Critical issues presentations/The system of interdependent Wikimedia projects
- Submission no. 127
- Title of the submission
The system of interdependent Wikimedia projects
- Author of the submission
- Susanna Mkrtchyan
- Country of origin
Armenia
- Topics
Outreach
- Keywords
- WikiCamp
- WikiClub
- Stable Wikicommunity
- Wikimedia projects
- enlarge community
- Abstract
WikiCamp, WikiClubs, Teachers’ Camps, Wiki loves science and other projects in a general interdependent conceptual system.
How to build a general system of interdependent Wikimedia projects.
In the last three years, Armenian Wikipedia has essentially improved, due to several running WM AM wikiprojects: WikiCamp, WikiClub, “One Armenian, one article”, “Wiki loves science” and “Wiki loves monuments”. Often many chapters’ representatives ask us to help them organize WikiCamps, to run campaign “One …, one article” in their countries. I would like to tell how we gradually build a stable and motivated wiki community and the support mechanism of active and growing community. Few years ago, a group of Armenian Wikipedians used to organize workshops in some friendly NGOs. After workshops, maximum one or two participants stayed in the project. How to keep people in the project, how to build a stable community? People need attention, care, and relations in their real life. In the beginning, we decided to concentrate our efforts on one school. After several workshops, we organized an event in this school gifting active students Wikipedia mugs. Second step was to multiply the number of involved schools. WikiCamp. After a successful WikiCamp our task was to sustain all participants between two terms of WikiCamp. Our little group couldn’t manage hundreds of students. Therefore, we started to found local WikiClubs in small cities, villages, schools, were we have experienced Wikipedians. Wikiclubs are places where Wikipedians can gather, edit and help newcomers.
To run WikiClubs we needed coordinators, experienced Wikipedians, who can motivate youth and organize Wikipedia workshops. Because of the lack of coordinators, we decided to organize Wikipedia Weekend for young teachers and professionals from regions of Armenia. Now, twice a year, WM AM has Wikipedia Weekend for young people from regions. Most of participants continue editing and teach their students Wikipedia editing.
WIkiClubs and WikiCamps are parts of Wikipedia Educational Program. WikiCamps encourage students, while WikiClubs help to sustain activities. “One Armenian, one article” campaign helped to increase awareness of society.
We count the number of contribution for each term of WikiCamp per participant and totally. During the time between WikiCamps, we make contribution statistics per camper each month. We choose participants of next WikiCamp based on their ranking in contribution statistics.
Second stage of our activities related to Western Armenian Wikipedia. We implement the same mechanism in Lebanon. Now we have Wikicamps with participants from Lebanon, Georgia and Armenia. During WikiCamps participants enrich Armenian, Western Armenian and Georgian Wikipedias. We are going to organize new projects, but maintain the connection between currently running projects thus making them interdependent.
- Result
Accepted