Sadly I think this discussion demonstrates some hostility toward
academe. (here's a quote from yesterday addressed to me on this
list: "...knowledge robberbarons standing athwart history imagining
they and their institutions alone, had the requisite skills and
expertise to engage in knowledge production. Until they didn't. Enjoy
your new neighbors in trash heap of history." I would code his
emotional tone as "hostile")
Well it's always nice to see people citing the lessons of history,
especially since I'm a specialist in that sort of OR. But the
underlying hostility is a problem that bothers me a lot and I have
been trying to think of ways to bridge the gap. There is in
operation a Wikimedia Foundation Education program that is small and
will not, in my opinion, scale up easily to the size needed. In any
case the Foundation plans to cut the US-Canada program loose in 12
months to go its own way. see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Education_Working_Group/Wikimedia_Foundation_Role
My own thinking is currently along two lines:
a) set up a highly visible Wiki prsence at scholarly conventions (in
multiple disciplines) with 1) Wiki people at booths to explain the
secrets of Wikipedia to interested academics and 2) hands-on
workshops to show professors how to integrate student projects into
their classes. (and yes, professors given paid time off to attend
these conventions, often plus travel money.)
b) run a training program for experienced Wiki editors at a major
research library. (I'm thinking just of Wiki history editors here.)
For those who want it provide access to sources like JSTOR. Bring in
historians covering main historiographical themes. I think this could
help hundreds of editors find new topics, methods and sources that
would lead to hundreds of thousands of better edits.
Richard Jensen
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