Sue Waters

On Tuesday, Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, is coming to Perth; which is amazing because Perth is often referred to as the most isolated city in the World. Yet when I check out the facts on Perth in Wikipedia I am soon set straight by the fact that I live in the second most isolated city in the World, Honolulu is actually the most isolated place (although in my mind there is no comparison).

Besides our isolation we are very lucky to have Jimmy visit Perth for Education.au first seminar for 2007 to present on “Challenging how Knowledge is created” because this is an important event.

Who would have thought that encouraging everyone to collaboratively write information, in the form of a free content encyclopedia, using a wiki, would result in a website that ranks in the top ten most visited websites. Considering Wikipedia has only been going since 2001 and studies have shown that Wikipedia has comparable accuracy to other modern encyclopedias it is an amazing accomplishment. From my point of view, Jimmy’s seminar is a must, because there is obviously so much we can learn from his achievements and his knowledge of collaborative learning using social computing technology.

But – while it is a must – I can not be for me. He is doing his seminar on Tuesday, the only day of the week that I can not change my work commitments. I have teaching all day for aquaculture and am unable to amend my teaching schedule because my classes are already too disrupted this year due to my heavy e- and m-learning obligations. Perhaps I should send my technophobic husband (to the seminar not my teaching)?

Jimmy Wales presenting for Education.au on “Challenging how Knowledge is created”on the following dates:

• 23 April Adelaide Hilton Hotel, 9:30am – 4:00pm
• 24 April Perth Burswood Entertainment Complex, – 9:30am – 4:00pm
• 26 April Sydney Hilton Hotel, 9:30am – 4pm
• 27 April Melbourne ZINC at Federation Square, 9:30am – 4:00pm

You can book online!

Please let me know all the wonderful things you learnt from his seminar!