Eagle-rock.org:Goals and format of the site
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- My feeling at the moment is to make this a broader encyclopedia-type site, in which i can use certain pages as part of a curriculum. These pages probably need prohibition for free editing.
--John Eagles 23:46, 17 December 2011 (PST)
- Here's the outcome of today's prayer and meditation about the purpose of this site: I would like to make it entirely a website to present and moderate training courses. That means that it won't just function as a regular encyclopedia. There are several useful encyclopedia already on the internet, for example the Wikipedia, the New World Encyclopedia. This is not just about providing information and knowledge, but it is to help people in their efforts to grow internally, to acquire useful skills and knowledge and to practice it.
All information presented should be part of a study course, or a practical course, or a religious course. There can be several courses and we can invite people to write a course. For example, i know someone who could write a course to learn the craft of cabinet-making. Much information would be needed for that, probably many pages. But besides these pages there has to be a structure to guide a student through the course, probably including tests. Charles could write a course to make wine. Etc. Of course i shall write courses based on my expertise. There could be more than one course in learning the Divine Principle. We can help students to go through such a course using all kinds of learning aids, videos, diagrams, tests, etc. --John Eagles 09:33, 18 December 2011 (PST)
Developing coursework and curriculum is a topic in itself. I will do some research and link to useful guides. I did read up on building something called a Knowledge Base. Software companies have these so users can find answers to common questions. The indexing functions of the Wiki software will make this possible although there is also specialized software to develop a KB.
I'm entirely in agreement that while there are many encyclopedia, practical application and training, remote learning, is lacking. This is true in many areas I believe are important so this can be a resource to fill that need and the more genuinely useful it is, the more people it will reach. I suppose that eventually, it could function as an online university of sorts. The sky's the limit when you harness the power of Wikinomics. --Charles 12:42, 18 December 2011 (PST)
- Knowledge Base: It seems to me that the Wiki software is providing this. This site itself will function as a knowledge base. How to edit pages would be a special knowledge base, but that is already provided in Wikimedia and we only need to link to that in appropriate pages. Maybe we get more ideas later to improve the Knowledge Base aspect of this site.
- A website functioning as a school: I have prayed and thought about this for many years. It has to do with finding a solution for the problems that religious institutions bring. That is the problem of hierarchies being built up, 'leaders and members,' that sort of thing, causing Cain-Abel problems on all levels. The problem of hierarchies based on positions of status comes from the domination by angels. So how to get rid of this?
I think that freedom is the keyword here. People need to be free to determine their own course of internal life. But they also need to be given the opportunity, the knowledge to be able to do this. Educating people is the best way to help people, as long as it is guaranteed that not a new hierarchy of power is being built. Giving people the chance to educate themselves is one thing we can do. Inspiring them to do Home Church is the practical path of religion. In that way, a religious institution is not needed. People build natural communities by practicing Home Church. So yes, this could turn into some kind of university, but i think we must be careful that we don't build new hierarchies. Positions must be taken, for example teachers are needed and also moderators of the website, those who organize the school, etc. Yet these positions should only be for the purpose of serving and not to gain status of any kind. Of course, this is not going to be easy. There will come strong resistance from the angelic world, that won't wish to give up easily their positions of power. --John Eagles 20:29, 18 December 2011 (PST)
- Format and layout and rules for editing: For the time being i'm taking Wikipedia as model, for example concerning sections such as 'See also' and 'External links' and other details of how to write a page. But i'm very open for other options such as having three columns. --John Eagles 09:57, 19 December 2011 (PST)
- Problem with hierarchies : The 'Wiki' format itself seems to be the alternative to a linear, top-down hierarchy in so far as it encourages free collaboration of all participants. Any curriculum, therefore, can be improved by participants' suggestions, additions and corrections. As long as the moderators encourage contribution and keep the discussion focused on the topic at hand. This is a big improvement over the typical "discussion" board, in so far as contributions are vetted before making it into the final document. I think this will lend itself to greater depth of knowledge. --Charles 16:00, 3 January 2012 (PST)
