Call for participation in a degree wiki

Great idea Steve. I'll love to help out.

 

What exactly is a wiki? What would you envision this proposed site looking like?

 

From Answers.com:

Basically, a Wiki is just a webpage, but it allows collaborative editing of the webpage.

 

Steve, that's a great idea. I'd also like to help.

 

What sorts of things are going to be on this proposed wiki? Reviews of various DL programs? Links to various DL resources? Something else? Would there be ways of making sure that contributors actually know what they're talking about so the site doesn't become corrupted by trolls? How would one prevent a degree mill owner from coming onto the site to give his bogus school a favorable review? What would be the site's competitive uniqueness?

 

Good points. If these issues are not addressed, then our efforts will be in vain.

I detest trolls.

 

I would participate, although my knowledge of DL and accreditation is far exceeded by most members of this forum. I have an interest in distance learning law programs, so I could help out in that area.

I agree that quality control is the major issue. Is there any way that posting of new entries (or editing of existing ones) could be held subject to vetting? Would you want to have an approved list of editors who could make immediate changes in case something blatantly millish slipped through the cracks?

 

I believe Wiki's can be configured so that only authorized "authors" can make changes. It is also possible to configure the Wiki so that changes can be kept in an "approve" bucket so that all changes could approved by site editors/admins pror to posting.

 

I'd sure like to help.

 

Steve.....good idea, and I'd be glad to contribute whatever I can.

 

me too!!!

 

Good idea. We would probably want to create some method of communicating to the reader that the mills are mills and not a real school. Perhaps a header in 72 font saying "STAY AWAY FROM THIS SCHOOL" (joke)

 

Steve, I think this is a wonderful idea. I would love to contribute as time allows.

 

The big question will be how to define a degree mill as opposed to an unaccredited school, especially with a view to avoiding a libel suit. Perhaps little fauss/nosborne/any other lawyer on this site might advise.

 

I'd be glad to help on the legal end, but truth be told, I probably don't know a lick more about the difference between a mill and an unaccredited school than anyone else here. But certainly, we pool our mental resources, we could likely come up with a serviceable standard.

 

If the wiki were created to deal only with schools that have CHEA recognized accreditation, how could we be in legal jeopardy by preventing other schools from being discussed. Perhaps negative discussion might pose a problem, but why not just prevent all out-of-scope content (positive and negative?)

 

I'm reminded of when I was a new member over at degreeboard. RobertJ, the moderator of there who is also a DL law student, places a weekly feature in which he posts about "[Such and Such School]: Legit or Not?" A couple of the "such and such schools" in his weekly "legit or not" feature were Breyer State University and Robert de Sorbon University. In both cases I chimed in with the posting: "Degree mil!" (one of those times in big bold letters). RobertJ sent me a PM entitled "Libel Warning." Since that time, I've adopted the policy of not referring to a school as "degree mill" unless I knew for sure that it was literally issuing diplomas for cash, check, money order, or credit card, no work required. On the other hand, if some work is required (regardless of amount or rigor), I'm wondering if the appellation "unaccredited schools" or "other schools" or maybe a note stating "not accredited by any accrediting agency recognized by USDOE or CHEA or its international equivalency under GAAP" would be informative enough for the reader while being conservative enough to minimize the possibility of getting sued.