Wikipedia:Education noticeboard/Archive 11

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Seeking input on a Biographies training guide

Hello all, The Wiki Education Foundation has drafted up a short handbook for student editors who will edit Biography articles for classroom assignments, and we'd love to hear from volunteers. The proposed text is here. If there's anything you'd like to contribute, please have a look! I'll be submitting for final design on August 31, so comments before then would be especially helpful. Thanks! Eryk (Wiki Ed) (talk) 17:09, 26 August 2015 (UTC)

Hi everyone, we've extended the review window until the end of the week. Notes or comments posted before Wednesday, Sept. 2 would be extremely helpful! Thanks! Eryk (Wiki Ed) (talk) 18:33, 31 August 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Latino Theatre and Film — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Tufts_University/Latino_Theatre_and_Film_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Noemontez (talk) 17:48, 31 August 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — EN 141 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Boston_University/EN_141_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Ryanweb (talk) 19:34, 31 August 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Human Factors in Aviation — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Western_Ontario/Human_Factors_in_Aviation_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Skearns4 (talk) 20:19, 31 August 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — RELS 452 852 The Contemporary Religious Situation — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Queen's_University/RELS_452_852_The_Contemporary_Religious_Situation_(Fall). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--MonstreDélicat (talk) 23:18, 31 August 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — History on the Web — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/West_Chester_University/History_on_the_Web_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Jannekenls (talk) 01:04, 1 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — CHEM 4150 Environmental Chemistry — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/LSU/CHEM_4150_Environmental_Chemistry_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Rlcooklsu (talk) 01:06, 1 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Topics in Cinema and Gender — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Carleton_University/Topics_in_Cinema_and_Gender_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Chronophoto (talk) 01:28, 1 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Global Studies and Diplomacy — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Kaohsiung_American_School/Global_Studies_and_Diplomacy__(2015-16). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--AbarrowKAS (talk) 05:33, 1 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — ENGLI1102-040 Academic Writing and the Meaning of Knowledge — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/College_of_DuPage/ENGLI1102-040_Academic_Writing_and_the_Meaning_of_Knowledge_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--ProfTAH (talk) 13:15, 1 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — ENGLI1102-088 Academic Writing and the Meaning of Knowledge — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/College_of_DuPage/ENGLI1102-088_Academic_Writing_and_the_Meaning_of_Knowledge_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--ProfTAH (talk) 13:18, 1 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Bio3595A Advanced Genetics — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Western_University/Bio3595A_Advanced_Genetics_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--TomHaffie (talk) 16:26, 1 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Hudson Valley Amenity Economy - ENST 291 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Vassar_College/Hudson_Valley_Amenity_Economy_-_ENST_291_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Baynard (talk) 16:50, 1 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Fundamentals of Inquiry — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Brandon_University/Fundamentals_of_Inquiry_(Fall). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--ShelaD472 (talk) 15:01, 2 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Music and the Environment — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/New_College_of_Florida/Music_and_the_Environment_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Maribeth Clark (talk) 17:25, 2 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Song in the US — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/New_College_of_Florida/Song_in_the_US_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Maribeth Clark (talk) 17:31, 2 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Globalization and Media — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Simon_Fraser_University/Globalization_and_Media_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Minotaurlives (talk) 17:47, 2 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Bio3595A Advanced Genetics 003 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Western_University/Bio3595A_Advanced_Genetics_003_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--TomHaffie (talk) 17:52, 2 September 2015 (UTC)

Student usernames

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


We seem to have a lot of students signing up accounts just now, which is good. Quite a few seem to be using their student number and their real name as their account name, which seems to me quite a lot less good, for them at least. I'm not sure how Wikipedia's contact with educators works, but is there some way we could encourage instructors to discourage this sort of thing?

My concern is mainly for the good of the students; it's not hard to see one of them getting into a dispute with some unscrupulous character, and said unscrupulous character using their name and student number to contact their school, impersonating them, and causing all sorts of real-life difficulties. GoldenRing (talk) 04:06, 2 September 2015 (UTC)

GoldenRing: We encourage instructors and students to think carefully about usernames and anonymity. Here's the section of the current instructor training — which instructors go through before they set up a class — that discusses it: Wikipedia:Training/For educators/Creating accounts. Many student do end up using (what appear to be) real names, but in the several years of formal education programs on English Wikipedia, I don't recall any specific cases where this has caused a problem for a user.--Sage (Wiki Ed) (talk) 16:11, 2 September 2015 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

I have created a new course — New Media Theory and Practice — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Ontario_Institute_of_Technology/New_Media_Theory_and_Practice_(Fall). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Jaobar (talk) 18:05, 2 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Global Power Shifts — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Communication/Global_Power_Shifts_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Minotaurlives (talk) 01:38, 3 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Advanced Writing for Environmental Science — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Northeastern_University/Advanced_Writing_for_Environmental_Science_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--WritingTeacherC (talk) 16:26, 3 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Introduction to public administration — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Texas_State_University/Introduction_to_public_administration_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--ekh 17:26, 3 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Public personnel administration — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Texas_State_University/Public_personnel_administration_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--ekh 17:27, 3 September 2015 (UTC)

Campus Ambassador application: DrakeLibrarian

DrakeLibrarian (talk · contribs)

  1. Why do you want to be a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    I've worked with several courses using Wikipedia and would like to formalize my relationship with Wikipedia itself as I continue to advance efforts to encourage other faculty to work with Wikipedia in meaningful ways.
  2. Where are you based, and which educational institution(s) do you plan to work with as a Campus Ambassador?
    Des Moines, Iowa. Drake University
  3. What is your academic and/or professional background?
    I'm the Librarian for Digital Literacy & General Education at Drake University, where I hold the rank of Assistant Professor of Librarianship and teach courses on genius, documentary films, and information literacy.
  4. In three sentences or less, summarize your prior experience with Wikimedia projects.
    I've worked with two professors on class Wikimedia projects and enjoyed it. I'm also planning to incorporate Wikipedia into a future course.
  5. What else should we know about you that is relevant to being a Wikipedia Ambassador?
Discussion

I have created a new course — My Name is URL - Writing for the Web — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Western_University/My_Name_is_URL_-_Writing_for_the_Web_(Fall). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Professorclee (talk) 18:48, 3 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Destination Graduation — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Linn-Benton_Community_College/Destination_Graduation_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Sandbergja (talk) 19:16, 3 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Chem 455_505 Special Topics in Biochemistry Nucleic Acids Biochemistry — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Michigan/Chem_455_505_Special_Topics_in_Biochemistry_Nucleic_Acids_Biochemistry_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--ChemLibrarian (talk) 19:48, 4 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Advance Writing for the Sciences — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Northeastern_University/Advance_Writing_for_the_Sciences_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--WritingTeacherC (talk) 04:05, 5 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Advanced Writing in the Sciences — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Northeastern_University/Advanced_Writing_in_the_Sciences_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--WritingTeacherC (talk) 17:50, 6 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — ENG103 The Research Paper — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/LaGuardia_CC-CUNY/ENG103_The_Research_Paper__(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--HullIntegritytalk / 13:52, 7 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — ENG280 Children's Literature — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/LaGuardia_CC-CUNY/ENG280_Children's_Literature_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--HullIntegritytalk / 14:36, 7 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — COMM 394RI- Race and Gender in Sitcoms — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/UMASS-Amherst/COMM_394RI-_Race_and_Gender_in_Sitcoms_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--ProfDRS (talk) 16:55, 7 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Introduction to Mass Communication — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Southern_Indiana/Introduction_to_Mass_Communication_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Crtew (talk) 18:01, 7 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Feminist Science Fictions — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Oregon/Feminist_Science_Fictions_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Castabile (talk) 23:44, 7 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Research Techniques — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Farmingdale_State_College/Research_Techniques_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Markjgrossman (talk) 02:12, 8 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — English-Arabic Translation — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Department_of_English_-_Sultan_Qaboos_University/English-Arabic_Translation_(Fall). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Kshehari (talk) 05:26, 8 September 2015 (UTC)

Assistance required

USER:Erm22 is an instructor for a course on Wikipedia. The user has created some accounts for group editing which I have informed is prohibited by Wikipedia policy. They have since asked about options that would help with grading the class groups. Would someone with more experiance in this area please be able to assist Erm22 (Talk)?- McMatter (talk)/(contrib) 22:56, 3 September 2015 (UTC)

I just saw this; I have gotten in contact with the instructor. Ian (Wiki Ed) (talk) 16:42, 8 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — CORE 151 J Legacies of the Ancient World — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Cplgate_University/CORE_151_J_Legacies_of_the_Ancient_World_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Draymusa (talk) 17:57, 8 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Afro-American History 1 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Millersville_University/Afro-American_History_1_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Gregatmu (talk) 12:50, 9 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Introduction to Communication — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Ontario_Institute_of_Technology/Introduction_to_Communication_(Fall). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Jaobar (talk) 13:16, 9 September 2015 (UTC)

Campus Ambassador application: pcwendland

Pcwendland (talk · contribs)

  1. Why do you want to be a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    My department at my university has recently started using Wikipedia editing and content creation as a supplement to normal coursework, but many of our faculty members aren't very familiar with how to wikify an article or aren't well-versed in technology to begin with. I see huge potential in familiarizing students with how Wikipedia articles are created and maintained, but some of the professors could use some guidance on how to best do this. I could help connect faculty and students with the resources — both online and in person — necessary to improve their classroom use of Wikipedia. In addition to the technical aspects of incorporating it into coursework, I also want to help explain that the all-too-common view of Wikipedia as a terrible source is far from the truth; though citing a Wikipedia article in a research paper obviously isn't something I would do, Wikipedia typically my first stop to understand the basics of a topic and find multiple sources that go into more depth about it. Having this free source of information has helped me immensely, both in formal academic pursuits and in helping me learn about all sorts of things that interest me. I hope to encourage students to become more involved in and see the benefit of free and open access resources, via both Wikimedia projects and other organizations.
  2. Where are you based, and which educational institution(s) do you plan to work with as a Campus Ambassador?
    I am just starting my fourth (and last) year at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC, but I also plan to attend graduate school (university to be determined).
  3. What is your academic and/or professional background?
    I have one year left for my bachelor's in food science with a minor in microbiology. I have experience working in labs focusing on food microbes, soil microbes, crop yields, biofuel, and more, and I'm incredibly passionate about my studies. I was also raised by a grammar and spelling fanatic and a researcher, so I have quite the affinity for proper grammar and style and solid citations.
  4. In three sentences or less, summarize your prior experience with Wikimedia projects.
    Many of my edits are short and sweet - spelling, grammar, and errors; citation needed tags; reversion of spam/vandalism; etc. However, it's the "nitty gritty" of Wikipedia that I think I like most, and that is what I hope to focus on with our faculty. Having uniform formatting and citation guidelines is important in creating a cohesive online encyclopedia, and doing so helps maintain a reputation for accuracy and consistent style.
  5. What else should we know about you that is relevant to being a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    I think most of what I want to say is covered above!
Discussion

Creating a Course Page

I am an adjunct professor of communications at the State University of New York at Farmingdale. I am teaching a course this semester on Research Techniques and would like to incorporate Wikipedia into the course. I see that one needs to have a Course Page set up and have been directed here to request one. Is there anything I need to do or do you folks set it up for me? Also, do I need to have an "Ambassador" or can I start without one? Just so you have the basic information, here are the details on the course: State University of New York at Farmingdale Course No. PCM 315, Section 93698 Tues and Thurs, 10:50am-12:05pm ET Prof. Mark J. Grossman Total: 20 students I look forward to hearing from you. Markjgrossman (talk) 22:52, 7 September 2015 (UTC)Markjgrossman

@Markjgrossman: I saw that you created a course page on dashboard.wikiedu.org. I'll be following up with you about it shortly. You don't need to do anything else in the meantime. Thanks. Helaine (Wiki Ed) (talk) 16:30, 8 September 2015 (UTC)

Campus Ambassador application: Anil Kushwaha Chhindwara

Anil Kushwaha Chhindwara (talk · contribs)

  1. Why do you want to be a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    Knowledge enhance,provide knowledge to everyone and make better wikipedia.
  2. Where are you based, and which educational institution(s) do you plan to work with as a Campus Ambassador?
    Nuva College of Engineering & Technology Nagpur India and Henyang University Seoul South Korea.
  3. What is your academic and/or professional background?
    Professor and Software Engineer (BE-IT M Tech-CSE)
  4. In three sentences or less, summarize your prior experience with Wikimedia projects.
    I have editing knowledge and more about wiki projects knowledge.
  5. What else should we know about you that is relevant to being a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    Wiki Projects work with globally and my students also,I will do to make better quality performance of wiki projects and wikimedia.
Discussion

Sir I m Anil kushwaha Software engineer and Professor also,I want to ambassador in your wiki projects. We will do make together better performance of wiki.

