User talk:Robert Horning

Temp Adminship

Hi Robert, I've made you a sysop - at least temporarily. We can have community votes when we get the basics set up, but for now, it's just work to get it structured properly. Cormaggio 15:49, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I'm glad to see that you have been working in this direction, and I'll take the job seriously. --Robert Horning 15:52, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

Reporting for tutorial duties

Hey Robert, I support your plan to get some activity going plus I have a nephew in High School Alegebra that I am concerned gets a excellent basic math grounding before college. If you could post the first couple of assignments (reading, exercises, etc.) I could review the material and be better ready for any takers on tutoring. No biggee if you are busy. Obviously I can handle it since I intend to work asychronously from somewhere linked from my talk page and then if it looks useful massage the materials created in the Q & A to cover gaps in text, exercises or examples. Mirwin 09:47, 18 August 2006 (UTC)

I would love to help out here. Certainly I want to get some stuff going, and any help here is appreciated. As I pointed out, this is such a basic topic that it is vital to the rest of the whole Wikiversity plan, which is one reason why I'm getting involved with this. I'll admit that I don't feel as comfortable doing this as perhaps some other topics, but that is precisely why I'm doing this too: Nobody has felt comfortable getting it started. And we need to get some of the basics going first.

You have pointed out something here too that does need to be mentioned. The major difference between High School and College (usually) for topics like this is that in High School they tend to go a little more slowly. That is really the major difference, as a well taught High School Algebra class ought to get into the same depth as a university course. There may be some people that disagree with me here, but those I've seen take the classical College Algebra class are usually those who were playing, daydreaming, passing notes, and generally not paying attention when they had to take this subject in High School. And as a result this tends to be one of the killer classes when they get to college. It is also something so basic that almost every general education program has this class in it, unless you are on some hard core science/math/engineering track, where it is presumed that you took this and comprehended it in high school.

I could also say the same thing about the other subjects I had in both college and high school myself, but I also consider that I had some very excellent instructors in high school. I didn't really feel I was being pushed until I started to cover new ground that I hadn't seen before, although in some cases the referesher was useful. --Robert Horning 13:06, 18 August 2006 (UTC)

Another student

I was resently approched by a friend would wanted some help with college math. I pointed him to some websites, but didn't think I had enough time to dirrectly help him myself. Your proposal is perfect timing! Plus, I think we need a couple of students who actually need help to gauge the effectiveness of the system. When do you think this will start? I have a math minior, so I could help some too if you need it.--Rayc 14:55, 19 August 2006 (UTC)

My intention is to start the "class" in September. I could use all of the help I can get, although in this case I think just about everybody involved including the students are going to be helping to design the curriculum. Thanks for your interest here. --Robert Horning 15:28, 19 August 2006 (UTC)

Dear Robert: thanks very much for you message. I´m not very trained in wiki´s but I´d like to learn some Algebra´s lessons. I´ve just registered... but I don´t know what else do I have to do. Thanks again. --Horacio

CheckUser

Hmm, I'm not sure if I even understand what's involved here. Have you already nominated me somewhere publicly? I'd like to decline the nomination if possible - at least for a while - being "very busy" is something I can resonate with right now ;-) Cormaggio 16:40, 19 August 2006 (UTC)

Well, I appreciate the show of faith in any case. Yes, I'll be less busy in a month's time, so can take on responsibilities - but, to be honest, i've been wondering if I should be a bureaucrat at all. With this in mind (and i said i'd do this earlier), I've nominated you for bureaucratship. Cormaggio 17:10, 19 August 2006 (UTC)

Mentor

Hi, I'm looking for a mentor -- see here. I saw your name on the list of mentors, and I see your not at your limit of 2 Probationaries like sebmol, so I was wondering if you would take me on :) Let me know on my talk page, or here --Deon555 08:49, 21 August 2006 (UTC)

Intro to 3D Geometric Algebra

Hi Robert! I've been chatting with Cormagio a little and he recommended that I touch base with you. I've been working on Investigating 3D Geometric Algebra in my own space, but just moved it out. I wrote on Cormagio's discussion page: "I was just uncertain about this learning project because I'm trying to make a low entry point, but this means going against some of the normal conventions for Geometric Algebra (for eg, I'm using $\mathbf {x} ,\mathbf {y} ,\mathbf {z}$ as the basis vectors rather than the de facto $\mathbf {e_{0}} ,\mathbf {e_{1}} ,\mathbf {e_{2}}$, because x,y, and z, are much more "visualise-able" to high-school maths students). Other people who are already familiar with Geometric Algebra might not appreciate it... oh well, guess i'll find out."

