Wikiversity:Vision/Historical perspective

Historical perspective: The past & the future of learning and teaching

It was a lovely Greek spring day, when Pythagoras entered his university. He walked through the collonade built around a large free space with olive trees, orange trees and a little font in the centre. Young and old, male and female students were already there, organized in little groups or sitting alone and meditating. Their whispering together with the tweeting of the birds around created a symphonic atmosphere. Aromas of rosemary, laurel and jasmine pleased the senses while Pythagoras presented his newest philosophical, religious and scientific thoughts to his audience. He used the surrounding nature as his source of inspiration as well as for demonstration. Everywhere around beauty and harmony, mysteries and miracles could be found.

Learning was not only a privilege, it was lived divine service.

What a comparison to nowadays – roughly two and a half millennia later learning seems dry, theoretical and subordinated to politics and economy. We have made great, enormous quantitative success in our sciences, but on the way we have lost quality. We lack the sense that science, learning, development is an integral part of our life and for that should serve us and our humaneness. Science was too long done for science's sake, wanting to eliminate its main reference point – the human being – by "objectification". On that way, a lot of people have lost interest and faith in science, using it but not really bothering about how it works.

But these days are over now. Like Phoenix from ash, Wikiversity arises linking modern science with old fashioned ideals. With your contribution you develop sources for people around the world for their growth and development. Learning is getting a privilege again. Opposite to Greek days the privilege is no longer having access to knowledge, but deciding to participate in the future of learning yourself. You are bearing an enormous responsibility.

Give Your best!

Example for interdisciplinary, interesting, understandable, vivid approach