New Wiki Ed handbook helps students edit biographies

Hello everyone! I wanted to announce Wiki Ed's new Editing Wikipedia Articles: Biographies handbook, and offer a special thanks to TokyoGirl79, Collect, and Dank for contributing time and input. Eryk (Wiki Ed) (talk) 16:25, 11 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Wiki Medicine — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Icahn_School_of_Medicine_at_Mount_Sinai/Wiki_Medicine_(autumn_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.-- Blue Rasberry (talk) 16:56, 16 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — New Media, Culture and Society — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Illinois,_Urbana-Champaign/New_Media,_Culture_and_Society_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Vaparedes (talk) 22:42, 16 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Writing for the Web — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Oregon_State_University/Writing_for_the_Web_(Fall,_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Pflugi (talk) 16:15, 17 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — UChicago Chemical Biology — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/The_University_of_Chicago/UChicago_Chemical_Biology_(Fall). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Chemericalbiologist (talk) 22:36, 17 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Introduction to Doctoral Inquiry — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Wisconsin-_Madison/Introduction_to_Doctoral_Inquiry_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Trawat (talk) 23:24, 17 September 2015 (UTC)

Management related class?

There are a number of accounts (see here) which seem to be involved in a management-related class assignment. The accounts listed there copy articles from article space to their sandbox, and the articles are then edited by other accounts of the form [6 digits]MGMT, for example 709539MGMT. Does anyone know anything about this, and should anything be done? I don't know a whole lot about how to approach class assignments. Thanks, Sam Walton (talk) 12:02, 18 September 2015 (UTC)

@AKoval (WMF): This looks like a class at the University of Melbourne. Can you reach out to them? Thanks. Helaine (Wiki Ed) (talk) 19:14, 18 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Introduction to Information Literacy — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/California_State_University_East_Bay/Introduction_to_Information_Literacy_(Fall_Quarter_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Daifukuthecat (talk) 17:28, 18 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — RHET 110N Written Communication 1 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_San_Francisco/RHET_110N_Written_Communication_1_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Jhunt2usfca (talk) 21:47, 19 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Race, Ethnicity, Class in Media — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/The_New_School/Race,_Ethnicity,_Class_in_Media_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Pharos (talk) 18:38, 21 September 2015 (UTC)

Wiki Education Foundation Monthly Report for August is available

The Wiki Education Foundation's monthly report for August is now available as a PDF, on-wiki, or on our blog. Thanks!

Eryk (Wiki Ed) (talk) 23:20, 21 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Nursing 704 - Leadership in Nursing Roles, Ethics and Systems of Care — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Wisconsin_-_Madison/Nursing_704_-_Leadership_in_Nursing_Roles,_Ethics_and_Systems_of_Care_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Shwilliams1 (talk) 13:26, 22 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Medical Missionaries to Community Partners — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Pennsylvania/Medical_Missionaries_to_Community_Partners_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Breamk (talk) 18:54, 22 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Chem 153A Honors — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/UCLA/Chem_153A_Honors_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Htienson (talk) 23:18, 22 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Socio-technological Aspects of Water Resources — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Oregon_State_University/Socio-technological_Aspects_of_Water_Resources_(Fall). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Bixby2716 (talk) 16:48, 23 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_California,_Riverside/Politics_of_Race,_Ethnicity,_and_Immigration_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Lemi posc (talk) 17:04, 23 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Pensamiento Social Contemporaneo — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Universidad_del_Pacifico/Pensamiento_Social_Contemporaneo_(2015-II). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Jpostigo (talk) 19:01, 24 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — New Histories of Chicago Media — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/School_of_the_Art_Institute_of_Chicago/New_Histories_of_Chicago_Media_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--AmyDeer (talk) 21:06, 24 September 2015 (UTC)

Class re Nazi eugenics and deafness?

I've discovered a number of related articles regarding Nazi eugenics and deafness -- see Sterilization of deaf people in Nazi Germany and linked articles, plus Draft:Crying Hands. All created by new users in the span of a few days, which makes me think class assignment. Do we know anything about this? It might be worth trying to track down in case the professor is thinking of doing another round. The articles as currently drafted aren't great but with some guidance similar student editors could be productive. Thanks, Calliopejen1 (talk) 22:24, 24 September 2015 (UTC)

@Calliopejen1: Thanks for the heads up. So I'm seeing Draft:Crying Hands, Sterilization of deaf people in Nazi Germany, Psychological effects of sterilization and forced abortions on Deaf Germans during World War II, Deaf Sterilization in Nazi Germany, and Sterilization of deaf children. Did you come across any others? It looks like all of the work was done around March 3-4, 2015, so it's not an ongoing class. As it doesn't look like any of these accounts have performed any edits outside of their respective articles, it seems pretty unlikely they'll respond. Wiki Ed didn't support any classes that would've been working on these topics in the spring, but it would be good if we could find the professor and get them on board in the future.
It looks like in addition to the topic, these articles are tied together by a citation: Crying Hands by Horst Biesold. So I did a search for syllabi including that book and did return two semesters of the same class at NYU (Spring 2014 and Fall 2015). If this is indeed the same class, they may be planning to come back to these articles this semester. @Helaine (Wiki Ed): do you want to reach out to the professor listed in these syllabi? --Ryan (Wiki Ed) (talk) 23:32, 24 September 2015 (UTC)
I'm happy to do so. Helaine (Wiki Ed) (talk) 00:00, 25 September 2015 (UTC)
Those are all of the articles I found. I've done some searching for others based on keywords common to these articles and haven't been able to find more, though it's certainly possible that there are more out there... Calliopejen1 (talk) 00:44, 25 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Evolution and Development — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Chicago/Evolution_and_Development_(Autumn_Quarter). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--SO2015 (talk) 04:31, 25 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Gender, Race, Culture, Science and Technology — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/California_Polytechnic_State_University_San_Luis_Obispo/Gender,_Race,_Culture,_Science_and_Technology_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Slclemen (talk) 00:36, 28 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Haitian Creole in Context — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/New_York_University/Haitian_Creole_in_Context_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Kreyolnyc (talk) 13:52, 28 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — ENG102: Writing Through Literature (A Caldecott Medal Project) — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/CUNY,_LaGuardia_Community_College/ENG102:_Writing_Through_Literature_(A_Caldecott_Medal_Project)_(Fall_I). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--HullIntegritytalk / 12:25, 29 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Introduction to Film, ENGFLM 0400-1015 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Pittsburgh/Introduction_to_Film,_ENGFLM_0400-1015_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Filmprof les (talk) 18:57, 29 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Learning Places LIB-ARCH 2205 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/CUNY,_City_Tech/Learning_Places_LIB-ARCH_2205_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Outdoorus (talk) 18:59, 29 September 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Interpersonal Media — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Washington/Interpersonal_Media_(). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--—mako 16:59, 1 October 2015 (UTC)

Request for Course Coordinator

User:Bobherry

I am requesting Course Coordinator so that I can help my school set up a education program. Thank you. Bobherry Userspace Talk to me! Stuff I have done 00:07, 2 October 2015 (UTC)
@Bobherry: Please explain why your Rollback permission was removed. Please explain how you plan on supporting classes. --Guerillero | Parlez Moi 00:14, 2 October 2015 (UTC)
My rollback was remove months ago due to me improperly reverting some pages by accident. I am actually trying to get it back right now because I have become active again. The reason I am requesting it is because I brought Wikipedia up to my 11th grade English teacher and got him interested in doing it. Thanks for the fast reply. Bobherry Userspace Talk to me! Stuff I have done 00:25, 2 October 2015 (UTC)
@Bobherry: Is there any reason you don't do this the normal way (i.e. get your teacher to register an account and a class, have him or her request the course instructor right, and then request the campus volunteer right for yourself)? Nothing you've said has anything to do with why you need the course coordinator right (which gives permission to grant and revoke the epinstructor, eponline, and epcampus rights). (For the record, I would also oppose any request by the applicant for eponline per policy as an existing online ambassador, for other reasons related to applicant's suitability.) Unless you're doing something that needs you to flag a large number of users, I seriously doubt that you need the epcoordinator bit. (Non-administrator comment) Thanks, L235 (t / c / ping in reply) 01:09, 2 October 2015 (UTC)
I change my request to Volunteer then. I will tell him tomorrow. Bobherry Userspace Talk to me! Stuff I have done 02:04, 2 October 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Basic Education Wiki — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Wiki_Online_School/Basic_Education_Wiki_(1). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Florence (talk) 14:10, 2 October 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Seminar in Marine Biology — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Millersville_University/Seminar_in_Marine_Biology_(Spring_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Jgboal (talk) 15:51, 2 October 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Recent American History — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Delta_College/Recent_American_History_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Samantha (Wiki Ed) (talk) 19:04, 2 October 2015 (UTC)

Hi there! I created this course page for instructor User:Amyfrench. She is now the course page owner and will be taking things over from here. Thanks, Samantha (Wiki Ed) (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 19:13, 2 October 2015 (UTC)

Notification of an unsupported course

Hi, all. Just wanted to let you know that Ryan Shepherd's Writing and Rhetoric course at Ohio University has declined support from the Wiki Education Foundation. Wiki Ed is unable to track or support this course’s contributions to Wikipedia. If any concerns come up around contributions from that topic/university, this might be a good place to start. Jami (Wiki Ed) (talk) 23:30, 2 October 2015 (UTC)

Campus Ambassador application: amberbhangu

Amberbhangu (talk · contribs)

  1. Why do you want to be a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    to explore and share the knowledge with other
  2. Where are you based, and which educational institution(s) do you plan to work with as a Campus Ambassador?
    I am from amritsar Punjab india and i would like to work with chandigarh university gharuan,punjab as campus Ambassador
  3. What is your academic and/or professional background?
    I am puring B.E. mechnical from Chandigarh university.

I passed my senior secondary and high school in first division Currently i am working on reseach of jouranal bearing and weight optimization of go kart

  1. In three sentences or less, summarize your prior experience with Wikimedia projects.
    IT is just like firsthand and brief overview of any topic with providing extenal links for deep discussion
  2. What else should we know about you that is relevant to being a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    YOUR ANSWER (OPTIONAL)
Discussion

I have created a new course — EDU122 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Canisius_College/EDU122_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Leahmacvie (talk) 11:21, 4 October 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Composition II — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Johnson_County_Community_College/Composition_II_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Atownnative (talk) 15:23, 4 October 2015 (UTC)

Indian emperors

Noticed 3 very similar pages by 3 new editors:

All using 'sources' such as "Bombay Gazzets". Similarity suggests possibility of an educational assignment, so just putting here for comment. 220 of Borg 14:24, 25 September 2015 (UTC)

  • Hi 220 of Borg. Those are all pretty similar, but it's hard to extrapolate what it is from those three accounts. Could be a course or something else, but all the've done is the initial edit. Adam (Wiki Ed) (talk) 18:34, 25 September 2015 (UTC)
  • Indeed. I'll look out for any similar pages appearing. Should probably also notify/query WP:WikiProject India. 220 of Borg 01:50, 26 September 2015 (UTC)
These also fit the pattern:
They all seem to be minor rulers during the British Raj. clpo13(talk) 06:30, 26 September 2015 (UTC)
And so the 'plot' thickens! 220 of Borg 12:51, 26 September 2015 (UTC)

After looking at a single account, CU evidence does not suggest that this is an education program thing. --Guerillero | Parlez Moi 00:18, 2 October 2015 (UTC)

Thanks Guerillero. Adding Thakur Wakhat Singh Ji, recently created by Khaandaan (talk · contribs) 220 of Borg 06:22, 2 October 2015 (UTC)
Related discussions (I stumbled upon while tagging above) at:
Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Thakur Abha Singh Makwana,
Category:Wikipedia sockpuppets of KingMandhata74
and there was a post at ANI too by NewMutants (talk · contribs), now blocked as a sock! 220 of Borg 07:25, 2 October 2015 (UTC)
Pinging Admin Yunshui who may find this list of pages & creators, interesting, if not sock-block worthy. 220 of Borg 07:47, 2 October 2015 (UTC)
Wish I knew what was going on here... Guerillero's right; from a CU perspective it doesn't look like an educational project. It's been suggested that this group may be connected to Premkoli99, which is certainly possible, but I haven't seen any technical connection. Anyhow, I've checked, blocked and tagged the listed accounts, and deleted the articles under CSD#G5. Yunshui  08:04, 2 October 2015 (UTC)
Thank you Yunshui! 220 of Borg 08:10, 2 October 2015 (UTC)
These looks like related accounts: Ramhetmahourji (talk · contribs) and Anajanaji (talk · contribs). utcursch | talk 20:31, 5 October 2015 (UTC)

This page was created recently and reads like an essay. It was PRODed as such, but then challenged. The creator claims to be a student (or multiple students) writing this page for a class project. I thought I'd bring it up here in case anyone wanted to take a look. clpo13(talk) 05:43, 3 October 2015 (UTC)

The users involved are Vriti Mehndiratta and Swati.khaitan91. clpo13(talk) 05:44, 3 October 2015 (UTC)
Thanks, Clpo13. Looks like article is at AfD as well. Adam (Wiki Ed) (talk) 16:39, 5 October 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Introduction to Historical Research and Writing — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Tennessee_at_Chattanooga/Introduction_to_Historical_Research_and_Writing_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Womump (talk) 20:58, 5 October 2015 (UTC)

I think there might possibly is a class project underway that appears it may need our help.

