Hi Srikanth & everyone else,
This is a really good question and one that I've been thinking about and working on as we look at outreach in general.
>From my discussions with various editors and my observing and
participating in outreach sessions, I think the biggest challenge when
we do outreach is "why to contribute". Of course, "how to edit" is
essential - but unless someone believes there is a strong enough reason
to participate, it's unlikely they're going to get involved or stay
involved after a couple of exploratory edits. From my conversations and
readings, the motivators of existing editors are any or a combination
(or variants) of "promoting free knowledge" or "sharing knowledge in
general" or "improving education" or "passion for their languages" or
"interest in a particular subject (e.g. astronomy or railways or
butterflies.) However, my opinion is that it is relatively complex to
convey these in an initial outreach session. It's best to motivate and
train and support potential newbies to join the movement and community -
and allow them to discover for themselves what is the inspiration for
them (especially because it is likely to be unique to that individual.)
Personally, i think there are a number of really compelling answers to
the "What's in it for me?" question - and I do want to share my take on
it. I'm dividing my answer into students and faculty/institutions.
(The tone I'm using is what can be used when actually answering the
question.) These answers are a little clinical and conceptual but I've
found they work - and I believe they will provide an adequate incentive
to try and learn a little bit more about editing and to hopefully become
regular editors.
Academia - Students
- It improves your writing skills. Writing skills are essential when you
move ahead in life either to do further studies or to work. Our
education system (unfortunately) doesn't adequately teach writing skills
and we all struggle when we have to write a formal report or research
paper. When you move into the working world, you'll find that you can
be as good as you are at your work but unless you are able to write
those written reports properly, you'll always find it hard to succeed.
- It will help your critical thinking. Concepts like Neutral Point of
View (which you will sometimes see in Wikipedia being referred to as
NPOV) help you see all sides of a story. In your future careers, you
need to consider the pros and cons of anything - because only that way
will you be a better professional. If you're into software, look at the
article on waterfall development model and how it looks at pros and
cons. If you're in economics, look at the article on the Euro bailout
and see how it looks at all the multiple complex issues involved. Very
little in life is purely good or totally evil; we need to be neutral and
consider all sides. You will find this incredibly useful in both your
personal and professional lives. This thinking will help you decide who
to vote for in elections or which version of Lok Pal you support or
which IPL team to follow! This thinking will help you understand your
subjects even better.
- It'll strengthen your research skills. Editing a wikipedia article
requires you to do a lot of referencing (or what wikipedia sometimes
calls "citations".) This means you need to look beyond just the
wikipedia article and research online references and also go into that
forgotten room called the library and look up books or journal. This is
a skill you cannot live without if you are writing a thesis or working
on a research project.
- It teaches you how to collaborate! Editing wikipedia is magical. You
add some content and someone from some other part of the class or school
or town or country or somewhere else in the world adds a little bit
more and makes your contribution that much better. The days of sitting
alone under a tree and having an apple fall on your head and discovering
gravity are over. In today's world, we will need to collaborate to
achieve anything. If you're into biotechnology, you might be based in
Hyderabad but the team you are part of might have someone in Scotland or
Brazil- from a different culture and with a different accent - but you
need to work together. Wikipedia helps you learn how to collaborate!
- It gives you a global audience of - literally, thousands! If you submit
a class report, the maximum audience is 2; 1 being you and 1 being your
teacher. After your paper is marked, it will normally be thrown away.
If you edit a wikipedia article, it is there *forever* and the audience
can be any number from the 500 million who read wikipedia every month!
You can show your article to you mother and grandfather and friends!
If you upload pictures to Wikimedia Commons, you will have an audience
so much bigger than the 500 friends on Facebook who will see it. So
many more can see your talents and appreciate your work!
- It'll boost your chances in admissions or scholarships or placements.
Imagine if you are a mechanical engineer and you are one of 100 students
in your batch applying for jobs with the best engineering companies who
come to campus. Everyone is likely to submit a resume saying they are
the greatest engineer ever born - but it's difficult for any one to
stand out and shine. If you were to put a line in your resume that you
have edited 5 articles on heating and cooling systems, there is a very
high probability that this would jump out at the recruitment team of the
companies and the will actually read your article (if they haven't
already.)
- It can be so much fun! You can make new friends - from all over the
world.. You can write about subjects that you are interested in (whether
it is movies or your hometown or sarees or mythology or cricket or
whatever!) It think it is really important that we drive this message as
passionately as we can because this is something that can resonate so
loud and for so long!
Academia - Faculty & Education Institutions
- Students with all the above result in much more motivated classes. One
thing that teachers constantly say is that they one thing they want is
engaged students. I've had teachers tell me that if they are in a class
and they see their students involved and trying to learn and active, it
is the best thing that can happen to them - and the rest of their day
goes well!
- It improves your individual and college's academic reputation. In the
Indian context where there is relatively lower emphasis on academic
research papers by faculty members, supporting your students on
Wikipedia articles helps you (rightfully) claim that you contributed to
these articles. That increases your academic standing and helps attract
better students and faculty and partnerships and recruiting companies.
- It supports the advancement of education - for students in your class
and colleges and around the world. You have devoted your lives to
education and this is a great way of promoting it.
I wanted to share my perspectives because I really believe that the "why" needs to be addressed.
Thanks for starting a great message thread, Srikanth.
Nitika
On 18-Dec-2011, at 1:37 AM, Srikanth Ramakrishnan wrote:
Subha, most of those bullies are editors with zero constructive edits
or IP based vandals. Sadly.
Erik, yes, I consider Giving to Wiki as giving back to Society. Thanks
for the links. Time to read during my month long Wiki break.
Ravi, Bala told me that physical outreach programs had very poor
success rates. I concur with him.
Prad, I agree. That's how Manish and I became friends. But still
doesn't explain how to get new guys.
--
Regards,
Srikanth Ramakrishnan.
Wikipedia Coimbatore Meetup on December 10th.
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Meetup/Coimbatore
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