Barbados

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Free Online Workshops
August 2010

How can WikiEducator support education in Barbados?

 * Platform for resources for teachers in all subject areas
 * Platform for professional development
 * Sharing lessons
 * Providing support for new teachers entering the profession
 * Sharing best practice among local schools

Advantages

 * WikiMaster certification is a valuable feature of WikiEducator
 * Ability to correct/edit text in real time
 * Improvement of content is critical - ability to author and change enhances sense of ownership
 * Wikeducator material can be as a catalyst for ideas
 * Caters for different perspectives -- i.e. the ability to adapt and modify

What should/need to do?

 * Need to start with advocacy and sensitisation. What are the needs in the classroom? Can wiki's address needs.
 * Need to have workshops (train the trainer approach) -- support and promote peer teaching in local schools
 * Encourage each school to develop at least one set of materials on WikiEducator.
 * Materials MUST be local -- Barbadian
 * Incentives for developing content?
 * Involve young teachers in the process
 * Need support and involvement from the Ministry of Education
 * The approach needs to be bottom-up rather than top down, eg involvement of subject coordinators at the ground level in getting teachers involved is critical.
 * Encourage teachers to visit the site.
 * Content must reflect best practice

Ideas for building capacity in using wiki's for education

 * By using wikis -- we can promote the use of technology in the classroom.
 * Benefits of online capability might encourage and promote capacity development