See this. --Shirt58 (talk) 11:08, 6 October 2015 (UTC)

  • Thanks for looking into this. I can't see the content of the deleted page, though I'm guessing from the title that they belonged in userspace. Hopefully an admin can pop by and let us know if there was any contact info on there. Adam (Wiki Ed) (talk) 14:31, 6 October 2015 (UTC)
    • I should have thought to look for info in the deleted pages. Done now. Ian (Wiki Ed) (talk) 14:48, 6 October 2015 (UTC)
  • We've reached out to the person behind the class. Adam (Wiki Ed) (talk) 22:11, 6 October 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — WVU JRL 220 Introduction to Photojournalism — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/West_Virginia_University/WVU_JRL_220_Introduction_to_Photojournalism_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Fototuna (talk) 01:03, 7 October 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — English 1001 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Louisiana_State_University/English_1001_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Josef Horáček (talk) 05:28, 7 October 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — History of English Culture — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Ca'_Foscari_University/History_of_English_Culture_(1st_semester). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Navarco (talk) 14:20, 9 October 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Integrated Reading, Writing, and Critical Thinking — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Los_Medanos_College_/Integrated_Reading,_Writing,_and_Critical_Thinking_(Fall_). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Swarfe (talk) 21:03, 11 October 2015 (UTC)

Multiple sections of Globalization and Media at Simon Fraser University

I've condensed the notices generated by the dashboard. Each of these courses are a section of Globalization and Media, including Globalization and Media D202, which was already posted. Adam (Wiki Ed) (talk) 19:13, 13 October 2015 (UTC)

All these courses have been cloned for the benefit of User:Minotaurlives who will be teaching the courses. -Samantha (Wiki Ed) (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 19:23, 13 October 2015 (UTC)

New course announcement: Wikipedia:Wiki_Ed/Simon_Fraser_University/Globalization_and_Media_-_D203_(Fall_2015) (instructor: User:Minotaurlives)

I have created a new course — Globalization and Media - D203 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Simon_Fraser_University/Globalization_and_Media_-_D203_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Samantha (Wiki Ed) (talk) 18:57, 13 October 2015 (UTC)

New course announcement: Wikipedia:Wiki_Ed/Simon_Fraser_University/Globalization_and_Media_-_D204_(Fall_2015) (instructor: User:Minotaurlives)

I have created a new course — Globalization and Media - D204 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Simon_Fraser_University/Globalization_and_Media_-_D204_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Samantha (Wiki Ed) (talk) 19:01, 13 October 2015 (UTC)

New course announcement: Wikipedia:Wiki_Ed/Simon_Fraser_University/Globalization_and_Media_-_D205_(Fall_2015) (instructor: User:Minotaurlives)

I have created a new course — Globalization and Media - D205 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Simon_Fraser_University/Globalization_and_Media_-_D205_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Samantha (Wiki Ed) (talk) 19:03, 13 October 2015 (UTC)

New course announcement: Wikipedia:Wiki_Ed/Simon_Fraser_University/Globalization_and_Media_-_D206_(Fall_2015) (instructor: User:Minotaurlives)

I have created a new course — Globalization and Media - D206 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Simon_Fraser_University/Globalization_and_Media_-_D206_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Samantha (Wiki Ed) (talk) 19:06, 13 October 2015 (UTC)

New course announcement: Wikipedia:Wiki_Ed/Simon_Fraser_University/Globalization_and_Media_-_D207_(Fall_2015) (instructor: User:Minotaurlives)

I have created a new course — Globalization and Media - D207 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Simon_Fraser_University/Globalization_and_Media_-_D207_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Samantha (Wiki Ed) (talk) 19:07, 13 October 2015 (UTC)

New course announcement: Wikipedia:Wiki_Ed/Simon_Fraser_University/Globalization_and_Media_-_D208_(Fall_2015) (instructor: User:Minotaurlives)

I have created a new course — Globalization and Media - D208 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Simon_Fraser_University/Globalization_and_Media_-_D208_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Samantha (Wiki Ed) (talk) 19:09, 13 October 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — CHEM 4041U Advanced Topics in Inorganic Chemistry — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Ontario_Institute_of_Technology/CHEM_4041U_Advanced_Topics_in_Inorganic_Chemistry_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Kcsunshine999 (talk) 19:32, 15 October 2015 (UTC)

Wiki Education Foundation Monthly Report for September is available

Hi all! You'll find the Wiki Ed monthly report online as a PDF, on-wiki, and in a blog post. Eryk (Wiki Ed) (talk) 22:00, 19 October 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — African Archaeology — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/California_State_University_San_Bernadino/African_Archaeology_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Archaeologyhunter (talk) 23:52, 19 October 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — African Archaeology — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/California_State_University_San_Bernadino/African_Archaeology_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Archaeologyhunter (talk) 23:55, 19 October 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — ITEC 299 - How 2 Lrn w ur iPod — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/San_Francisco_State_University/ITEC_299_-_How_2_Lrn_w_ur_iPod_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--KevinKelly0 (talk) 13:47, 20 October 2015 (UTC)

Wikicology

Wikicology (talk · contribs)

  1. Why do you want to be a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    I want to work with educators and student editors from Nigeria in the Wikipedia Education Program to improve Wikipedia and its sister's projects.
  1. Where are you based, and which educational institution(s) do you plan to work with as a Campus Ambassador?
    I'm based in Nigeria and I plan to work with Adekunle Ajasin University, my alma mater and Federal University of Technology Owerri where I'm undergoing my Postgradute degree. I will also work with other universities, colleges of education and polytechnics in southwestern Nigeria
  2. What is your academic and/or professional background?
    B.sc (Biochemistry), M.sc (Environmental Biochemistry)
  3. In three sentences or less, summarize your prior experience with Wikimedia projects.
    I've been an active editor for over 1 year and I've created over 500 articles with 5 DYK to my credit. In addition to that, I'm an Outreach Coordinator of The Wikipedia Library. I've also been involved in an Education Outreach Program and currently, I'm the Secretary of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria (WUGN).
  4. What else should we know about you that is relevant to being a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    I disclosed my Identity to the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) as Secretary to the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria and coordinator of "The Wikipedia Library". If you required further information, I will be more than glad to supply them.
Discussion

Please see this discussion samtar {t} 10:47, 1 November 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — The Changing Climate ATS 320 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Oregon_State_University/The_Changing_Climate_ATS_320_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Andreasschmittner (talk) 22:33, 22 October 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Words as Power - Expanding WikiProject Pharmacology — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_California,_San_Francisco/Words_as_Power_-_Expanding_WikiProject_Pharmacology_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--M dee gee (talk) 23:36, 22 October 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Memory 3525 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Webster_University/Memory_3525_(Fall2_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--AmyRuffusDoerr (talk) 23:29, 24 October 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Expo Architecture — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Illinois_Institute_of_Technology/Expo_Architecture_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Clarkejl (talk) 05:04, 26 October 2015 (UTC)

Student handbook for living species articles

Hello all! Wiki Ed is developing a print handbook for students who will write or expand articles on living species, including animals, plants and fungi. I'd appreciate any feedback on the draft. It is open for comment until November 5th; after that we will set it to print. Thanks so much! Draft is here. Eryk (Wiki Ed) (talk) 22:55, 27 October 2015 (UTC)

Campus Ambassador application: Ankitashukla

Ankitashukla (talk · contribs)

  1. Why do you want to be a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    In my campus there's no course related to FOSS or specifically, editing Wikipedia. As a Wikipedia Campus Ambassador, I will act as the official link betwnn the student community and the Wikipedia community, thus bringing awareness to the masses.
  2. Where are you based, and which educational institution(s) do you plan to work with as a Campus Ambassador?
    I'm currently based in Roorkee and plan to work with Indian Institute of Technology as a Campus Ambassador.
  3. What is your academic and/or professional background?
    I'm a Computer Science senior at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee.
  4. In three sentences or less, summarize your prior experience with Wikimedia projects.
    I started as an OPW intern with Wikimedia and worked on the project - Collaborative Spelling Dictionary and successfully completed it. I was awestruck by how people could create such a huge organization even when they were remotely located. And this fascination held me even after my intern had officially ended to stick around and get more people introduced to this amazing place!
  5. What else should we know about you that is relevant to being a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    I am a tech geek and a big-time supporter of free and open-source software. I love participating in various events and attending conferences. This has in turn positively improved my social circle and thus gives me a strong position to act as the liaison between Wikipedia and the students. Also, I'd like to mention that I often find myself as the only female in huge crowds of male coders around. Therefore, I'm looking forward to getting more females into the community from my college and circle. :)
Discussion

I have created a new course — HIS 475 Topics in Women's History — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Point_Loma_Nazarene_University/HIS_475_Topics_in_Women's_History_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Kamccoy1 (talk) 19:52, 30 October 2015 (UTC)

Campus Ambassador application: kunalbidkar

116.75.4.197 (talk · contribs)

  1. Why do you want to be a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    DESIRE TO CONTRIBUTE
  2. Where are you based, and which educational institution(s) do you plan to work with as a Campus Ambassador?
    PUNE INDIA
  3. What is your academic and/or professional background?
    BE COMP ENGINEERING
  4. In three sentences or less, summarize your prior experience with Wikimedia projects.
    YOUR ANSWER (OPTIONAL)
  5. What else should we know about you that is relevant to being a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    YOUR ANSWER (OPTIONAL)
Discussion

Please see this discussion samtar {t} 10:46, 1 November 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Music Education — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Florida/Historical_and_Philosophical_Foundations_of_Music_Education_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Wibauer (talk) 15:24, 2 November 2015 (UTC)

Request for course instructor right: auntieruth (talk)

eth plots of revolutionary Europe, including but not limited to, the various possible conspiracies leading up to the French revolution, the attempted and successful assassinations of different political leaders, and the conspiracies of the pro-royalist cadres, the different republican factions in France, and others. We will also be looking at (by way of example), the Batavian revolts, the Swiss revolutions, the Irish revolution (1798 and 1803), and the Uprising in the Vendee. These are mostly undergraduate students, and most of them are juniors and seniors. Only a few history majors, most of them are in the technical fields.
Assignment plan

Each student will select are article to edit, bring up to B class as determined by me using WikiProject Military History standards. I've given them a list of possible articles but they will be free to identify other relevant topics. Their assignment will be part of a larger one in which they use the content material from their encyclopedia article to write an "op-ed" piece that is part of their final exam

Number of students

up to 30

Start and end dates

Started 26 October 2015. Grades due 23 December 2015.

@OhanaUnited, Neelix, Helaine (Wiki Ed), Pharos, and Pongr: @Sleuthwood, Etlib, Biosthmors, and Kayz911: @Jami (Wiki Ed), Rjensen, Bluerasberry, and Kevin Gorman: --auntieruth (talk) 22:13, 2 November 2015 (UTC)


Return to the Course pages module.

