Getting people to understand how to interact with Wikipedia *properly* as a reader has always struck me as the most important thing. Because people sometimes don't apply the sort of critical thinking needed. An encyclopaedia is nothing if it's content is not *useful*.

For this reason (and I feel it is often overlooked in favour of encouraging interest groups to engage and edit, a worthy goal) I've always thought that we should spend a lot more time engaging with readers. Because that's an easier step. And from a large pool of great, critical thinking, readers will come the casual and committed editors needed to grow the corpus.

Tom

On Tue, 13 Oct 2015 at 13:55 Nick Poole Nick.Poole@cilip.org.uk wrote:

Hi all,

I am following this thread with interest. A lot of libraries are doing interesting things around *Get Online *week, and I think it’s worth thinking less in terms of people editing Wikipedia and more in terms of using it.

Obviously, edits is a metric, but I note in Martha Lane Fox’s dot.everyone initiative that they talk as much about giving people reasons to go online as they do giving them the skills to create web content.

I think that it would be worth thinking about partnering up with the library network on ‘Introduction to Wikipedia’ sessions telling people about the scope, how to search etc. Ideally this would serve as an on-ramp for people wanting to become editors further down the line!

All best, and happy to discuss further.

Nick Poole

Chief Executive

Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP)

*From:* Wikimediauk-l [mailto:wikimediauk-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org] *On Behalf Of *WereSpielChequers *Sent:* 13 October 2015 13:49 *To:* UK Wikimedia mailing list *Subject:* Re: [Wikimediauk-l] Get Online Week

Dear Mike,

I think the target group is significant here. My suspicion is that editing Wikipedia is not an entry level computer task. I have twice trained non computer users at editathons I was helping at, on one occasion I spent an inordinate amount of time teaching someone how to use a mouse. My preference is that we leave "introducing people to the internet" to people who are experienced at that sort of training, and we focus more on cross training existing wikimedians and on those who are willing to help Wikipedia or at least want to fill one of our gaps.

Jonathan

On 12 October 2015 at 18:39, Michael Peel email@mikepeel.net wrote:

Hi all,

I've just discovered that this week is 'Get Online Week', see: http://getonlineweek.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Online_Week

It's too late for this week, but for next year perhaps we should think about offering some sort of 'intro to Wikipedia' courses? Probably more 'how to read' rather than 'how to edit', given the target group here.

Thanks, Mike _______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk

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Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk

This sounds like a great idea, let's do it. I am not sure that a WIkiproject Wikipedia:WikiProject%20Council/Proposals work for this. Is there a better way to approach things?

all the best

Fabian aka Leutha

Rather than running our own events for new internet users, how about providing leaflets to 'Get Online' events that walk people through how to find information and multimedia on Wikipedia and its sister projects, and how to determine whether to trust it? If, of course, that's something that event attendees and organisers would find useful. This is something that could easily be done in cooperation with other charities/groups that have more experience than WMUK/Wikimedians at onlining people, to make sure they contain the most relevant information in the most accessible way possible.

Thanks, Mike

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Hi all,

I suppose I am in a similar position to Mike: I would help out, but I have to much other stuff on to take the lead.

all the best

Fabian

aka Leutha

On 24 October 2015 at 19:22 Michael Peel email@mikepeel.net wrote:

Hi Fabian/Leutha,

It would need some sort of working group arrangement, whether that's a wikiproject or otherwise. The crucial factors are identifying who is interested in helping with this type of project, and making sure that the relevant stakeholders from the other charities/groups are also included.

I can help with this, but I really don't have the time to take a lead to make this happen. Would anyone be interested in volunteering to lead this?

Thanks, Mike

 > >      On 13 Oct 2015, at 21:56, leutha@fabiant.eu
 > > <mailto:leutha@fabiant.eu> wrote:

...

 This sounds like a great idea, let's do it. I am not sure that a

WIkiproject wikipedia:WikiProject%20Council/Proposals work for this. Is there a better way to approach things?

 all the best

 Fabian
 aka Leutha

 > Rather than running our own events for new internet users, how about
 > providing leaflets to 'Get Online' events that walk people through
 > how to find information and multimedia on Wikipedia and its sister
 > projects, and how to determine whether to trust it? If, of course,
 > that's something that event attendees and organisers would find
 > useful. This is something that could easily be done in cooperation
 > with other charities/groups that have more experience than
 > WMUK/Wikimedians at onlining people, to make sure they contain the
 > most relevant information in the most accessible way possible.
 > 
 > Thanks,
 > Mike
 > 
 > 
 > _______________________________________________
 > Wikimedia UK mailing list
 > wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org <mailto:wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org>
 > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l
 > WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk

...