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Reflections of a Core Contributor After Teaching Self-Publishing to University Students

Toru
December 07, 2018

Reflections of a Core Contributor After Teaching Self-Publishing to University Students

Slides from my talk at WordCamp US 2018
https://2018.us.wordcamp.org/session/reflections-of-a-core-contributor-after-teaching-self-publishing-to-university-students/
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In the day and age where “posting something” has become an everyday affair to many, with so many different choices in software, tools and platforms — what does it mean to choose WordPress as a publishing tool teaching material in Higher Education? How easy or difficult do students find? What can contributors learn from it?

I have been working at a university for over seven years as a staff (in-house webmaster/developer), but never thought of teaching the students. This summer, I had an opportunity to co-teach undergraduate art students about online self-publishing using WordPress.

I have been contributing to WordPress over a decade, and I would like to share my experiences and thoughts in teaching, from a contributor’s point-of-view.

Toru

December 07, 2018
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Transcript

  1. Reflections of a Core Contributor
    After Teaching Self-Publishing to
    University Students
    Toru Miki
    @toru @waviaei https://torumiki.com

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  2. 1. Introduction

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  3. Toru Miki
    • WordPress: 13+ years
    • WordCamp Tokyo 2011 lead organizer
    • WordCamps, Meetups, translations, Core
    • Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ): 7
    years
    • Junior Webmaster

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  4. At WordCamp Tokyo 2017
    Shinya B Watanabe: 

    Art Professor at TUJ
    “Would you be interested in teaching?
    There is an art class which involves
    WordPress …”

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  5. Art2605 - Internet Imaging
    • “This class explores the internet as a tool for artistic expression.
    Students learn how to utilize internet within the context of an
    exploration of the uses of the internet as an art medium.”
    • Learn “What” and “How” of online self-publication
    • Promotion of their art work, and beyond
    • Learn technical aspects of using digital images on the web

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  6. 2. My Experiences and
    Findings from Teaching

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  7. Students were…
    • Comfortable with the “Web”
    • OK with HTML/CSS, semantics, and web
    technology basics
    • But CSS layout was difficult
    • “Reasonably aware” of security risks
    • Found programming to be difficult

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  8. Customizer is
    Great!
    • Easy to use
    • “Widgets” — self-explanatory
    • In the “community”, often
    overlooked how helpful this
    feature is

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  9. –David Bisset. Gutenberg And Youth (“Generation Z”).

    http://davidbisset.com/gutenberg-and-youth-generation-x-and-generation-y/
    “Those especially new to WordPress (young or old) or
    those younger even with a little bit of experience with
    WordPress tend to favor Gutenberg in a positive light.
    When I say younger I am counting Generation X and Y
    (anyone younger than 30, let’s say).”

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  10. University is
    Internationally
    Diverse
    • 7 students, 5+ languages
    • “Can I translate from Japanese to
    Taiwanese?”
    • Language classes — always looking for
    opportunities to put their language skills
    to practice
    • Tap into your local university!
    Translation contribution day
    at local WordPress Meetup

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  11. Inspire, Inspire,
    and Inspire!
    • WordPress community has many life
    changing “personal” stories
    • Four guest lecturers
    • How self-publishing changed their life and
    career
    • How self-publishing has helped output of
    creative works
    • How self-publishing has help with self-
    branding, and leading to extra earnings

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  12. 3. Reflections to
    Contribution

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  13. Is it really the suitable choice of
    publishing platform,
    for teaching online self-publishing?

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  15. Crossroads of
    web technologies & cultures

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  16. If use of WordPress has a role in education
    — for students to be introduced, study, and to
    get inspired about self-publishing — then isn’t
    this “Democratize publishing” as well?
    *Regardless of whether students continue to use WordPress or not

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  17. Thank You!
    Toru Miki
    @toru @waviaei https://torumiki.com

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