Followed up with User:Auntieruth55 through her Wikipedia email to offer corresponding that way. Since Wiki Ed uses our Dashboard now, I have offered to get her set up with our support there, rather than through the education extension. Jami (Wiki Ed) (talk) 23:41, 2 November 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Effective Internet Research — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Whitney_M_Young/Effective_Internet_Research_(All_season). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Seyitayo (talk) 05:53, 5 November 2015 (UTC)

Seeking input on a student handbook for chemistry

Hello all! We're preparing to print a handbook to help student editors working with articles related to chemistry. You can find the draft text here. I'd really appreciate input from other editors on the Talk page. Feedback prior to Nov. 13 (this Friday) is especially helpful. Thanks so much! Eryk (Wiki Ed) (talk) 18:12, 9 November 2015 (UTC)


New Course Assignment - Women Screenwriters

I am teaching a course about women screenwriters at a university in the winter. I would like to set up an assignment where students edit or create pages for women screenwriters. — Preceding unsigned comment added by E clark e100 (talkcontribs) 16:36, 10 November 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Conspiracies, Spies and Assassins of the French Revolution — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Carnegie_Mellon_University/Conspiracies,_Spies_and_Assassins_of_the_French_Revolution_(Fall_Mini_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--auntieruth (talk) 19:29, 10 November 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — TCORE 114-Listening Outside the Box-Concert Music in the 21st Century — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Washington_Tacoma/TCORE_114-Listening_Outside_the_Box-Concert_Music_in_the_21st_Century_(Winter_2016). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--KimD UWT (talk) 20:59, 10 November 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Digital Labor - Race, Gender, Technology in Literature and Film — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Whittier_College/Digital_Labor_-_Race,_Gender,_Technology_in_Literature_and_Film_(January). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--AnitaConchita (talk) 00:06, 11 November 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — East-West Heritage 9H — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/NSU_University_School/East-West_Heritage_9H_(2015-16). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Sa703 (talk) 05:19, 11 November 2015 (UTC)

Education Program interface changes wishlist

Please see, comment and add to meta:2015_Community_Wishlist_Survey#Education_Program_interface_changes. --Piotr Konieczny aka Prokonsul Piotrus| reply here 04:50, 12 November 2015 (UTC)

Is there something special about this course? They have been editing under a group user name since March 26, 2014. I know the original ed program when it was run by the foundation ran a course there, but this does not seem to be it. I've blocked them for a username violation, but someone needs to get in touch with them. (or, if I've done something stupid, someone needs to get in touch with me) DGG ( talk ) 04:09, 10 November 2015 (UTC)

DGG, thanks for posting. It's not a Wiki Ed-supported course, but if you do get in touch with them (or find any other info) feel free to direct them to us. Eryk (Wiki Ed) (talk) 23:01, 13 November 2015 (UTC)

Library Interns Course for Spring 2016

Can someone create this course for the Pritzker Military Museum & Library and Washington University Libraries (Davis, Shannon <[email protected]> ) Education_Program:The_Wikipedia_Library/Wikipedia_Library_Interns_(Summer_2015) it only needs a name change? We'd like it to start Jan. 2, 2016. Thanks for your assistance! TeriEmbrey (talk) 14:52, 13 November 2015 (UTC)

Pinging Sadads and Ocaasi (with TWL) who would likely best know the best way to do this. — Rhododendrites talk \\ 22:53, 13 November 2015 (UTC)

Can someone please look at the edit of User:Ani.Sargsyan.15 on the article Intellect

I have no experience dealing with student editors, but I am concerned this is going wrong. See the talk page of the above mentioned user. The article Intellect is (was?) a mini DAB article because of the fact that this is a word with many meanings. It is not an easy subject to handle in an orderly way. If I understand correctly, this user says they need to expand it, because that is their assignment, and suggests deleting the work later. That does not seem appropriate to me.--Andrew Lancaster (talk) 12:57, 15 November 2015 (UTC)

@AKoval (WMF): Can you take a look at this? I think it's at a course at the University College London. Thanks. Helaine (Wiki Ed) (talk) 19:25, 16 November 2015 (UTC)

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


Online Ambassador application: myispguy

Myispguy

Myispguy (talk · contribs)

  1. Why do you want to be a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    To help first time users better understand how wikipedia works.
  2. In three sentences or less, summarize your involvement with Wikimedia projects.
    Research Information, correct old outdated info and to provide new and updated iu
  3. Please indicate a few articles to which you have made significant content contributions. (e.g. DYK, GA, FA, major revisions/expansions/copyedits).
    ga, major revisions/expansions/copyedits
  4. How have you been involved with welcoming and helping new users on Wikipedia?
    USUALLY CLIENTS AND CUSTOMERS OF MY BUSINESS WILL AKS ME TO SHOW THEM HOW WIKIPEDIA AND MEDIA WOIRKS.
  5. What do you see as the most important ways we could welcome newcomers or help new users become active contributors?
    A VERY SIMPLE 20 STEP INTERACTIVE TUTORIAL IN THE BEGGINING.
  6. Have you had major conflicts with other editors? Blocks or bans? Involvement in arbitration? Feel free to offer context, if necessary.
    NO
  7. How often do you edit Wikipedia and check in on ongoing discussions? Will you be available regularly for at least two hours per week, in your role as a mentor?
    1 EVERY FEW MONTHS
  8. How would you make sure your students were not violating copyright laws?
    AUTOMATIC COPYSCAPE SCAN
  9. If one of your students had an issue with copyright violation how would you resolve it?
    REMOVE LISTING, APOLOGISE TO COPYRIGHT OWNER AND CORRECT THE WRITING.
  10. In your _own_ words describe what copyright violation is.
    MODIFIYING ANY CONTENT THAT IS NOT DONE ORIGINALLY BY MYSELF.
  11. What else should we know about you that is relevant to being a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    I LOVE HELPING PEOPLE AND I WANT TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN HELPING PEOPLE BETTER UNDERSTAND THE AWESOME USES OF TECHNOLOGY.

Myispguy (talk) 21:03, 4 June 2015 (UTC)

Endorsements

(Two endorsements are needed for online ambassador approval.)

  • Not now. Too few edits to make a decision. OhanaUnitedTalk page 01:55, 9 June 2015 (UTC)
  • Oppose- concur with OhanaUnited. L235 (t / c / ping in reply) 21:14, 16 June 2015 (UTC)
  • oppose the answer to Q10 shows insufficient knowledge of copyright, besides lack of experience. Sorry. DES (talk) 00:40, 12 July 2015 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


Online Ambassador application: Denver20

Denver20

Denver20 (talk · contribs)

  1. Why do you want to be a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    I am Capable of Handling then Responsibility of a Ambassador and Promise to Devout my full Sevice to Wikipedia. I also wish to Help Wikipedia and its Projects in Whatever way I can.
  2. In three sentences or less, summarize your involvement with Wikimedia projects.
    I have Continuously given my Full Support to Wikipedia. I have Spend an Adequate amount of Time Fighting Vandalism. I am in Full Time Support to Finish my Tasks given or to Moderate Pages.
  3. Please indicate a few articles to which you have made significant content contributions. (e.g. DYK, GA, FA, major revisions/expansions/copyedits).
    I have currently made a Lot of Moderating and Suggesting for the Proper Welfare of Many of Wikipedia's Pages and have spent a Lot of Time in giving new suggestions for a Page and the Readers Benefit.
  4. How have you been involved with welcoming and helping new users on Wikipedia?
    Yes I have Helped many users with their Quires and Have Seldom awarded Barn Stars to Unnoticed Members of Wikipedia, especially new Members.
  5. What do you see as the most important ways we could welcome newcomers or help new users become active contributors?
    Motivation is the Key to Success , If a Motivated user is Being Recognized for His Contributions small or Big , then He has set a Higher Standard to Complete every time he is Rewarded a barn star or Anything else, with this Technique new Members especially have a Higher Chance of Actively Participating
  6. Have you had major conflicts with other editors? Blocks or bans? Involvement in arbitration? Feel free to offer context, if necessary.
    No, Till date I Make sure whatever edit I make Small or Big may be made with only after fully Understanding that the Step will Benefit Wikipedia or Not.
  7. How often do you edit Wikipedia and check in on ongoing discussions? Will you be available regularly for at least two hours per week, in your role as a mentor?
    I am Available every day for at least one hour and an Extended amount of Time on weekends and Vacations.
  8. How would you make sure your students were not violating copyright laws?
    A Student would not Cheat Himself but he can cheat others, I would run to a Full Study in the answer he has given and Try to Understand or Google on Whether the Same Answer the student has answered or given a slight markup to make it different. If I find the Student cheating using copyright I would tell the student about his Mistake and That he is Cheating himself, and not the Institution.
  9. If one of your students had an issue with copyright violation how would you resolve it?
    I would clearly make him/her understand that the Way Technology has risen from the Ancient Ear till today's Day is for the Betterment of Mankind and not that with Unfair Means we can Excel in our Education and Studies. If Technology has risen to a level we also should try to raise our level of Education so that Standards may be set.
  10. In your _own_ words describe what copyright violation is.
    Copying a Item that may include a Picture, Text etc. and stating that to be your own without asking the Owner's Permission is called copyright violation.
  11. What else should we know about you that is relevant to being a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    I am Highly Knowledge about many of The General Things of Life. I have Received the "Indian Award for Further Science " and have completed my SAT and ILETS Exams with Higher Distinction. I am willing to share knowledge with anyone because Knowledge is the Power to Understanding. Thanks

Denver F. 15:33, 8 June 2015 (UTC)

Endorsements

(Two endorsements are needed for online ambassador approval.)

  • Not now. You are too fresh. Most of your mainspace edits are tool-assisted. Furthermore, a number of your tool-assisted edits appeared to be erroneous[1] or tag-bombing [2][3]. OhanaUnitedTalk page 01:52, 9 June 2015 (UTC)
  • Oppose- concur with [[User:{{{1}}}|{{{1}}}]]. L235 (t / c / ping in reply) 21:14, 16 June 2015 (UTC)
The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.


Online Ambassador application: reyanshsk

Reyanshsk

Reyanshsk (talk · contribs)

  1. Why do you want to be a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    WILLING TO DO WORK FOR SOCIETY, WANT TO BECOME A PART OF WIKIPEDIA TO REPRESENT THIS IN OUR AREA
  2. In three sentences or less, summarize your involvement with Wikimedia projects.
    YOUR ANSWER (OPTIONAL)
  3. Please indicate a few articles to which you have made significant content contributions. (e.g. DYK, GA, FA, major revisions/expansions/copyedits).
    PANDHARPUR-EDUCATIONAL DETAILS ETC
  4. How have you been involved with welcoming and helping new users on Wikipedia?
    YOUR ANSWER (OPTIONAL)
  5. What do you see as the most important ways we could welcome newcomers or help new users become active contributors?
    YOUR ANSWER (OPTIONAL)
  6. Have you had major conflicts with other editors? Blocks or bans? Involvement in arbitration? Feel free to offer context, if necessary.
    NO
  7. How often do you edit Wikipedia and check in on ongoing discussions? Will you be available regularly for at least two hours per week, in your role as a mentor?
    YES
  8. How would you make sure your students were not violating copyright laws?
    YES
  9. If one of your students had an issue with copyright violation how would you resolve it?
    WILL CONVINCE THE COMPLAINER ABOUT IMPORTANCE OF DATA FOR JUSTIFICATION OF PARTICULAR TOPIC OR WILL REMOVE THE CONTENT IF HE DON'T WANT
  10. In your _own_ words describe what copyright violation is.
    Copyright infringement is the use of works protected by copyright law without permission, infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, such as the right to reproduce, distribute, display or perform the protected work, or to make derivative works.
  11. What else should we know about you that is relevant to being a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    Working on number of research projects which are useful for Indian farmers have also submitted research proposal at BARC, and very important of all is that Dr. Anil Kakodkar sir had shown interest in our developed agriculture projects. Innovation that's the area i like most. As R7D head of our Institute. Working as Assistant Professor and Head of Research and development department.

Reyanshsk (talk) 09:58, 7 July 2015 (UTC)

Endorsements

  • Oppose only 9 edits. Jianhui67 TC 04:17, 1 August 2015 (UTC)
  • Oppose Insufficient experience coupled with vague answers to some application questions. OhanaUnitedTalk page 08:01, 29 August 2015 (UTC)

(Two endorsements are needed for online ambassador approval.)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

I have created a new course — Feminist Film and Media Studies — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Swarthmore/Feminist_Film_and_Media_Studies_(Fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Pwhite1atswarthmore.edu (talk) 14:42, 19 November 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — University Physics I — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Wright_State_University/University_Physics_I_(1). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Guy vandegrift (talk) 15:22, 20 November 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Critical Media Literacy — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Washington_Bothell/Critical_Media_Literacy_(Autumn_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--DrBudoka (talk) 02:31, 21 November 2015 (UTC)

I have been using Wikiversity to teach physics for over a year

Don't blink!

Hi-

I have been using Wikiversity to teach physics at Wright State Lake Campus for a couple of years. See v:Physics equations and v:Quizbank. My next step is to get students to submit reports online. Can Wikipedia help me?

User:Guy vandegrift/Userboxes/PubsFor some reason, I prefer Wikiversity to Wikipedia. It's not because I like breaking rules (which we do at Wikiversity all the time), but because I believe in obeying rules. As far as I can tell, Wikiversity is place where there are no rules. Perhaps the best example of what I can do without rules is v:Bell's theorem, where I had the freedom to unite Hidden variable theory with Weeping Angel using the cheap gimmick shown in the image to the right.

I got interested in using Wikipedia when I wrote this action plan on Wikiversity and somebody mentioned the Education Extension. Only then did it occur to me to use Wikipedia as a platform. I will always be more of a Wikiversarian than a Wikipedian, but I am very comfortable with the sister-interlink.

