+1 to what Phoebe said! This is a really exciting initiative. I'm also
curious about if you're planning to sync edits back to the relevant
projects.
I'd love to connect with you sometime. We're still working on research for
the New Readers [1] project and also finding that offline (and limited
internet) access is a big barrier for people using our projects.
I'll reach out offlist to find a time to connect.
Anne
1.
On Tue, Jun 14, 2016 at 9:50 AM, phoebe ayers <phoebe.wiki(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Hi Florence!
This is a very cool and ambitious project! Is the idea that offline
contributions would be loaded into the relevant projects when internet is
available?
Phoebe
On Jun 13, 2016 5:59 PM, "Florence Devouard" <fdevouard(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
Hello everyone
WikiAfrica has recently started a new project, the Wikipack Africa.
The project amalgamates:
* the coding of a software, WikiFundi, that provides an off-line editing
environment that mimics the Wikipedia environment. The software will be
made available in French and English.
* the creation of action packs for use by local Wikimedia chapters, user
groups or isolated individuals in Africa, and
* a Wikipedia Writing Contest to be run in African Schools,
#WikiChallenge
African Schools
It will roll out in two phases :
Phase 1 involves the creation of the WikiPack Africa. WikiPack Africa is
a
digital kit located via a local network device
(Raspberry PI). The local
network device will provide access to an off-line editing platform that
mimics Wikipedia, and provides related materials and additional OER
resources. The WikiPack Africa will both facilitate the outreach work of
Wikimedia chapters, User Group and individuals, and encourage the growth
of
digital skills and content contribution by
teachers and students across
Africa. The pack allows for ongoing training and contribution even when
technology, access and electricity outages fail or are not available at
all.
The WikiPack Africa delivered to users will comprise two Raspberry PIs
and
some offline materials (posters, leaflets,
pull-up banner, tee-shirts,
etc.). The WikiPack will be delivered to several Wikimedia User Groups
located in Africa end of 2016. A Call for Interest will be made to
identify
which groups will receive the Packs (8 countries
will be covered as part
of
the pilot launch).
The project has been conceptualised and conceived by Isla and myself
after
seeing how frustrating limited access to internet
or even to electricity
could be when trying to participate to Wikipedia.
The WikiPack Africa is primarily meant for individuals and groups wanting
to implement outreach projects and:
* work with galleries, libraries, archives and museums to bring cultural
content online;
* work with education partners to get educators and students contribute
or
better understand Wikimedia projects;
* more generally, organise edit-a-thons, photo hunts, workshops, press
conferences, etc. to promote Wikimedia projects.
The #WikiChallenge African Schools (Phase 2) will use the WikiPack Africa
to facilitate an entertaining, powerful, collaborative and interactive
content creation competition between schools in Sénégal, Côte d'Ivoire,
Guinée, Niger, Tunisia, Madagascar, and Cameroon (countries may
change...).
The challenge will run early 2017.
The full project is run in partnership with Wikimedia CH and the Orange
Foundation. It will be primarily implemented by Florence, Isla and
Emmanuel
Engelhart (Kelson, from Kiwix) from May 2016
until summer 2017.
The project proposal, its documentation and its outcomes will be under a
CC BY SA 4.0 licence.
---------
CALL for SUPPORT
Current next steps include in particular
* working on the WikiFundi software. This shall be lead by Kelson and
part
of the development should be done during the
Kiwix Hackhaton prior to
Wikimania. If you are interested to help, and simply interested to better
understand what is planned, please get in touch;
* working on the content that will be put on WikiFundi.
We will NOT provide the entirety of Wikipedia on the plateform, but only
a
mix of "presentation material", some
"help:pages", "showcase of best
articles" and a large % of templates currently available on Wikipedia. If
you want to help or provide insightful input, please get in touch (with
me), by email or on the wiki talk page or during Wikimania.
We start working on the English content first. My current challenge is to
identify the most relevant help pages... and adapt them to this offline
editing environnement.
---------
* To read more about Wikifundi:
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiFundi
* More information about the wikipack :
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikipack_Africa/en and
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikipack_Africa/fr
* WikiProject page on the English Wikipedia :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Wikipack_Africa
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<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/New_Readers>
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