Web architecture for Wikis/Wikiversity Main Page
This is only a copy of Wikiversity:Main_Page and is being used by the Web architecture for Wikis Learning Project to discuss the architectural and design aspects of this page.
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Wikiversity is a Wikimedia Foundation project devoted to learning resources, learning projects, and research for use in all levels, types, and styles of education from pre-school to university, including professional training and informal learning. We invite teachers, students, and researchers to join us in creating open educational resources and collaborative learning communities. To learn more about Wikiversity, try a guided tour, learn about adding content, or start editing now. |
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Wikiversity's sister projects
Wikiversity is hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization that also hosts a range of other multilingual and free-content projects: Wikipedia
Free-content encyclopedia Wikibooks
Free textbooks and manuals Commons
Shared media repository Wiktionary
Dictionary and thesaurus Wikiquote
Collection of quotations Wikinews
Free-content news Wikispecies
Directory of species Wikisource
Free-content library Wikivoyage
Open travel guide Meta-Wiki
Wikimedia project coordination MediaWiki
Free software development Wikidata
Free knowledge base Wikiversity is also available in other languages: |
Main Page
editOther pages that explore proposed changes: Wikiversity:Main page design changes and .Talk:Main Page.
Critique of the current main page
editThe current Main Page was first designed at User:Trevor MacInnis/MainPage starting in the first week after the Wikiversity project launch. Additional development of that design took place at Wikiversity:Main Page/Design. Like the original Main Page design, the current design arguably still contains many links that are irrelevant to new visitors. The current design was influenced by experienced Wikipedia participants who have since pehraps not contributed significantly to the Wikiversity project. As such, the current Main Page may serve best experienced Wikipedians who follow a link to Wikiversity.
As a young project, Wikiversity needs is to attract new participants, most of whom may not be experienced wiki editors. Does the main page serve the needs of Wikiversity or is it an artifact resulting from the efforts of a few Wikipedians who created it and then went back to Wikipedia?
Main Page namespace
editWhich namespace should the Main Page be in? The current Main Page is in the "Wikiversity:" namespace because it is viewed as a "meta page" about the Wikiversity project. An alternative would be to return the Main Page to the main namespace so that it can take on the primary function of being a learning resource; a page where new visitors can learn about the Wikiversity project.
Main Page target audience
editThe Main Page should be designed for the least knowledgeable visitors with the least wiki experience. These "Wikiversity naive" visitors need to be efficiently guided to basic information about wiki, the purpose and mission of Wikiversity and the current status of Wikiversity (essentially, a content development effort). New visitors who are not experienced wiki editors need to be shown how easy it is to participate by editing Wikiversity pages. More experienced wiki users can take care of themselves and make use of the pages linked to in the "navigation" and "community" side boxes. Can we identify a few key types of Wikiversity Main Page visitors and re-design the main page so as to better serve them?
Current redesign is 0.3, available here.