Yours truly --Guy vandegrift (talk) 03:08, 19 November 2015 (UTC)

It looks like all I need to do is go to Help:Education_Program_extension/Instructors#Instructors:_How_to... and follow the instructions, right?--Guy vandegrift (talk) 17:47, 19 November 2015 (UTC)
Hi Guy vandegrift! I'm with the Wiki Education Foundation, feel free to send us a message. We'd be happy to get you set up and answer any questions. You can also send a note to [email protected]. Look forward to hearing from you! Eryk (Wiki Ed) (talk) 18:01, 19 November 2015 (UTC)
Thanks, I registered and will now send a note to [email protected]Guy vandegrift (talk) 23:12, 19 November 2015 (UTC)
@Eryk (Wiki Ed): Today I made Wikipedia:Wiki_Ed/Wright_State_University/University_Physics_I_(1) and am slowly figuring out this environment. One distinction between myself and the WikiEd page is that I will be using Wikiversity -- unless that proves to be too awkward. I hate to think I need to port all my stuff to Wikipedia. Keep in mind also, that this is all experimental. Instead of using the Education extension, I could instead integrate my Wikiversity efforts into our campus Course Management Environment (which is like Blackboard but called Pilot).--Guy vandegrift (talk) 16:25, 20 November 2015 (UTC)
Resolved
I am including this post FYI because when I came here I had no idea how to initiate the process. As Eryk pointed out, interested editors/instructors/students should go to Wiki Education Foundation and they will contact you.--Guy vandegrift (talk) 12:30, 21 November 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Introduction to Astronomy — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Wright_State_University/Introduction_to_Astronomy_(Spring_2016). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Guy vandegrift (talk) 02:28, 22 November 2015 (UTC)

Read the Wiki Education Foundation Monthly Report for October

The October Monthly Report is available via PDF, on-wiki, or on our blog. Thanks! Eryk (Wiki Ed) (talk) 18:17, 23 November 2015 (UTC)

Campus Ambassador application: Mdgalibhasan

Mdgalibhasan (talk · contribs)

  1. Why do you want to be a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    Actually i think that if i become a ambassador i can make some great effect in my campus with wikipidia.
  2. Where are you based, and which educational institution(s) do you plan to work with as a Campus Ambassador?
    I am planning to become a ambassador of Govt. Hazi Muhammad Mohsin College,Chittagong,Bangladesh. it is number 2nd college in the city about 5000 students attached here.
  3. What is your academic and/or professional background?
    I have complete my SSC from Chittagong Colligiate School and now HSC 2nd Year in This college.
  4. In three sentences or less, summarize your prior experience with Wikimedia projects.
    YOUR ANSWER (OPTIONAL)
  5. What else should we know about you that is relevant to being a Wikipedia Ambassador?
    YOUR ANSWER (OPTIONAL)
Discussion

I have created a new course — Molecular Ecology — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/University_of_Georgia/Molecular_Ecology_(Spring_2016). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Jpwares (talk) 15:25, 29 November 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — COMM420 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/American_University/COMM420_(Spring_2016). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Fuzheado | Talk 13:57, 2 December 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Memory, truth and reconciliation in the developing world — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Bishop's_University/Memory,_truth_and_reconciliation_in_the_developing_world_(Winter_2016). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Dwebsterbu (talk) 14:09, 2 December 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — FMST 329 Women and Film — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Concordia/FMST_329_Women_and_Film_(Winter). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--E clark e100 (talk) 00:55, 3 December 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Information Fluency in the Digital World — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/California_Maritime_Academy/Information_Fluency_in_the_Digital_World_(Spring_2016). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--AmJans (talk) 17:39, 3 December 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Chemistry 4558 Mass Spectrometry — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Louisiana_State_University/Chemistry_4558_Mass_Spectrometry_(Spring_2016). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Kkmurray (talk) 03:30, 4 December 2015 (UTC)

Please would an experienced member of this project take a look at this course. At WP:AFC and at WP:AFCHELP we are seeing a large number of less than stellar items from this course, which could be a symptom that the leader is either not asking for or not receiving the support that they need. Fiddle Faddle 12:26, 1 December 2015 (UTC)

@Timtrent: Thanks for the heads up. I've reached out to Ian (Wiki Ed), the content expert working with the class. Could you link to a couple of the problematic ones you've come across? --Ryan (Wiki Ed) (talk) 13:44, 1 December 2015 (UTC)
(edit conflict) @Ryan (Wiki Ed): Thank you. I think one of the things I would look for were I to presume to stand in Ian's shoes is whether the leader has been asking questions. My rationale is that one who asks questions is not trying to be all things to his students and knows what s/he does not know. If few questions have been forthcoming, standing outside this project as I do, might I request the team considers how to guide the leaders into working with us rather than in isolation. My concerns is twofold: Wikipedia quality, which can alas be addressed post publication, and student morale, something we need to get correct from the start. Fiddle Faddle 13:51, 1 December 2015 (UTC)
@Ryan (Wiki Ed):A good place to start are these AFC Helpdesk please: by Melbushr and by Hangzhaohans, please which show students in perplexity. I am going to guess that almost all the articles listed at the course home page have varying degrees of trouble. To be clear, I do not expect perfection, but I don't see any/much guidance on WP between leader and student. If part of what they are intended to learn is how we work, then I would expect to see more of that guidance. Fiddle Faddle 13:55, 1 December 2015 (UTC)
@Timtrent: So, one thing I should note is that when Wiki Ed supports a class, student sandboxes are tagged with {{student sandbox}} rather than the usual tag. The reason is, at least in part, so that student articles don't go through AfC. It's a valuable process to Wikipedia, but we have paid staff who are also experienced Wikipedians (e.g. Ian) that can review, provide feedback, and work with students before they move content to the mainspace. It looks like RHaworth may have moved some student sandboxes and submitted them to AfC. @RHaworth: did the student or instructor request this? (I'm specifically looking at Draft:Aviation automation (diff)). In general it's probably a reasonable thing to do, but we do work with the instructors behind the scenes to coordinate schedules and talk about student questions. Perhaps most importantly, since we have staff working on it, there's no need to use up volunteer time that could be spent reviewing other submissions. --Ryan (Wiki Ed) (talk) 14:35, 1 December 2015 (UTC)
Looking through these, it looks like a few of the students moved their drafts into the Wikipedia namespace, which appears to be why RHaworth moved them into Draft:. But yes, there's some attention needed that I wasn't able to give, in part because I was out sick the last few days. Ian (Wiki Ed) (talk) 15:30, 1 December 2015 (UTC)
In this educational project students are in fact instructed to submit their drafts to AFC. This is a problem, AFC's systems and workflow are simply not designed to mesh with the requirements of such drafts. We at AFC cannot guarantee that the students work will ever reach mainspace. Student work must be graded in draft/sandbox - once it reaches mainspace it could very quickly be heavily edited by random others to the extent that little of the student's original work remains to be assessed by their teacher/professor - in fact it could be completely deleted, leaving no evidence that the student ever did any work at all. Stay away from AFC needs to be a rigid rule for student work, and all student drafts must explicitly be tagged as such, the banner may not be "optional". This is for the protection of the student's work, it would be very unfair if they get no credit for work done because the Wikipedia machine literally "ate their homework". (Pinging User:Timtrent for further comment.) Roger (Dodger67) (talk) 16:58, 1 December 2015 (UTC)
I think I come back to my two concerns, both of which I hold as equal:
  1. Wikipedia's main space must be improved by the actions of us all, which included students and course leaders
  2. The students must have a good overall experience. Dodger's metaphor that Wikipedia ate my homework is excellent
I wonder, should we create a "Coursework:" namespace for this eventuality? By "we" I mean WMF, with or without global consensus, since it is intended solely to be used by students under instruction. It should probably not be search engine indexed since it is genuinely a training ground akin to a sandbox. Once the course leader is satisfied I seen no reason that the piece could not be moved either directly to article space (assuming they have the requisite Wikipedia expertise) or to Draft: namespace and submitted for review.
The latter route might be very instructive as reviewers either accept or criticise the pieces with respect to our standards.
I am also interested that Ian was sick. We cannot prevent this, despite the fact that I am sure he would be very happy never to be ill again. But what can be done to ensure that we volunteers see that there is continuity of support when someone is unwell? This is not a criticism of Ian, it may just be something that has not yet been handled in your processes.
We volunteers will inevitably interact with course leaders. I've tried really hard to engage this one in conversation because I saw there were issues. Obviously I am not privy to the behind the scenes work that Edu folks do. This one seems to be reluctant to engage, as you will see on their talk page and on the AFC Helpdesk. Fiddle Faddle 17:42, 1 December 2015 (UTC)
Please note that Draft:Aviation automation has been resubmitted to AFC yet again. Please help the student understand that AFC will not review it until this issue is resolved. Preferably we never want to see drafts from active educational projects at AFC. Roger (Dodger67) (talk) 21:19, 1 December 2015 (UTC)
While I agree with Dodger67 I am going to play devil's advocate for a moment. I believe one major part of student education is the learning available from meeting real world Wikipedia volunteer editors. Some of us are the soul o=f discretion and politeness. Some are helpful, some are blunt, some are even rude. I do appreciate the argument that AFC ought not to see coursework. I think there is merit in a final course module being the submission via the AFC process in order to experience that Wikipedia process. They have to risk the timeliness of a review.
There is also an argument that a course leader should spend a little time observing WP:AFD and potentially becoming an AfC reviewer. IT may be that we need to create a WP:IAR class of reviewer since they are unlikely to have the mainspace edits. Fiddle Faddle 21:40, 1 December 2015 (UTC)
I do agree that experiencing the full Wikipedia process is useful to both students and instructors. However, the student's grade for the course must not be dependent on anything that may or may not happen in mainspace, for the following reasons:
  1. There is no way AFC can guarantee that a draft will be moved into mainspace within the time constraints of a college calendar, or ever.
  2. There is no way to guarantee that the student's work will in fact continue to exist after it enters mainspace. Wikipedia can and probably will sometimes "eat the homework", either by it being edited and changed to such an extent that the original work done by the student is no longer recognizable, or the new article might be split, merged or even simply deleted. If such a draft had not been graded before arriving in mainspace there simply won't be anything left to grade. The "mortality rate" of new articles in mainspace is quite high, an acceptance at AFC is no guarantee that such major editing or deletion would not occur. Roger (Dodger67) (talk) 22:01, 1 December 2015 (UTC)
My apologies, Dodger67 and others. I was not as clear as I thought I was being. I would expect the final module to be after grading, or, rather, as a bonus after grading, such that the grade had been received already, and the submission was a guided and necessary experience as part of the course. If the work vanishes post grading that is just life. This was clear in my head when I wrote about it, but I failed to transmit that though to the post. Fiddle Faddle 08:13, 2 December 2015 (UTC)
This does not seem to be a discussion. We could really do with Wiki Edu folk to engage in this. We are still seeing less than stellar offerings, such as the WP:COATRACK (see talk page) candidate at WP:AFC, and this does the students no favours at all. Fiddle Faddle 11:34, 3 December 2015 (UTC)
Thanks Timtrent and Dodger67. I understand that you contributed a lot of time to developing these student articles, and I understand that you are frustrated with the quality of work that you're seeing. I appreciate that you'd like Wiki Ed to join this community discussion about a course mainspace, but first I want to clarify a bit about what Wiki Ed does.

The Wiki Education Foundation is an independent nonprofit supports the Education Program in the US and Canada. If you find a US or Canadian class and they aren't working with us, send them our way or give us a heads up. Students and instructors in Wiki Ed supported courses are specifically tagged as such.

For the 160 courses we're working with this term, we track student contributions daily. In our recommendations to instructors, we note that students should never go through AfC. That's why we made a student sandbox template that doesn’t impact the AfC process. Instead, we have experienced Wikipedians on staff who review student work. That reduces our cost on volunteer time.

We ask instructors to tell students to work in a sandbox first. Students would then get feedback from our staff before moving to mainspace. The only classes you should see at AfC are:

  • those that don’t know about us (let them know!)
  • those outside of the USA/Canada
  • those who elect to work independently
  • those run by experienced Wikipedia editors, who we let do what they want
The course mentioned above, which tells students to go through AfC, is led by an experienced Wikipedian who opts to have his students' work go through a Wikipedia process. However, that's the only (known) exception to the AfC rule. The "Human Factors in Aviation" class went through AfC because another user, with no connection to the class, sent them there. New users sent through that process were understandably confused and resubmitted. That created the process we strive to avoid — which is using your volunteer time on student work at AfC.

So, let me address the quality of those contributions. This was a course in a subject area that isn't (currently) covered on Wikipedia. These new editors tried to create articles to fill it. Through a combined lack of experience, and the lack of good article models, they had a harder-than-average time getting the structure down. We're working on developing these articles, as is part of the process for any Wikipedia article.

This leads us to the grading methods. We do discourage participating instructors from grading based on “what sticks” in a Wikipedia article. In fact, we don't support any classes that require an assessment based on that metric. Instead, supported instructors have access to our Dashboard, where they can easily track student contributions. That includes contributions that are changed or removed outright.

