Over the next 26 days, we’ll be publishing a series of posts that highlight the awesome content that forms the WikiSym 2011 program. We’ll include titles, authors, and in some cases abstracts.

Today’s installment: workshops! There will be three workshops, all on Monday, October 3. An important thing to note about WikiSym workshops is that attendance is open; one needn’t submit a position paper or be accepted, as is often the case in other conferences. Just show up! However, it never hurts to introduce yourself to the organizers ahead of time. Contact information for workshop organizers is available under the “further details” links.

(Aside: there is still time to make plans to attend WikiSym 2011!)

Lessons from the classroom: Successful techniques for teaching wikis using Wikipedia

LiAnna Davis and Timothy Senate

In the fall of 2010, the Wikimedia Foundation partnered with faculty from several top universities to introduce wiki technology and Wikipedia into class assignments of public policy related subjects. Through assignments based in Wikipedia students improved skills in collaboration, critical thinking, expository writing, media literacy, and technology fluency. In video interviews, students describe their experience and the learning objectives emerged through the Wikipedia assignment. Many students also commented on the satisfaction in producing a research document that had value beyond a grade. Professor Max Klein explains the success of his classroom use of a WikiProject page as a springboard for class discussion and homework assignments. Workshop participants experience some of the Wikipedia training modules through activities. This interactive workshop discloses some successes and failures of the Initiative and details specifically what makes a successful Wikipedia- editing assignment.

Hashtags: #wikisym #wsteach
Further details on this workshop (PDF)

WikiLit: Collecting the Wiki and Wikipedia Literature

Phoebe Ayers and Reid Priedhorsky

This workshop has three key goals. First, we will examine existing and proposed systems for collecting and analyzing the research literature about wikis. Second, we will discuss the challenges in building such a system and will engage participants to design a sustainable collaborative system to achieve this goal. Finally, we will provide a forum to build upon ongoing wiki community discussions about problems and opportunities in finding and sharing the wiki research literature.

Hashtags: #wikisym #wslit
Further details on this workshop

5th Workshop on Wikis for Software Engineering

Ademar Aguiar and Paulo Merson

Using a wiki in software engineering settings dates back to its first usage in 1995. In fact, that was the motivation for Ward Cunningham to create the first wiki. Due to its simplicity, attractiveness and effectiveness for collaborative authoring and knowledge management, wikis are now massively disseminated and used in different domains. This workshop focuses on wikis for the specific domain of software engineering. It aims at bringing together researchers, practitioners, and enthusiasts interested on researching, exploring and learning how wikis can be improved, customized and used to better support software projects. Based on lessons learned and obstacles identified, a research agenda will be defined with key opportunities and challenges.

Hashtags: #wikisym #wikis4se (Updated)
Further details on this workshop (PDF)