View source for Webmaker/Communications/EmailResponses

''This is a page for canned responses. Read and rip, then tailor the responses to your specific audience. The headers are from actual user emails''

==Auto Responder==
Hi there,

Thank you for your interest in contributing to our efforts to build a generation of webmakers.

We know that people learn best when they're making something together. So we're inviting people everywhere to meet up, make something cool, learn how the code behind the Web works -- and have a blast while doing it.
We've got all the tools and tips you need to get started at: 
https://webmaker.org 

These events are quick, easy, and fun -- in as little as 30 minutes, you can have a handful of friends around your kitchen table, easily hack a webpage or make something new with our tools, and have something awesome to brag about.
If you don't want to host an event and would rather contribute your time building our tools, here are some links to issue trackers -- please dive right in!

* Thimble: https://github.com/mozilla/webpagemaker/issues
* Popcorn Maker & Popcorn.js: https://webmademovies.lighthouseapp.com/dashboard
* Open Badges: https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges/issues
* X-Ray Goggles: https://github.com/toolness/webxray/issues

Thanks so much for getting involved. If you have any questions, feel free to write us at joinmozilla@mozilla.org

==I want to teach (for after the auto responder)==
Hi,

I'm really excited to see your message to Mozilla saying that you're interested in education. I hope you had a chance to explore [http://webmaker.org Webmaker] a little. The Webmaker tools do have the power to be transformative for teachers and learners alike in a wide range of subjects and spaces. We have just launched a Mozilla Mentor Community that hopefully could be what you are looking for and eager to contribute to.

You can find more details here: http://explorecreateshare.org/2013/02/11/webmaker-mentors-in-2013/

These resources + overview for people who want to teach and engage might be particularly useful: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Webmaker/Teach
(Direct link to resources - https://wiki.mozilla.org/Webmaker/Teach#Resources )

And since you might be interested in running workshops, the Webmaker Hacktivity Kits can help you plan fun things to DO and make. There's a bunch of them here: http://hivenyc.org/kits.html

Also the Web Literacy work being done is extremely valuable to teachers and educators: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Learning/WebLiteracies

We love getting feedback, so please do share your thoughts with us. Let us know how we can help. Also, if you decide to run a Webmaker event, be sure and point us to the stuff people make or coverage of the event. We really are eager to know what you are up to, so maybe sometime you'd like to join a community call and say hi: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Webmakers/Community_Calls 

All the best,

PS - If you haven't already, please join the Webmaker list. It's a great way to start conversations, get feedback and otherwise participate in the community.

==I want to get involved with events==
I'm SO HAPPY you're interested in contributing to Mozilla and that you're interested in Education. Our educational initiative, Webmaker, is always looking for new, engaged, passionate contributors!

So you're interested in running some Webmaker events wherein you teach participants how to both use and MAKE the web? That's awesome.

* Join a community call and say hi: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Webmakers/Community_Calls
* Take a look at Webmaker: http://webmaker.org
* Open Badges: http://www.openbadges.org
* Popcorn Maker: https://popcorn.webmaker.org/
* Thimble: https://thimble.webmaker.org/en-US/

These resources + overview for people who want to teach and engage might be particularly useful: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Webmaker/Teach

We love getting feedback, so please do share your thoughts with us. Let us know how we can help. Also, if you decide to run a Webmaker event, be sure and point us to the stuff people make or coverage of the event.

== I want to translate or develop, how do I start? ==
I'm SO HAPPY you're interested in contributing to Mozilla. We are always looking for new, engaged, passionate contributors!
One of my colleagues has been working on the localization of the Webmaker tools:

http://transifex-thimble.toolness.org/

In the upper right hand corner is a link to FAQs and a bug tracker, if you have a github account and want to help fix bugs, I'm pretty sure everyone would appreciate it.

Here are some other ways that you can get started:

Join an IRC channel and chat up the people in the room (here's some set up help, and a list of IRC channels we use)
Check out the L10N wiki - https://wiki.mozilla.org/L10n
Join a community call and say hi, offer help to the people that join this call: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Webmakers/Community_Calls
Take a look at Webmaker (our educational initiative is actively looking for new contributors): http://webmaker.org
Open Badges: http://www.openbadges.org
Popcorn Maker: https://popcorn.webmaker.org/
Thimble: https://thimble.webmaker.org/en-US/

Thanks so much, Mozilla wouldn't function without active contributors!


== Some people in my area are interested in Webmaker. What resources can I give them? ==

Thanks for the email. 

Seems like the group might be interested in running some Webmaker events or programming there? Most schools look for multi-session programming, so you might want to plan multiple Webmaker events. We've stuck a bunch of Hacktivity Kits on this hub (they might help you plan): http://hivenyc.org/

You can also extend or hack the lessons to include more development or programming. It depends on the level the students already have.

Not sure if you know about these links (so I'm pasting them in):
• Join a community call and say hi, we can talk about your plans: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Webmakers/Community_Calls
• Take a look at Webmaker: http://webmaker.org
• Open Badges: http://www.openbadges.org
• Popcorn Maker: https://popcorn.webmaker.org/
• Thimble: https://thimble.webmaker.org/en-US/

These resources + overview for people who want to teach and engage might be particularly useful: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Webmaker/Teach

We love getting feedback, so please do share your thoughts with us. Let us know how we can help!

==I'm not having anything to do with it until you get "hack" out of the vocabulary.==
Although the word "hack" has negative connotations, the Open Web community uses it in a positive context. To "hack" something is simply to take something that already exists and change it to make something new. You can hack physical things- like board games or you can hack the web. Hacking has always been a key element in the creative process. It is a constructive collaborative activity, not a destructive one.

There's lots of great posts on the topic. Here's a random sampling.
* http://blogs.canada.com/2012/02/15/why-mozilla-is-teaching-kids-to-hack/
* http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/2012/01/22/i-hacked-john-greens-web-site/
* http://secondaryworlds.com/2012/03/when-hacking-is-a-good-thing-using-hackasaurus-to-teach-argument/

We hope you'll give Webmaker another chance!