I was asked today why I was working on the Orange County and San Bernardino County, California Wikis. What was in it for me?
That's a good question and my first thought was ...for fun. But as I thought about it I realized that I do get something else out of working on the FS Wiki.
First, I like to learn new things, and I now know quite a bit about how a Wiki works.
But, more than that, I am increasing my own knowledge about the State of California. I could just decide to read a few books but this way, I still read the books, but there is a product and I am contributing to a greater project as well. I grew up in California and learned about the state in 4th grade, in high school, and then again as a student in a state university. I've traveled extensively throughout the state so I think I'm pretty knowledgeable but, having a purpose always makes learning more successful. In education we called this project based learning. If the end product is actually useful then that's even better.
What this really says for everyone else is that you don't need to be an expert to work on the FamilySearch Wiki, you just need to find a county that no one is working on and start researching. A wiki is a community project so you don't need to know it all, you can work on the county by doing research on the Internet and at your local library. Pick an area in which you have a research interest and learn a little more.
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2 comments:
Kudos to you! I think you are right about learning more by producing a product (the wiki in your case).
You are an inspiration!
That has been my experience, as well, Jamie. Taking the time to write about what I *think* I know forces me to get the details right. I always learn something when I write for the wiki! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and for your contributions to the FamilySearch wiki!
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