At risk of sounding like a broken record, you take the fact that 69% of new members want to learn wiki skills as evidence that learning Mediwiki is not a barrier to participation.
I would expect that most new users of WikiEd would want to learn wiki skills, and that anyone who does not want to would not register. I still hold to my opinion that a non-GUI interface is a barrier that will limit participation, and that a provider of collaborative editing will be preferred if they offer a workable GUI interface. Otherwise I'm very happy with the way that WikiEd is developing. Regards, David McQuillan Programme Coordinator, Diploma of Massage Therapy Chairperson Massage Educator's Group Lower South Island Representative, Massage New Zealand ph - ext 8378 DDI - 479-3618 >>> mackiwg <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 04/27/08 1:40 PM >>> Hi everyone -- WE launched an optional survey for new accounts in September last year. The confirmation email sent to a new account holder invites new WikiEducators to complete a short survey. I've posted a pdf version of the survey results which you can access from the relevant link in the news section on our main page. See: http://wikieducator.org/Main_Page Things which surprise, encourage and make our WE community proud: * Half of our members joining the family are over 45 years old. So we're not only limited to the young social software "junkies" or "digital natives". WE, it would seem, has a representative age profile. * WE is a community of educators, with 72% of respondents identifying themselves as teachers, lecturers or trainers * 69% of new account holders want to learn wiki skills -- that's very encouraging. So I'm less inclined to buy-into the learning Mediawiki is "too hard" or does "not look like my word processor" argument. The ability to participate in social software projects and collaborative content development is an ICT skill (perhaps even a lifeskill?). Our survey proves that educators want to learn how to participate and engage in this exciting world :-) * When we launched the survey In September 2007 -- there was a male gender bias (60% male and 40% female.) With our Learning4Content project we have made a concerted effort to address the gender bias in ICTs -- particularly in the developing world. It appears that we are on the right track with a 49:51 spilt between male and female respectively. Things which concern me: * Under representation in the K12 and Vocational Education sectors -- this is growing, be we need to focus energies on how to engage the school and TVET sectors in free content development. * The oversight in our questionnaire to incorporate the informal and non-formal education sectors -- surely our work and mission can make a difference in these areas? Take a look at the survey and post your thoughts on what this means for evolving and dynamic strategy for our community. In your view: What are the next steps for WE? How should we achieve this? Cheers Wayne --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "WikiEducator" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/wikieducator?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
