloading. This University would not be a single site, but rather a combine of sites which are organized (but not presented) at a central LinkingRepository. Represented in theWikiUniversity would be Colleges. Each College would represent topics which are normally presented at BrickAndMortarUniversites as well as topics which are not, employing a scholastic rigor and level similar to that of such Universities. A search facility could be located at this central site which give users the ability to find what they wish to study. Any number of organizable, coherent subjects could be included in the University, Colleges or Divisions and would include Summary, Goal, and Syllabus which would describe, review, and define the coverage, normal period of time one would take to complete the course. In addition to the presentation of the material, the courses could include interactive demonstrations, reviews, tests, discussion forums, and projects and practical applications. Some institutions (Brick and Mortar) are beginning to present for free public access, instructional videos as well as past course material for instructional use by individuals * Search ** http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses Books are also being made available online for a relatively small fee * Safari ** Free trials are here: *** http://www.safaribooksonline.com/ Some books are available free: * ProjectGutenberg ** Project Gutenberg offers over 42,000 free ebooks: choose among free epub books, free kindle books, download them or read them online *** http://www.gutenberg.org/ ---- '''Philosophy - What Is Learning''' ''Another antithesis is suggested by the two senses of the word "learning." On the one hand, learning is the sum total of what is known, as that is handed down by books and learned men. It is something external, an accumulation of cognitions as one might store material commodities in a warehouse. Truth exists ready- made somewhere. Study is then the process by which an individual draws on what is in storage. On the other hand, learning means something which the individual does when he studies. It is an active, personally conducted affair. The dualism here is between knowledge as something external, or, as it is often called, objective, and knowing as something purely internal, subjective, psychical. There is, on one side, a body of truth, ready-made, and, on the other, a ready-made mind equipped with a faculty of knowing -- if it only wills to exercise it, which it is often strangely loath to do. The separation, often touched upon, between subject matter and method is the educational equivalent of this dualism. Socially the distinction has to do with the part of life which is dependent upon authority and that where individuals are free to advance.'' * http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Democracy_and_Education/Section_25 ---- '''Present State''' One can find courses which present material which is useful, if not complete and which allow a measure of interactivity, but which do not satisfy a user's desires. Some are outlines and provide links limited to those formally enrolled. A WikiUniversity should be open and not impose barriers to entry other than that of registering a user name and the setting of a user password (to allow proper attribution for submissions and to provide a means of tracking learning). '''Presentation Format''' Courses could be presented in various formats, from that of controlled and fixed format, which cannot be altered, but which can be discussed, to that of wide-open and highly interactive course ''sessions'' where material can be questioned, reviewed, enhanced and tested by participants. This would make it possible for varied learning environments which would meet the subject and participants requirements. Some of these sessions could morph into Courses in which the presentation part is frozen into a formal read only form, while retaining read/write discussions and student interactivity. '''Entrance Requirements''' Entrance to the WikiUniversity should be free. * Level of entry proficiency or pre-requisite knowledge required or assumed for students, but not absolutely mandated. * Should be structured in such a manner as to offer many E''''''ntryPointLevels and progressions allowing students at levels including that of grade school educational levels as low as the 2nd through 4th grades (public schools USA). * Arbitrary and Mandated Selection ** The idea being to offer learning experiences and structures chosen by the student, in addition to those selected and mandated by institutions. * Rating and Review ** Courses offered should however be subjected to a rating and review process which would classify content according to suitability and accuracy (this particularly for courses offered to minors). '''Composition of Course Material''' At the very least, courses should contain: * Instructional and illustrative materials * Organization of and schedule for study, review, quizes, exams, projects * A contact, mentor, or sponsor who would serve as instructor or guide, who would construct a course FAQ, monitor progress, certify completion and credit points, answer new questions, and generally assist students in their learning experience. * WikiuTextbooks should be made available for checkout With a WikiuLibraryCard similar in function to that of a Public Library, with minimal restrictions on usage, allowing clippings and quotes with attribution. * WikiuWorkbooks, WikiuStructuredReviews, WikiuSelfTests, WikiuSummaries, WikiuOverviews, and WikiuNotes. * WikiuCommentSections where students can offer their own observations and notes. In addition, WikiuSeminars and WikiuConferences should be offered employing sessions with multimedia-clips, powerpoints, with accompanying interactive student/seminar/student sessions. The WikiuSession should be offered as streams, or as downloads. These could be organized as topical short-subjects which take place in periods as short a as an hour or two. This kind of construct would be used to simulate attendance at a lecture or presentation one might have experienced in the realworld, with multiple sessions assembled to form a complete course. '''Convenience and Flexibility''' A WikiUniversity can offer the following: * attend classes from where you are * able to learn from interacting with other class members (Utilizing technology allowing multi-person video conference calling) (Similar to present Skype beta offering of it) * participation in live, interactive courses with other class members regardless of location or size * Access classes as presentations available any time of the day or night (VideoStreaming) * Access lectures as presentations via video streaming ** Access lectures and demonstrations via video files downloaded (requiring only a LearningLibraryCard) ** flexible and diverse programs of study ** complete a topical based study in periods measured in weeks and months rather than semesters and years ** take courses as certified, degreed or non-degree or uncertified (LifeTimeLearning) basis * A WikiUniversity and its contents should indexed in a SearchInstrument allowing locating of areas of interest ---- One can open the mind to treasures or trash, A Wiki University can lead one toward the first. ---- Contributions: * DonaldNoyes 20110101 ** http://donaldr.noyes.com/WikiResources/WikiUniversity.htm ** WhatSortOfComputationWouldInterestJuniorSchoolChildren ** CollegeInvisible ** VirtualSchool ** CurrIki: http://www.curriki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Main/WebHome ** http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity:Learning * ChrisGarrod - See WikiVersity ** http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity:Main_Page ---- CategoryEducation