I didn't want to add a link on the School of Mathematics page without touching base first, and finding out whether you or others think it'd be useful there...Michaelnelson 09:30, 27 August 2006 (UTC)

Quiz

I wrote you a quiz for your class, College Algebra/GrammarQuiz. Feel free to fix anything wrong I got. :) --Rayc 19:51, 27 August 2006 (UTC)

Motto & Slogan selection process

Hi Robert, I don't know if you saw but I had responded awhile back to your thoughts about instant runoff on the talk page for the motto and slogan contest: Wikiversity:Motto contest. I had similar thoughts. However, I suggested a simpler selection process for the contest. This came to me recently. I think this fits this context better -- where there are lots of options with no support or 1 support sig and a handful with some support. I do think preferential voting can be helpful and it would be interesting to try it in a Wikiversity context. I hope the new process works. It seems to fit wikipedia style of doing things. -- Reswik 22:15, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

Set a time

College algebra should set a time and just see if anyone would come.--Rayc | (Talk) 23:40, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Question

Hi Robert, I've tried to create an account but I've found some problems with the numbers, I haven't understood how to write " - ". COuld you help me? (Unfortunately I can't try again today, as I've alredy tried six times). Could you contact me on my Wikipedia User Page?. Thanks.

Mentorship?

Would you mind being my mentor as a custodian? I wish to become a custodian to further my contributions on Wikiversity and to improve this project. To tell you a little about what I have done so far, I have set up the Spanish Language Division and am the instructor of the Spanish I and Spanish II courses. I have also done some work on templates such as talk header, Spanish language, to do list, and others. -- J.Steinbock 20:05, 26 November 2006 (UTC)

Ad hoc medical advice on Wikiversity

You may be interested in a debate on the wikipedia reference desks - W:Wikipedia talk:Reference desk#Linking out - in which it appears that a user is directing reference desk questioners who have asked for medical opinions, to the Wikiversity help desk, where an ad hoc answer is given. W:Wikipedia talk:Reference desk#Worst Medical Advice ever is also worth a read.

You may wish to consider whether Wikiversity should put in place policy relating to the answering of legal and medical opinion questions, as has Wikipedia. (e.g. # Do not request regulated professional advice. If you want to ask advice that "offline" would only be given by a member of a licensed and regulated profession (medical, legal, veterinary, etc.), do not ask it here. See Wikipedia:Medical disclaimer and/or Wikipedia:Legal disclaimer. Ask a doctor, dentist, veterinarian or lawyer.) --Tagishsimon 23:26, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Mentor

Hi, Robert Horning, I have a humble request for you. Would you be willing to mentor me as a probationary custodian? I'm willing to help out all I can - and really just need someone to get me going and a solid reference point should I encounter situations where I'm not too sure what to do (although this shouldn't happen to much after reading the guide and being well versed in Wikimedia projects). I run my own private installation of MediaWiki so the technical aspects shouldn't be a problem. It would be great if I could learn from someone obviously experienced and with the project's best interests at heart. Cheers, --Pumpmeup 06:09, 28 October 2007 (UTC)

Where do i start?

I am interested in enrolling in the college algebra course. Could you tell me how to get started, as I am new to this. I have followed most links on many pages and always seem to end up nowhere. Is there a defined course, or a set schedule for classes?--Adrift 17:16, 3 February 2008 (UTC)

College Algebra Instructor

Hi Robert,

I noticed that you are a College Algebra Instructor. I enjoyed seeing in your introduction that you are addressing different learning styles. I have been trying to start a big push in this direction: http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Improving_Technical_Topics_At_Wikiversity

I am also trying to encourage formal collaboration and content contribution and refinement by students at brick and mortar institutes. It seems to me that if we have a couple of students who refine the material as they go through the course for real, it would only take one or two semesters of iteration before we get some decent content. http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Colloquium#Current_Student_Volunteer_Campaign If you have any ideas on how to start this type of thing (how to contact a school/university "officially" rather than me just sending them a letter ,etc) I'd be happy to hear them /discuss.