Finally, your discussion of the “Coursework:” mainspace isn’t something Wiki Ed can do. We are wholly independent of the WMF and have no control over changes to mainspace. If the community sees this is a valuable tool, that's for the community to determine. We try to not intervene in those decisions! Eryk (Wiki Ed) (talk) 17:56, 4 December 2015 (UTC)

  • I know this is a slightly pedantic distinction, but you don't actually let me do what I want :) as employees of an affiliate rather than WMF employees with +staff privileges assigned to their accounts, WikiEd employees are just community members who happen to have a connection to a movement affiliate - just the same as, say, Emily (User:Keilana, WMDC's VP) or any of ENWP's other editors who have other movement affiliations - WikiEd is incredibly helpful but doesn't and can't dictate ENWP policy except through things like RFC's. Although I can't imagine a situation where I would do so instead of just literally calling you, if one of you violated WP:3RR or a similar policy, it would not be out of line for me or another sysop to block you for, say, the 24 hours 3rr suggests. Kevin Gorman (talk) 23:19, 4 December 2015 (UTC)
Thanks for highlighting that distinction, Kevin Gorman. I realize I've accidentally implied something I had no intention of suggesting. Instead, I should specify that by "let" I mean, we "let" instructors with deep Wikipedia editing experience teach courses of their own design, while still offering them our support and the use of our resources. I was speaking strictly in terms of "allowing" those instructors to participate in the Wiki Ed classroom program, not "allowing" instructors to do any other sort of activity. I hadn't thought that it would be read differently. Sorry for the confusion, and I appreciate the opportunity to clarify it! Eryk (Wiki Ed) (talk) 23:57, 4 December 2015 (UTC)
I understood what you meant, I just wanted to clarify it for any passers-by who might have been confused - in general I've found there's more than a tiny bit of confusion in the community between WMF and WEF. WEF plays a significant role in making education projects on ENWP run smoothly, and of course cooperates with the global education team at the WMF, but by itself (besides for its influence on how WMF implements education tools/its cooperation with WMF on education tools) isn't distinctly different than any other movement affiliate. (Actually, in a weird way, it is different: WEF never went through AffCom and is funded by outside grants rather than through WMF or other normal Wikimedia movement money streams... so in a way it's even neater, since WEF has greatly improved the quality of many education assignments on ENWP, and also provided many quite valuable tools, while not competing for FDC funding. Though funded by a WMF grant when first starting up, once he got outside finance streams running, Frank paid back the initial WMF grant in full.) Kevin Gorman (talk) 00:23, 5 December 2015 (UTC)
@Eryk (Wiki Ed): There are two things here that are important:
  1. Poor work should never have been allowed to escape into the wild. We have fractured English in an article eon Aviation communication!
  2. Wikipedia is Wikipedia, is Wikipedia. Wiki Ed cannot live in isolation from the remainder of the project. You are a full part of it, and are a true part of the community.
This has been a continuing less than stellar example. The course leader is very hard to engage with. Ignoring semantics they and all course leaders are part of Wikipedia. I understand that the latter stages of the course were hampered by Ian's illness, but the course leader should be on top of this. You can't blame RHaworth for moving ill advised main space moves to the Draft: namespace. The corporate 'you' of Wiki Edu needs to be a real part of the project as you are in your non Wiki Edu usernames. Yes, Ian is cleaning house, but why should he have to? Fiddle Faddle 18:57, 4 December 2015 (UTC)
@Timtrent

I’m sorry if I sent the impression that we don’t want to interact with the community, or that we are trying to isolate students from it. On the contrary, our intent is to balance transparency of what students are doing, and openness to the community’s involvement, while minimizing negative impacts on the type of things volunteers like doing.

I didn’t mean to place blame on any volunteer - I trust that RHayworth had good intentions! I merely wanted to state what our policies were, and why those procedures weren’t followed in the cases highlighted, which I think we owe the community whenever mistakes happen. As for Ian’s role on cleaning house, the reason he has to is because that’s his job. :) We want to make sure that students have an experienced editor to guide them through the process, while ensuring that those who volunteer their time on Wikipedia see articles that match or exceed the quality of contributions of any other new editor who attempts to create a new article. We’re on the same side here: Ensure that the new editors coming from classes make positive contributions to Wikipedia, and make sure that experienced editors can focus their energy on other tasks.

We agree that the work that showed up on mainspace made it there prematurely, and we’re working to resolve the problem as best we can. If other editors, such as yourself, would like to help, we’re certainly open to it! Eryk (Wiki Ed) (talk) 22:01, 4 December 2015 (UTC)

@Eryk (Wiki Ed): I used the term "blame" in a metaphorical sense rather that literally "to apportion blame/responsibility.
I see the challenges, some of them, that you face. What I am seeking to do is to hold a discussion between all interested parties that we will, at some point ask an uninvolved person to close, hoping to reach a conclusion across the entire interested community with a consensus over something that will be as useful as it can be to Wiki Edu. I want, very much, to enhance Wikipedia as a whole, and the sub communities of Students and of Course Leaders within that larger community. I see student work quite often that has escaped early. I recall assisting with a treatise on Mormon blessings, if that is the correct term, about 6-9 months ago, for example. I did my best to ensure that the students I met from that course had a positive experience. It could so easily have gone the other way.
Yes, I understand that Ian is sweeping up because it his job, bit it is a thankless task. Let's make it easier for him and you and others in your position. Far better you are helping course leaders than sweeping up after students errors! So do, please, join in below and ask your colleagues to join in. The proposal may be good or bad, the discussion may be fruitless, but help reach the conclusion Wikipedia needs. Fiddle Faddle 22:56, 4 December 2015 (UTC)

There is problematic editing going on with this class at the Slut article; see Talk:Slut#WP:Class assignment. A WP:Permalink is here. Opinions and/or help are needed. Flyer22 Reborn (talk) 00:10, 4 December 2015 (UTC)

@Flyer22 Reborn: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I have just reached out to the instructor and have asked her to advise her students to immediately stop engaging in any edit warring. We'll post back here if there are any updates. Helaine (Wiki Ed) (talk) 03:51, 4 December 2015 (UTC)
Hi, Flyer22 Reborn. We've gotten in contact with the professor and they've asked the students involved to stop until class meets un Tuesday. I've also left a note asking them to reach out to you and read the comments you've left on the talk page. Adam (Wiki Ed) (talk) 19:01, 4 December 2015 (UTC)
Thank you, Helaine (Wiki Ed) and Adam (Wiki Ed). I've gone about directly interacting with one of the students and addressing my problems with their edits. Flyer22 Reborn (talk) 19:07, 4 December 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — The Net Generation — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Connecticut_College/The_Net_Generation_(fall_2015). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--BillyDoo2 (talk) 18:47, 4 December 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Intro to Native American Studies — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Humboldt_State_University/Intro_to_Native_American_Studies_(Spring_2016). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--KjmHSUNAS (talk) 15:43, 5 December 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Saint_Louis_University/Introduction_to_Women's_and_Gender_Studies_(Spring_2016). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Iseethal (talk) 18:53, 5 December 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Immunology — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Carleton_College/Immunology_(Winter). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Dwalser (talk) 14:11, 6 December 2015 (UTC)

Making the Wikipedia Education Programme even better

At WP:AFC and in the main namespace we are seeing many outputs from the Wikipedia:Education program from students who are led with varying degrees of skill by their course leaders. Many of these are less than stellar creations, requiring editors to clean up behind the courses, the more so when material has been moved into main namespace prematurely. Some are excellent.

The overall objective must always be to improve Wikipedia. This is anticipated to be by having suitable articles or edits to articles as an end product, together with students whose experience has been positive and who may stay on as active editors, and course leaders who have had the best experience possible so that they generate more and more of the previous two items.

Rather than discussing this on a course by course basis, I am inviting all interested parties to discuss the matter on the Education Noticeboard, the place that seems the most appropriate home. I have set out some bullets for discussion, and added one proposal

What I hope to see is encapsulated as including:

  1. A new namespace, “Coursework:” in which the students create their drafts
  2. Some form of licence for the course leader. Use of Wikipedia should be a hard won privilege, not a right
  3. Excellence of support for the course leader
  4. Excellence of tuition by the course leader
  5. Increasing competence of the student leading to finished main space articles
  6. A formal process (cf WP:AFC) for acceptance of student articles into main namespace
  7. Obvious identification of student coursework. Some students/instructors fail on this
  8. Cleaning up at the end of the course, by the course leader. Courses often leave less then acceptable material in all sorts of places, including the article space
  9. Happy students, some of whom become editors here after the course is over
  10. Happy course leaders

None of this discussion is intended to detract from the excellent job done by the education team. Instead it is intended to be useful to them and to offer them assistance, and conceivably to be used by them to justify additional paid staff.

You may wish to add other items to the list. Please do. You may also find other formal proposals to make. Please do Fiddle Faddle 14:03, 4 December 2015 (UTC)

General discussion, not about a specific proposal

  • I am aware that some, many, of these items I have suggested above may well exist already. If that is so then there needs to be wider awareness of them, please. Fiddle Faddle 14:07, 4 December 2015 (UTC)
  • Much of what I've said above is relevant here, and worth a read on it's own, but in summary:
    • As a rule, students in Wiki Ed supported classes don’t submit their work to AfC.
    • Wiki Ed staff review student articles in sandboxes before they’re moved to mainspace, to minimize volunteer impact.
    • Wiki Ed supported courses are strongly discouraged from grading on what “sticks” to Wikipedia, and we offer tools for instructors to review student work regardless of how it is edited. Eryk (Wiki Ed) (talk) 18:01, 4 December 2015 (UTC)
  • I would like to speak by voice or video with any Wikimedia community member who has interest in developing Wikipedia community engagement with classes. Email me to arrange a talk if you are interested. Blue Rasberry (talk) 19:32, 4 December 2015 (UTC)
    • @Bluerasberry: Let me know if anyone there has a meaningful discussion with you. They made plain to me that they don't give a damn, hence their insufficient replies to your many messages on the subject. Chris Troutman (talk) 21:07, 5 December 2015 (UTC)
  • Using AFC is certainly possible, but it causes confusion when the article is rejected. And it causes more confusion if there are several ways for the student to get it as an article. There should not be too many ways to gateway a page into article space. If the course includes a check itself if the page is ready, then use that. Letting students move pages themselves, often has a premature mainspace appearance. Premature moves, or creating in mainspace often results in a delete. If courses are running outside Wiki ed, without proper support, then AFC may have to be used. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 04:36, 8 December 2015 (UTC)
  • When I first started teaching with Wikipedia in 2011, I had students submit through AfC. However, that became impossible just a semester or so after that because the AfC volunteers were so overwhelmed with the total population of submissions and so far behind that my students would never get the feedback they needed if I had only relied only on them, which I didn't. I was explicitly told at that time to STOP my students from submitting to AfC, and I did and I have never returned to that process. Also submitting to AfC is not a perfect world. For me it was too much of an unnecessary bottleneck and I could oftentimes give them feedback faster and in real people speech instead of templates chockfull of jargon. My students were often confused by AfC templates and comments when they received them. The AfC comments portion of the response, when done in normal people language, were generally helpful when they were timely and appeared before the final draft. Again that didn't happen for long. A plus from my point of view was that I generally liked for someone other than me to assess the article for Wikipedia as it provided outside review. We like that in Academia! That, of course, was independent from a grade, but it gave a general sense of how well the community thought we were doing. The headache for me has always been students who have no sense of whether or not they have improved an article and who prematurely submit it without my knowing about it. You can tell them NOT to submit and they will (believe me). That genuinely irks me and it wastes other volunteers' time, which I hate. I wish the template at the top could be laid down without a "submit" button. For trigger happy students, I remove it, but the savvy student can always figure out how to get around that. I would caution against going back to students submitting to the general AfC population. It's not the bed of roses. Crtew (talk) 01:10, 11 December 2015 (UTC)

Proposal for "Coursework:" namespace creation

To request the creation of a new namespace, “Coursework:” to act as a work area and holding pen that does not impact on main namespace until the work is deemed ready for migration there. I anticipate that it will be similar in every respect to the Draft: namespace except that it is intended to be reserved for Education within the scope of the Wikipedia:Education program Fiddle Faddle 14:08, 4 December 2015 (UTC)

Support Coursework: namespace creation

  1. Support as proposer. This space will allow students to work without help or hindrance from those who work in the other namespaces. IT will allow course leaders to grade work before it is edited unmercifully in the main namespace, and encourage them to uphold the standards required for a main namespace article by making the move an informed decision. Fiddle Faddle 14:03, 4 December 2015 (UTC)

