Wikification of General Knowledge

The Expert and the Fan

The natures of the expert and the fan are debated…

Expert: You can’t write an article unless you are an expert.

Fan: And an expert is…

Expert: Someone who has passed muster. Done their time. Gone the distance. Looked into things. Reviewed the research. In other words, someone with formal qualifications.

Fan: Doesn’t an enthusiast or a fan do the same thing?

Expert: Difference is the expert can differentiate between the main points and the minutiae. Separate the chaff from the grain. See the wood through the trees. Fans can quote you dates and places. Experts can tell you the story.

Fan: So why did the Wikipedia fans push the Encyclopedia Britannica experts off the shelves?

___________

Voice-over

Much is made about expert opinion. Much is also made about the wisdom of collective intelligence. Both sides have a point.

EB articles were generally the responsibility of one expert. But when you have a collection of experts and fans, discussion can be more lively and offer a better perspective.

Short film: Wikification of General Knowledge at

http://youtu.be/RxPsp-hqUpw

Marx Test

Test writing time for teachers comes around. 
Mark: What’s your method? 
Joseph: Go to Wikipedia, choose a topic, read the outline, get the gist, frame 6 or 8 questions beginning with the classic wh5.
Mark: The classic wh5?
Joseph: What happened? Who did it? Where did it occur? When? And Why? Then reread the article. After that, write one paragraph for each question. Piece of cake.
Mark: So I have to write a passage. What’s a good topic?
Joseph: They’re business students. An economist.
Mark: Keynes?
Joseph: Done. Two years ago.
Mark: Soros?
Joseph: Three years ago.
Mark: Drucker?
Joseph: Last year. How about Marx? He’s due for an airing.
Mark: Marx. You suggest I write about Marx?
Joseph: You’re a Marxist. Said so yourself. Your own admission.
Mark: Something from Das Kapital?
Joseph: Perhaps CliffsNotes, the manga edition?
______________
Voice-over
Restating ideas, recycling essays, regurgitating answers. No wonder education has problems with plagiarism. Not only are students getting answers from the internet. Teachers are grabbing tests from the internet. But if you’re a long dead economist whose theories have been a little tarnished, you may not be too choosy who dusts you off. Going along with Marx's thoughts on "private property," a Marx test may be borrowed from here. 

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