Randy, It is true that this should also be a priority. Providing a 'personality' to WikiEducator will greatly increase the propensity for first time users to stay well after the training periods have ended. Perhaps at another forum, we should further get statistics on how many users have not been back online after the first few days and discuss strategies for encouraging them to "call-again".
Thanks for this and cheers! Victor. On Sep 27, 5:37 am, Randy Fisher <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi All, > > Great technical innovation. > > IMHO, what would also help new users, is a better welcome message from > WikiAdmin, or WikiEd Admin (vs. Erik Moeller), in a way that is recognizable > -- and most typically doesn't route to the trash. > > When I've trained users, it's quite amazing how many don't get or don't see > the registration confirmation message -- because it comes from an unfamiliar > source, NOT from WikiEd directly. > > I understand from Wayne, that this will be fixed when our servers are firmly > at Athabasca, but I just want to underline it as a High Priorty too. > > - Randy > > > > On Sun, Sep 27, 2009 at 6:59 AM, kiwizian <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Well done, Wayne. > > > Of course it is a very important and valuable step forward for WE. > > In my opinion Wiki Syntax or a WYSIWYG are only the technical > > terminologies. > > The ultimate goal needs to be "user friendly" which is a never ending > > process. Is is just a simple strategy. > > > Keep it up. WE is on the right track with this development and > > dedicated mission. > > > Regards > > > Tj > > > that we should be bold and move forward with the suggestion. > > > On Sep 27, 12:27 pm, Wayne Mackintosh <[email protected]> > > wrote: > > > Hi everyone, > > > > For sometime our Community has requested that we implement a WYSIWYG > > editor > > > in WikiEducator. Many teachers and educators say that wiki text is a > > > barrier to participation. WikiEducator is keen to respond to these > > requests. > > > > To date, we've been holding back on implementing rich text editing for > > two > > > reasons: > > > > - Maturity of the WYSIWYG technology (Most notably issues with > > templates > > > and large content pages) > > > - A reliable funding source to implement the refinements that will be > > > necessary for an educational wiki > > > > The MediaWiki+FCKeditor project has matured considerably over the last 2 > > > years and we believe that it is now feasible to install WYSIWYG editing > > for > > > WikiEducator. Also, with funding support from the New Zealand Ministry of > > > Education we are now in a position to start work on the implementation of > > > refinements that will be required for educators (for example, pull down > > > menus for our pedagogical templates incorporating text boxes for the > > > different parameters for these templates). > > > > We need to cater for two kinds of users: 1) Those (like myself ;-) ) who > > > prefer wiki syntax to rich text editing and (2) those users who would > > prefer > > > using a WYSIWYG environment. Fortunately -- the FCKeditor enables users > > to > > > make the choice. Even within the FCKeditor -- there is an option to edit > > > using wiki text. > > > > NOTE: Experienced WikiEducators can continue to edit in the usual way -- > > > They will NOT be required to switch over to Rich Text Editing. > > > > I propose that we use a phased approach: > > > > - *Phase 1*: Install the FCKeditor WYSIWYG editor as an optional user > > > preference. The editor works well for the majority of editing > > functions, > > > however the implementation for templates is not ideal and could be > > confusing > > > for newbies. That said, newbies do not typically start using templates > > until > > > they are more experienced and experienced editor will know how to use > > > templates should they choose to use the RTE option. Therefore, I think > > the > > > advantages outweigh the disadvantages in holding back on the > > implementation > > > until we get a better user interface for editing templates. There will > > be a > > > few pages in WikiEducator where the rich text editor will not work > > > effectively -- for example pages which are largely rendered through > > > templates. On these pages we will turn-off RTE editing. These pages > > are > > > maintained by experienced editors -- so there shouldn't be any issues > > in > > > maintaining these pages. During Phase 1, there is a possibility that > > we will > > > not have WYSIWYG capability for talk pages or the template namespace. > > > - *Phase 2*: Continue with development work regarding the refinements > > we > > > need for an educational wiki. These enhancements will be released once > > > tested and reliable at a later stage during the project. > > > > WikiEducators can test how WYSIWYG editing works using the > > > MediaWiki+FCKeditor project. Create an account and test the editor using > > > the sandbox on this wiki: > > > >http://mediawiki.fckeditor.net/Sandbox > > > > Please try this out and let us know what you think. Thoughts and > > suggestions > > > are welcome! > > > > I think that this is an important and valuable step for WikiEducator and > > > that we should be bold and move forward with the suggestion. > > > > Cheers > > > Wayne > > > > -- > > > Wayne Mackintosh, Ph.D. > > > Director, > > > International Centre for Open Education, > > > Otago Polytechnic, New Zealand. > > > Board of Directors, OER Foundation. > > > Founder and Community Council Member, Wikieducator,www.wikieducator.org > > > Mobile +64 21 2436 380 > > > Skype: WGMNZ1 > > > Twitter: OERFoundation, Mackiwg > > -- > Open Education is a sustainable and renewable resource. > > ________________ > Randy Fisher, MA > Senior Consultant & Facilitator, Intersol Group, Canada > > Senior Consultant, Organization & Business Development > International Centre for Open Education / OER Foundation, New Zealand > > Elected Member, WikiEducator Community Council,www.wikieducator.org > +1 613.230.6424 x144 (EST) > Skype: wikirandy > Twitter: wikirandy > > * Stakeholder Engagement, Change / Transition Management & Performance > * Organization Design & Development > * Sustainable Project Implementation & Community-Building > * E-Learning, Online Collaboration & Communities of Practice > * Coaching & Facilitation > * My Bio:http://www.communitybuildingexpert.com --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "WikiEducator" group. 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