Oppose Coursework: namespace creation

  1. We already have both a drafts namespace, sandboxes, and ways of tracking students. I see no advantage to creating a special coursework namespace. Beyond unusually singling out students, it ignores the fact that plenty of student assignments involve editing existing articles. Additionally, although I know student retention beyond the end of their course is uncommon, it does happen. I can think of a double handful of my students who still edit Wikipedia on something approaching a regular basis; the more differently we treat students from other editors, the less common student retention will be. One of the main benefits that almost every instructor I've worked with has seen about having students edit Wikipedia is the opportunity to participate in a commmunity of practice, and this strips that away. I don't think I've ever had a single editor touch one of my students' sandboxed work except for stuff like stripping away categories that don't belong in a sandbox, so any instructor who wants a protected area for students to build or edit content in already has one. No instructor worth their salt grades their students on the final work that actually sticks on Wikipedia. Also, although I love the WikiEdu folk (I've known many of them in person since the period they started working on education issues,) I oppose the idea of any namespace on ENWP that is "very much under their control." No other WMF affiliate has a namespace on ENWP that is 'very much under their control,' and WikiEdu is not the only organization/group of people who support classes on ENWP. Are we going to give WMDC a separate namespace because they do some direct education support, or me my own namespace if my plans to support a dozen or so courses at once in-person in the relatively near future come to fruition? WikiEdu already has tools to track students in courses they support without needing their own namespace. This suggestion has no clear benefit, and several clear disadvantages. Kevin Gorman (talk) 23:07, 4 December 2015 (UTC)
  2. THe most successful course I know uses a userspace draft, followed by a move, or a paste into the article. Having yet another namespace just causes more confusion. We have too many already. Draft: namespace will do the job of a coursework space. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 04:28, 8 December 2015 (UTC)
  3. I have to throw my two cents in as well. I think I see what you're getting at here, that these drafts would be kept in an area clearly marked as pertaining to a specific coursework. However this is already somewhat redundant to the way that education modules are already set up. Most classes have a table that designates what topic each student will be working on and also lists which students are enrolled in the class, which gives an educator or volunteer an easy way to monitor what the students are doing. Adding this extra step could be confusing for both teachers and students, which can be problematic when you consider that Wikipedia's guidelines and practices can be confusing enough. Also, having a protected area may be detrimental for the reasons listed above by Kevin. I just don't see where it's really necessary. Tokyogirl79 (。◕‿◕。) 09:01, 8 December 2015 (UTC)
  4. Wikipedia is overcomplicated, and we need to make it much more straightforward; this is a step in the wrong direction. We have great difficulty in screening new articles and articles under development, and need to have as few places as possible to look at them: this is a step in the wrong direction . The primary purpose of the education program is to develop WP articles and improve our quality: by isolating the work under progress from the main stream, this is a step in the wrong direction. We need to have as many people as possible involved in evaluating the work of projects, rather than leaving them to their own devices: this is a step in the wrong direction. We need to diminish the feeling of ownership in various WP processes and projects: this is a major step in the wrong direction. We need to keep the education program to the same standard as the rest of Wikipedia: this is a really major step in the wrong direction. We need to coirrect the residual effects of unfortunate way the education program was handled by the foundation, and not compensate for it by encouraging the growth of a parallel bureaucracy in affiliated organizations: this is so far in the wrong direction as to astound me, even at WP. DGG ( talk ) 00:03, 9 December 2015 (UTC)
  5. I would caution against setting up any ONE standard. The problem is that instructors and courses will have different goals and outcomes. That richness is good for them and good for Wikipedia. For some working in a collaborative environment of mainspace and having as many involved as possible could best serve those goals. For some training in a user space could ease the students into a process of research that would give the students a sense of safety. And that's only a few. I could think of other examples where a ONE standard wouldn't fit at all. What about an art or photography class assigned to illustrate Wikipedia pages? What about a class of librarians trained to classify and categorize articles. And on and on ... Instead, let's focus on expectations. Clearly marking articles in progress as instruction spaces with the use of templates on a talk page or in a user space, for example, is reasonable.Crtew (talk) 01:37, 11 December 2015 (UTC)