Daviddoria 15:01, 22 June 2010 (UTC)

You are invited to register for the Wikiversity Assembly

• The Wikiversity:Assembly has been established as a technique for developing reports on topics of import for Wikiversity administration. The Assembly is not a decision-making body, per se. Rather, it is designed to create or discover or estimate consensus, through focused, facilitated, thorough deliberation. Assembly reports may be referenced in regular Wikiversity discussions, but will not directly control outcomes. Where full consensus is not found, minority reports may be issued.
• I invite you to register for the Wikiversity:Assembly by adding your user name to the Wikiversity:Delegable proxy/Table.

• Registering for the Assembly creates no specific obligation, but does consent to direct communication as the Assembly may determine is appropriate. You may opt out of such direct communication by adding "no messages" to the Table when you register, in the user comment field, but it is unlikely that the default (communication allowed) will create burdensome traffic for you.

You are invited to name a proxy

• When you register for the Assembly, you may optionally designate a "proxy."

• I suggest that you nominate, as a proxy, the user whom you most trust to participate positively in a Wikiversity discussion if you are unable to participate yourself. The proxy will not be voting for you in any process. Rather, the proxy will be considered to loosely represent you, as a means of estimating probable large-scale consensus based on small-scale participation, in the event that you do not personally participate.

• If you name a proxy, you will be consenting to direct communication with you by that proxy. If a named proxy accepts the proxy, you become, as long as you maintain the nomination (you may change it at any time), the "client" of the proxy, and by accepting, a proxy has consented to direct communication from the client.

• See Wikiversity:Delegable proxy for details.

Comments

I'm inviting all relatively inactive custodians to register for the Assembly, and to name a proxy as described. This is because you who have been and remain custodians have yourselves been trusted by the community, and your proxy choice, if you name one, may carry some reasonable weight, due to your experience. You may, of course, participate directly, whether you do or do not name a proxy. Thanks for considering this. --Abd 01:42, 12 September 2011 (UTC)

Hi

Robert, I still remember you from the very early days of Wikiversity. We started editing about the same time. I read your post on the Colloquium, thank you for that post. I'm going to think about it all day long today. Welcome back! :-) --HappyCamper 14:08, 11 January 2012 (UTC)

I saw your post as well. I think things like Template:Slideshow can be done without the need for extensions, at least as proof of concepts to be later turned into extensions if enough people like and use it. -- darklama  15:05, 11 January 2012 (UTC)

I appreciate the thought. Yes, I know that there are a great many things that can be done with templates. Heck, I've done them myself. MediaWiki software is incredibly powerful, but there is much more to it that just creating extensions. I'll try to put more on the Colloquium about my thoughts on this issue. More importantly, some of the attention being placed on Khan Academy is misplaced, but that is just my opinion. --Robert Horning 16:16, 11 January 2012 (UTC)

Your admin status

Hello. I'm a steward. A new policy regarding the removal of "advanced rights" (administrator, bureaucrat, etc.) was adopted by community consensus recently. According to this policy, the stewards are reviewing administrators' activity on wikis with no inactivity policy.   You meet the inactivity criteria (no edits and no log actions for 2 years) on enwikiversity, where you are an administrator. Since that wiki does not have its own administrators' rights review process, the global one applies.   If you want to keep your rights, you should inform the community of the wiki about the fact that the stewards have sent you this information about your inactivity. If the community has a discussion about it and then wants you to keep your rights, please contact the stewards at m:Stewards' noticeboard, and link to the discussion of the local community, where they express their wish to continue to maintain the rights, and demonstrate a continued requirement to maintain these rights.   We stewards will evaluate the responses. If there is no response at all after approximately one month, we will proceed to remove your administrative rights. In cases of doubt, we will evaluate the responses and will refer a decision back to the local community for their comment and review. If you have any questions, please contact us on m:Stewards' noticeboard.   Best regards, Rschen7754 21:04, 23 November 2014 (UTC)