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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