Neutral on Coursework: namespace creation

Discuss Coursework: namespace creation

  • I do not think this namespace is conceptually differentiated from the existing "draft" namespace, except that it comes from "students". An alternative proposal could be to direct students to contribute to the draft namespace so that the review queues for "coursework" and "drafts" are the same. I am not sure why "coursework" would need review or separation from drafts. Also, I would like to pressure more participants in education programs to mingle more with the Wikipedia community, rather than have separate production flows, discussion boards, etc. I am open to hearing more but right now I do not have enough information to recognize a need for separation. Instead of a namespace, student drafts could have categories or tags which prioritize them for review by stakeholders who care more about certain sets of drafts than all drafts generally. Blue Rasberry (talk) 19:29, 4 December 2015 (UTC)
  • While the same rules about content apply in all namespaces (I am thinking specifically of copyright violations), the Draft: namespace is too public a namespace for the unique aspects of being a student on a course. The differentiation is on the handling of material within the namespace and the handling of promoting student drafts to main space.
I understand the idea of using a category or some other label as an alternative, and it might work. What I would prefer to see, by design, is something that is much more likely to work than "might." Those who review at WP:AFC review drafts as submitted, and work to clear out a regular backlog. Adding "Special Drafts" to that backlog is likely to cause substantial confusion. What I seek to do is to avoid that confusion. Fiddle Faddle 19:57, 4 December 2015 (UTC)
By the way, Bluerasberry, is this not better in the discussion segment below? I'll leave that to you. Fiddle Faddle 20:32, 4 December 2015 (UTC)
Timtrent Are you proposing a forked copy of the drafts space and review process just for students? What would be different in the technical review process? Blue Rasberry (talk) 22:17, 4 December 2015 (UTC)
@Bluerasberry: The term "fork" here on Wikipedia has been fraught with misunderstanding. Many folk debate for hours on the difference between a content fork and a POV fork, for example; others get the distinction straight away. While your metaphor stands I prefer to think of it as different. In my mind it has similar characteristics to Draft:, but takes advantage of the course leaders and the Wiki Edu folk to promote work from Coursework: into main namespace. Work in Coursework: would not come to WP:AFC for example, unless there was a definite intent by the course leader and Wiki Edu in combination to expose the course to those review processes. It would have a normal target of becoming an article. The benefit is that messes, of which we have a couple of examples currently further up this page, one for me and one from Flyer, will be cleared up without involving the "ordinary" editor.
This also means that students who are not ready for the cut and thrust that is WP in the raw do not need to be exposed to it.
I would trust Wik Edu folk and course leaders to nip copyvios in the bud, but, otherwise, until the material is allowed out of Coursework: I view it as a space inside which pretty much anything (lawful) goes. We would have the same rules, of course, about non free files and other similar technicalities, but those are what one might term "Global Rules"
I would expect Coursework: to be very much under the control if Wiki Edu, but not a walled off area of Wikipedia, unless consensus were to make it so. Fiddle Faddle 22:43, 4 December 2015 (UTC)
  • The one absolutely distinctive feature of student work that separates it from everything else that happens on Wikipedia is time. Educational projects are by definition tied to a timetable with various deadlines - the semester ends when it ends, students have other work and exams to attend to, etc. It is the only place on enWP where WP:NODEADLINE does not apply. This, ladies and gentlemen, is fundamentally the reason why AFC is "allergic" to student drafts. The workflow of AFC cannot accommodate time constraints. Outside of AFC the time factor also creates problems for the broader enWP community. To confused students I'm sure the broader enWP community often seem callous and uncaring as we unapologetically "eat their homework". Roger (Dodger67) (talk) 07:43, 5 December 2015 (UTC)
  • Time is an invalid reason for a separate namespace. Unsubmitted drafts are not even listed for consideration of deletion at Draft space until after 5 months without being worked on , and not deleted till 6. This is enough to cover the work of any academic course. DGG ( talk ) 00:07, 9 December 2015 (UTC)
  • The fact that the Education project does not actually have "control" of all educational activity on enWP is a problem. This place needs a few hard rules: ALL educational projects WILL be registered as such. ALL student drafts WILL be labelled/categorized as such. ALL student user pages WILL be labelled/categorized as such. ALL educational projects WILL engage with relevant WikiProjects. On more than one occasion I have seen posts by students at places such as the Help Desk or Teahouse asking for help to find their class project page, their own draft, etc. When one looks at the editor's user page there is no indication that they are involved with a class project. These kids are simply thrown in at the deep end with no obvious support. Roger (Dodger67) (talk) 07:43, 5 December 2015 (UTC)
  • No. Just no. I love Wiki Ed, but they're not the only people doing education work, and this would be absolutely the first time that a movement entity was given absolute control over an aspect of ENWP. Yes, sometimes students are thrown in to the deep end without enough support. This shouldn't regularly happen, and is the sign of a poorly planned class that will benefit from intervention from Wiki Ed, me, or anyone else interested in education issues. Teahouse gets plenty of uninformed questions from new regular editors: why should a student not be able to ask a question there, even if it's a question that their instructor should ideally have covered? Even if you managed to successfully pass these requirements in an RfC with strong consensus, you are assuming there is only one type of student assignment - writing a new article. This is false. I can think of four or five other types I've used off the top of my head, and just as importantly, there's massive room for pedagogical innovation in terms of using Wikipedia as a teaching tool. Putting hard restrictions on classes that pre-assume a particular type of assignment is not at all ossibly the answer. Kevin Gorman (talk) 18:56, 5 December 2015 (UTC)
  • I agree with Kevin Gorman. No. Just no. --jbmurray (talkcontribs) 07:40, 8 December 2015 (UTC)
  • The very last thing we should want is "the education project having control of all educational activity" in Wikipedia. WP is based around the principle that anyone can contribute, and people can be and should be free to run whatever courses they like that make use of WP, in whatever manner they like, as long as they edit in conformity to our standards. If they do not, they do not belong in WP in any namespace at all--they belong on their own wiki. If the purpose of a course is to let students experiment with the wiki method of editing, they can set up a test wiki wherever they please, just as others have done. I would encourage them to use the Wikimedia software, and they can create whatever procedures and spaces they want on it, as long as they don't call it Wikipedia. If they want to make some of the finished work usable on Wikipedia, all they need do is have a compatible license. The education program has a major role here is establishing some degree of order in what might otherwise be chaotic, for those who want to use it, and I would advise anyone proposing to run a course to do it under their aegis, and use their faciltiies and follow their advice. DGG ( talk ) 00:16, 9 December 2015 (UTC)
I've found a "perfect" example of this problem - Here the editor mentions being involved in a class project, but the editor's User page (or talk page) contains no indication that such a project exists. Expecting random wikipedians to be able to help such a student editor is the same as expecting random strangers on the streets of Los Angeles to be able to show a UCLA student to the correct classroom. Roger (Dodger67) (talk) 14:06, 5 December 2015 (UTC)
  • BTW, There isn't a single mention of the "Human Factors in Aviation" project at WT:WikiProject Aviation (apologies for picking on this one, but it's the one that currently has my attention). This is a textbook example of a fundamental failure to engage with the Wikipedia Community - it seems as if some of the lessons of the India trainsmash have still not been learnt. Roger (Dodger67) (talk) 07:43, 5 December 2015 (UTC)
This is really important. I'll draw an example from "regular old" AfC, but the logic applies to education too. Occasionally we will get a rather complicated pure mathematics-related draft. I have a bit of math experience, but these drafts are easily beyond my skill level, and often in mathematical domains with which I'm completely unfamiliar. Suffice it to say that a layperson would have an extremely difficult time assessing the correctness of the math in, say, the Quasi-exact solvability draft.
When these kinds of drafts come up, we tend to ask someone at the relevant WikiProject, and rightly so, since they're the experts. So when student-submitted drafts—which, in recent Wiki Edu courses, have looked like essays and have occasionally duplicated the subject-matter of existing articles—appear, how much more should we be inviting WikiProjects to help steer the content in the right direction! /wia /tlk 15:40, 5 December 2015 (UTC)
@Wikiisawesome Notifying relevant WikiProjects should be an early step in the process of registering a class project. WikiProjects should be told up-front that a class of students are about to be let loose in their subject area. That way project members can anticipate problems and pro-actively engage with the students and instructors. Who better than the already established subject specialist editors to help guide the instructor and students on how this crazy place works. Even as early as the course design stage - which seems to occur in a vacuum - subject WikiProjects have expertise that is currently ignored by this WP-Edu system. WikiProjects tend to take a very dim view of class projects when a large number of substandard articles are suddenly dumped in their laps without warning. At AFC we've been promoting the use of the "class=Draft" parameter in WikiProject banners placed on the talk pages of drafts. Perhaps a "class=Studentdraft" parameter could help solve some of these issues because it would "automagically" notify relevant WikiProjects that student work is under way - provided that such drafts are in fact tagged quite early in their existence. Roger (Dodger67) (talk) 16:17, 5 December 2015 (UTC)
  • I've had a similar experience. Yesterday I encountered a user involved in a Wiki Edu course who submitted seven drafts (in the Draft: space) for review at AfC in the space of a few hours. Each draft contained copyright violations and most of them duplicated existing subject-matter on Wikipedia. They left me a rather desperate talk page message, pleading for me to accept one of them; they were evidently worried they'd fail the course if they didn't get the extra credit points for their Wikipedia work. I don't know enough about the particular course to guess how or why this particular editor ended up where they did, but it seems like nobody else from that course used the Draft: space.
The whole experience signals the need for a clear, easily communicable "drafting" process for all Wiki Edu students. The recent Aviation experiment to me suggests that having Wiki Edu students go through the generic AfC reviewing process might not work. My gut feeling is that simpler solutions are better. Whether that is through explicit labelling of student "drafts" or an entirely separate Coursework: space, having an easy-to-understand system for student editors is key. I think there might be some benefit to creating an entirely separate Coursework: space for student editors, but I have not given it much thought yet and so will mull it over. I have other thoughts too, but perhaps they are best suited for other areas of this RFC, so I shall keep them in reserve. /wia /tlk 08:01, 5 December 2015 (UTC)
@Wikiisawesome: Ouch - that's an unfortunate experience. I really appreciate your dealing with their AFC submissions so patiently. The course lays out its expectations well, the school has excellent support staff, and you tried to help (repeatedly). Ian (Wiki Ed) (talk) 16:08, 5 December 2015 (UTC)
  • Wikiisawesome: do you have any evidence that demonstrates that student work is on average more problematic than non-student work? Althugh I agree with you they shouldn't use AfC, problems involving students are frequently blown out of significance because of the fact that they are students - plenty of similarly bad work occurs from new users (in fact, probably more.) Kevin Gorman (talk) 18:56, 5 December 2015 (UTC)
Hi Kevin Gorman! I admit that my evidence (such as it is) is purely anecdotal, and I certainly haven't been around AfC as long as some of the more seasoned contributors. But it seems to me that student editing is especially important to get right—after all, they are being trained about it in class, and they're being graded on it. Editors who start working on Wikipedia out of personal interest is one thing, but it somehow feels more weighty when participation is required. I suppose I am in favour of anything that the "drafting" process simple and intuitive for new users—whether it be student editors in particular or new editors in general. /wia /tlk 17:25, 6 December 2015 (UTC)
What I find is that the students are using WP as a place to write their class essays (which do not read like WP articles), and they are not always actually intending to create WP articles. I just ran into one (Draft:Aflatoxin B1) that totally duplicates an article in main space. Aflatoxin B1. The student was surprised that this was rejected at AfC as a duplicate -- which means that the student did not understand what AfC is for, not to mention what WP is about. talk. So there are two issues that I see - one is that the students are being asked to create an article, and not necessarily a "new" article. Given that WP is huge, finding new topics to add that are also within the curriculum becomes increasingly difficult. The other is that they are submitting class work to AfC that is not intended to actually go to main space. I personally am not at all convinced that WP is a good educational vehicle -- it's a strange kind of writing; it's as much about social interaction as it is about information; the basics (that might be educationally useful) are already covered. LaMona (talk) 16:12, 8 December 2015 (UTC)
  • I think we are making the standard wikipedia mistake of setting up systems that are technically perfect but way too complex to understand- and implement. (Any youngsters I instruct/train/encourage starts by editing in their sand box- and are discouraged from starting new articles until they are comfortable with improving existing articles). Deliberately, I tried to find out how to use Draft: from the Wikipedia mainpage- the route may be there but a beginner would not find it. I typed 'Help Draft' then Draft: then used the side bar. When I got to Wikipedia:Draft it is a disamb. I am supposed to guess Wikipedia:Drafts (Wikipedia:Draft:s? is what I want? Think beginner! Think accessibility.
Can we turn this round and create a system that is a diverse as Wikipedia, where a course may be being run outside the US University namespace- with inner city students who have much to offer, but are alienated and lack self-confidence. Think about running an access course for the prison service. The system must be easy for the tutor to control, and the results must give the students a buzz. As a tutor I want total control- I want to decide when to transfer to mainspace- and when to wipe all at the end of the course, I want it to look and free just like mainspace- categories invisible outside- but linkable to real categories. At the end of the course I tidy up the classroom- and likewise tidy up the disc space.
As a tutor I want the system to rock solid, so the UI hasn´t changed over the half term break, in difficult classes you never shift you eye focus from the class to a students screen.
We have two options- make Draft: bombproof or we make a bombproof Coursework: space. Look please ignore me if my comments are off-focus, but I thought you would like to hear a view from the bottom.-- Clem Rutter (talk) 12:10, 5 December 2015 (UTC)
You may want total control, but many instructors participating in the program don't. I've worked extensively with instructors, and have instructed more than a few courses myself, and in very few situations did we want total control over the course of the assignment. Instructors who want total control can already have it via sandboxes etc. Students should not be cordoned off as 'separate-but-equal' editors. In terms of finding the drafts namespace or sandboxes etc - you have to remember that these students have some level of training, either from WikiEd's online training, or from someone's inpersn training, that will point them directly to where they should be editing. Kevin Gorman (talk) 18:56, 5 December 2015 (UTC)
Did I just say that! Lets start again- I want total control of the system so the students are free to develop their ideas in safety. I want to protect them from our excellent vandal patrol who have been known to speedy delete a new piece of work correctly citing a policy that takes no account that our student lack of confidence or motor skills on a keyboard- most of the time we a re working with savvy adults but at times we are trying push the boundaries and work with students who don't have a high level of previous training. -- Clem Rutter (talk) 22:49, 5 December 2015 (UTC)
Students can work in their sandboxes etc with no real danger of other editors interfering with them unless they post a copyvio etc. Once student work goes live, other than supervision by WikiEd staff, experienced Wikipedians working with them, and their instructors, why should student work be treated any differently than normal work? If students are unfairly effected by excessive speedy deletions, then surely new Wikipedians who aren't students are unfairly effected by them just as severely, and the answer is to curb excessive speedy deletions that effect all new users, not to give students special protection. Kevin Gorman (talk) 04:09, 6 December 2015 (UTC)
There is a third option: Create courses on Wikiversity like this mock course I threw together last night as a proof of principle. Feel free to join.--Guy vandegrift (talk) 18:02, 5 December 2015 (UTC)
That's certainly an option for those who like the idea, but most won't. For most, the entire point of a Wikipedia-based assignment is that it's on Wikipedia. For most instructors, using Wikiversity is not a desirable option. Kevin Gorman (talk)
@Kevin Gorman: You correctly state that Wikiversity is not a desirable option for most instructors. My anecdotal observations suggest that most Wiki_Ed courses don't cause problems on Wikipedia. If disruptive student editing represents only a small portion of Wiki_Ed activities, we may seek a solution that would suit only a small portion of Wiki_Ed instructors. Freshman introductory courses involve topics covered by well-developed Wikipedia articles that don't need inexperienced editors. See the link to Wikiversity quizzes in the lower right-hand box at Global warming#External links. These quizzes needed to be edited, and study guide summaries of the article would be useful. Such parallel efforts are welcome on Wikiversity, and would enhance the usefulness of the main Wikipedia article through the external link. --A draft of my proposal is at User:Guy vandegrift/WikiEd/Wikipedia and quizzes for introductory college courses--Guy vandegrift (talk) 18:44, 6 December 2015 (UTC)
You make a significant mistake in assuming that freshman introductory courses involve topics well-covered by existing Wikipedia articles. Many freshman classes deal with topics that Wikipedia's content imbalance means are undercovered or not covered at all. I have had first semester freshmen write articles about quite significant subjects that previously did not exist. Kevin Gorman (talk) 20:05, 6 December 2015 (UTC)
That is because you do geography and I do physics. Virtually all undergraduate physics courses (even for majors) are on fundamental topics that are already thoroughly covered on Wikipedia. Rutherford put it in a rather obnoxious and condescending way: "All of science is either physics or stamp collecting". You will note that few if any of the Wiki_Ed courses are physics (biophysics - yes, but that is stamp collecting). Come to think of it, even my first year of graduate school in the UC Berkeley physics department failed to get past what was already known by circa 1930--Guy vandegrift (talk) 21:22, 6 December 2015 (UTC)
Let me clarify: This is a discussion about problems on Wikipedia attributed to Wiki_Ed. From what I see, these problems come from a small minority of courses. Of those courses, the majority can be fixed by better training the instructor. But some of those problems might be coming from instructors who should be using Wikiversity instead of Wiki_Ed. Most of the colleges that currently use Wikiversity are doing engineering courses where students often "invent" solutions to problems that are not real. For example, in one course, students are designing remote controlled lawnmowers that would never be allowed to be sold without far more safety features. Another example involves science labs in any field-- will each science lab done in middle school, high school, and college have a Wikipedia page? I'm not against that, but I'm not sure what the Wikipedia editors would think. Another example involves creative writing. Will Wikipedia ever host short stories and poems? BTW, this is not a moot issue, if there are courses that should be taught on Wikiversity, that needs to be stated in the Wiki_Ed introductory materials. Also, I am not getting paid to promote Wikiversity, but if I see a way for Wikiversity to help, I am obligated to speak up.--Guy vandegrift (talk) 21:49, 6 December 2015 (UTC)
I don't know if it's simply a field difference, but I was actually one of the co-lecturers for a required intro course for all incoming MCB doctoral candidates at UCB, and I had no problem coming up with a list of important, broad articles for students to work on (as well a host of smaller Wikipedia-based exercises of the type that are rarely discussed on this board, like "evaluate the quality of sources in article X, find any that are inferior sources to sources available in the modern literature, explain why, and replace them.") I do agree with you that some classes would be better served using WV instead of WP, it's just that odd course out - 19 out of 20 times it's an issue of better instructor/student training. Kevin Gorman (talk) 22:49, 6 December 2015 (UTC)
We have no way of preventing anyone who wishes from contributing in whatever manner they please. Aside from our usual practices for article editing, revision, and deletion, we have no way to control content. The most we can do to control classes is to insist that individual people use individual accounts. It would be possible to insist that all new contributors contribute to Draft space rather than main space, and a proposal to that effect is likely to be made at some point. We could then make Education space an option,. But the only practical way we can get people to use it is to make it attractive for them to do so.
Personally, I am very skeptical of adding additional patterns of article creation, because the more there are, the harder they will be to control. We have with immense effort over the last few years managed to get the AfC process and draft space to some very limited degree of rationality. I would focus on improving it, not on adding yet another pathway. DGG ( talk ) 03:33, 6 December 2015 (UTC)
  • Time was raised as a reason for a separate namespace. That does not make sense to me, for unsubmitted drafts are not even listed for consideration of deletion at Draft space until after 5 months without being worked on , and not deleted till 6. This is enough to cover the work of any academic course. DGG ( talk ) 00:07, 9 December 2015 (UTC)
  • @DGG You're missing my point about the significance of time. It's not about unsubmitted drafts, it's about student drafts that are submitted with the expectation that AfC's processes will be able to review and accept the draft within the time constraints of the course. Students come to the help page begging for a quick acceptance "so that my article can be graded, before the course ends". Quite frankly, quite a few of the most productive and experienced AfC reviewers are very reluctant to review submissions under such pressure. Short answer, student work must already be graded before it is submitted to AfC (if they really insist on going the AfC route) and should contain a statement somewhere that grading is already done, so that AfC is not forced to have an "express checkout" just for student drafts. The bottom line is that AfC reviewers object to being made party to a student's passing or failing a college course, as that violates the injunction against real world harm on WP. Roger (Dodger67) (talk) 18:51, 10 December 2015 (UTC)
The AfC process is a lot faster than it used to be (though it does still need improvement). Many finished articles from the ed program are submitted at the very last day, beyond the point where feedback is of use to the student. In any case, grading should not depend on our review. It should be done by the instructor using their own standards. I thought this has been a principle of the program ever since that first disastrous year. But I see you understand th possibilities for improving things at AfC. I think that's the right approach, and a priority for many reasons, not just for the ed project. DGG ( talk ) 22:12, 10 December 2015 (UTC) DGG ( talk ) 19:08, 10 December 2015 (UTC)

License

I prefer the term certification. I think that both teachers and students should be trained on the basics and go through a certification process, at least once. The training is already set up. Perhaps a few brief diagnostic quizzes throughout could be set up on the road to the final quiz for certification. Forcing certification has the benefit of making sure everybody starts with the same basic knowledge. Everybody can speak the same language and understand the process. All would know what Wikipedia is about. All would know the principles by which it operates. The code would be a bit demystified. Maybe even a bit of the jargon could be explained. And when the process changes significantly, a renewal of the certification could be set up. Crtew (talk) 01:25, 11 December 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Intro to Native American Studies S2 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Humboldt_State_University/Intro_to_Native_American_Studies__S2_(Spring_2016). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--KjmHSUNAS (talk) 14:42, 8 December 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Information Fluency in the Digital World Sec 3 — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/California_Maritime_Academy/Information_Fluency_in_the_Digital_World_Sec_3_(Spring_2016). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--AmJans (talk) 18:42, 8 December 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Digital Media and Society — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/North_Dakota_State_University/Digital_Media_and_Society_(Spring_2016). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Mavcallens (talk) 19:03, 8 December 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Group Communication — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Arapahoe_Community_College/Group_Communication_(Spring_2016). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--SchipABQ (talk) 19:10, 8 December 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — ASCB editathon — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Simons_Foundation/ASCB_editathon_(December). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.-- Blue Rasberry (talk) 21:08, 8 December 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — Basic Ideas of Sociology — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Florida_International_University/Basic_Ideas_of_Sociology_(Spring_2016). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Alfgarciamora (talk) 18:07, 10 December 2015 (UTC)

I have created a new course — 3,000 Years of Jewish History — at dashboard.wikiedu.org/courses/Chapman_University/3,000_Years_of_Jewish_History_(Spring_2016). If you'd like to see more details about my course, check out my course page.--Chapmansh (talk) 19:38, 10 December 2015 (UTC)