Wikikids

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Wikikids is intended to be a Wiki encyclopedia designed for children aged 8 to 13. The aim is to cover a range of themes suitable for these ages, in a suitable writing for them as well.

The idea occured in the german Wikipedia (apparently by the German user Purodha Blissenbach) and in the French one as well : fr:Projet:Wikipédia Junior (and probably in other minds as well).

As in Wikipedia, the aim is not only to offer to the children a great amount of knowledge, but also to offer them a chance to contribute themselves.

Contents

[edit] Links to the proposal and talk on the Foundation mailing list

[edit] Reader target

There can be great debate (and they have occurred) on the age for which Wikikids should be aimed. It has to be far enough from adult age to find a real advantage not to go directly to the "usual" Wikipedia, and old enough for the child to engage in such a project. The original 8 to 16 target was probably kept in regards in the fact that these children should have taken in charge the whole administration. It has been noted that there is a real gap between these ages.

This age range is just indicative, considering that all articles can't be exactly at the same level, considering that older people could find useful information on it and that less than 8 year old children could be curious enough to have a look too!

[edit] Expected editors

While this project began with the central idea of children building their own encyclopedia, the French one was initially thought to be prepared and written only by usual Wikipedia editors, that is to say, mostly adults. Considering that it's very difficult and unreliable to determine the age of the editor, that this would be a hard job anyway, with no evident advantage, editing is not kept for a fixed age.

  • Adult editors have to be there, for the writing job so as to watch the content, and to help with the organization.
  • Children within the age target can get involved in this project by creating and editing or with other wiki tasks. This way of dealing with knowledge (posture) has an evidential pedagogical interest. It can bring good exercise and motivation to learn. It can help to lead the encyclopedia to the child interests.
  • Older children, teenagers that don't (yet) edit wikipedia can have the chance to do it here, and to make a good work, perhaps with Wikipedia articles as a guideline. The advantage is both the amount of work they can bring, and what this work can bring to them, like for the younger ones and like any wikipedia editor.

[edit] Perspectives

I would see the chance for children to communicate in a Wikipedia-version and produce things of their own interest. There is, of course, a great opportunity for teachers, students and class groups to contribute to this initiative through assigned and unassigned projects. There are lots of ways to characterize this project as a project concerning the child's education and participation in the progress of constructing something great. Besides this there are chances to get fundings for those perspectives from different sides (including politics) to enable this sort of project and to support it.

[edit] Rules & Policies

Rules and policies would be determined both before the project is launched, and during its life. They wouldn't be very different from the ones of Wikipedia. Administration, so as edition, is not a reserved place for adults, nor for children.

  • Vandalism - Users would be given 4 warnings and then would be blocked for 1 week. In some cases the blocking administrator will do mentoring with the blocked user.
  • Dispute process - There would never be an Arbitration Committee but basically any disputes would resolve in blocking. For example, if two users are involved in a dispute both users would be blocked and decisions would be made over the talk page as what to do. As the project gets older a mediation committee might be set up.
  • Request for adminship (RFA) - Requests for adminship would start with someone trying to get 50 support votes. They have to have at least 50% support to become an administrator.
  • Tools - All tools used on Wikipedia would be used.
  • Block length - Block length would be 24 hours, 1 week, 3 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and indefinite.

[edit] Relation with Wikipedia

Wikikids articles will be independent, but can be made with their basis. (so as wikipedia articles in different languages) they can be simplified from the wikipedia one or wholly rewrited.

They might have another role, to be an easier or shorter approach than the wikipedia one, if this one is very long, hard, or if the reader, even adult, doesn't want to invest too much time in the subject or doesn't know much about the subject.

[edit] Relation with Simple English wikipedia

It has been criticized for various reasons (that I don't know well actually). The first I see is that Simple wikipedia only exists in English. (to be completed)


[edit] Problems

[edit] Legal concern in common with wikipedia

[edit] Special legal concern for wikikids

[edit] See also

[edit] Name and domain

[edit] Articles

A lot of articles should be interesting for children and should be found in the Wikikids. Some examples may be:

  • Information about school
  • Sports
  • Animals
  • Our world - conservation, environmental issues, tolerance for others, etc?
  • Hobbies like Collecting Stamps etc.
  • Computer and Computer games
  • Games like "Magic, The Gathering", "Pokémon" ...
  • Music and Bands
  • Television
  • Love (how about Sex fundamentals?)
    • How about not?

They can't be a limitative list at the beginning since themes and article are expected to be created depending on the knowledge and interest of the editors.

[edit] Internationality

Like all other Wikimedia projects this project should be an international one. For a start, there would be a French project, probably a German one (it started on an other website) and maybe an English one, but it will - as we hope - grow like Wikipedia. Interwiki's should be possible to other Wikikids and Wikipedias

[edit] See also

[edit] Current wikis for kids

[edit] Similar projects

  • Wikijunior another project aiming in developing a children's magazine and books for kids.

Part of the wikibooks project.
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