hi,
Responding to the conduct of WikiAcademy question inline.
We could have a photography event (which we call Wiki loves monuments) and
get students to get us images. We already have rules for the event and we
can arrange a small prize or swags. That way, you don't have to specially
call people to places or events and same time we start smaller and have
sure results. What we essentially need is a wiki-geek (or an experienced
editor as you call it) and someone who can communicate the idea well.
I think you have touched on a really important point and I've been
reflecting on it. I think a pairing of experienced editors and reasonably
informed newbies would be a very powerful combination.
Caveat to my follow sentences is that I run the risk of gross
generalisations - but bear them out as reflective of one perspective out of
others. One common refrain I hear from experienced community members is
that the results from outreach efforts are sub-optimal. The numbers that
one gets from outreach are always going to be low (after all, globally,
~90k people edit out of 450+m readers so the ratios are always going to be
low. Informally, you will also hear that (some) attendees on sessions
conducted by experienced wikipedians find the sessions passionate but too
daunting and they find those conducted by newbies to be clear but somewhat
inadequate. Can we arrive at a best of breed? However, there must be
ways that we can work out how volunteer time in outreach and academies and
workshops can get better results. I intend to share my thoughts on this in
the next few days - but thank you for catalysing something in my head.
It's best to not go prepared for a WikiAcademy. At the first WikiAcademy in
Mumbai, although we had a list of things to show people, we never completed
the list. This was because people wanted to know more about the interface
and the way discussions happen and conversations between user happens (talk
pages) along with the others. Being a bit of an academic crowd, they were
also interested in question of what Wikipedia meant by neutral sources and
the reliability of Wikipedia as a resource. (Thanks to Vickram Crishna for
handling those questions :) ). We were quite happy with the result, in the
end. So, it's pretty important that we do not be stiff about what they need
to learn and what they do not need to learn.
However, each Wikipedian who does a WikiAcademy has his own style and we
cannot and should not try to make these uniform, IMHO.
warm regards,
Pradeep
User:Prad2609
--
Pradeep Mohandas
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