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Community Resources and Partnerships/India Rapid Project/Kannada-Tulu Wikilearn/Final Report

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A826
Kannada-Tulu Wikilearn
20 January 2026 - 30 November 2026
Report ID: 13609
Report status: Under review
Report due date: 30 December 2026
Project ID: P-IR-2510-20935
Amount supported: 311600 INR, 3606.9 USD
Amount spent: 311600 INR
India Rapid Project Final Report

Application type: Standard application

Part 1: Project and impact

1. Describe the implemented activities and results achieved. Additionally, share which approaches were most effective in supporting you to achieve the results. (required)

Activities

  1. Institutional Workshops: Wikipedia editathons were conducted at Maps College (50 participants), Vijaya College (60 participants), and Canara College (65 participants). These events successfully introduced large groups of students and faculty to Wikimedia editing.
  2. Formal Wikipedia Training https://app.learn.wiki/learning/course/course-v1:Wikipedia-Kannada+WK001+2026/home : A pilot WikiLearn course on Kannada Wikipedia and Wikisource was completed by 27 participants, with a formal certificate ceremony.
    1. continued weekly google meet session (minimum 2 sessions per month) to address users queries regarding wiki editing
  3. Specialized Projects: Focused sessions were held, including a Wikidata editathon in Kumble, Kerala, and a book review editathon in Kasaragod. Additionally, the Wikisource20 proofreading campaign attracted 33 contributors.
    1. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Event:Wikipedia_editathon_on_book_reviews_at_Kasaragod-2026
    2. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Relicensing,_Digitisation_and_wikisource_project_in_Kannada_and_Tulu_Languages/Wikidata_Editathon_at_Toppers_Tuition_centre,_Kumble,_Kerala
  4. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Event:Wikipedia_editathon_on_book_reviews_at_Kasaragod-2026
  5. Community Events for WIkipedia25 https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Event:Kannada-Tulu_Language_Group/WP25,Wikilearning,WAM_%26_WSC_Prize_Distribution_Ceremony : A planning call set the annual strategy, while a prize distribution ceremony recognized contributors and was attended by 65 individuals (including students, community members, and faculty).
  6. Overall Result: The program achieved a cumulative participation of 320 individuals, successfully expanding the contributor base for Kannada and Tulu Language and also strengthening ties with academic institutions.

2.1. Documentation of your impact. Please use space below to share links that help tell your story, impact, and evaluation. (required)

Share links to:

  • Project page on Meta-Wiki or any other Wikimedia project
  • Dashboards and tools that you used to track contributions
  • Some photos or videos from your event. Remember to share access.

You can also share links to:

  • Important social media posts
  • Surveys and their results
  • Infographics and sound files
  • Examples of content edited on Wikimedia projects
  1. News announcement done by Canara College : [1] 
    1. Canara College Workshop Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DV7VlAPE5Es/
  2. Maps College Instagram post : https://www.instagram.com/reel/DU_FuTECfUP/
  3. [2] 
  4. The Kannada-Tulu WikiLearn project delivered significant quantitative impact across content creation, quality assurance, and community engagement. In terms of content production and reach, participants created 8,850 new articles and edited 50,500 existing ones, contributing a total of 77,000 edits and adding 16 million bytes of substantive information. The public visibility of this work is evidenced by an estimated 1.62 million article views, reflecting the project's success in making regional language content widely accessible. Regarding content quality and verification, the addition of 10,800 references underscores a strong commitment to source verifiability and editorial reliability. Multimedia enrichment was also substantial, with 1,021 media files uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, enhancing the visual appeal and documentation of Kannada and Tulu subjects. On the community and participation front, the project successfully onboarded 119 active editors. This metric, combined with the qualitative learnings regarding institutional partnerships and blended learning, confirms that the structured workshop model effectively translates into sustained editorial activity. Collectively, these figures validate the efficacy of the blended learning approach, Kannada-language training materials, and diversified activities. They also establish a robust empirical baseline for scaling the model to additional institutions and sustaining long-term editor retention.
  5.  Below two graph generated using Quarry SQL query demonstrates how these learning activity are vital as workshop we conduct are inclusive of both new editors and active users of community

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kannada_wikisource_proofread_activity_2021-26.svg - [3]

[4] - [5]

  1. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kannada_wikisource_proofread_activity_2021-26.svg - [6]

2.2. Additionally, share the materials and resources that you used in the implementation of your project. (required)

For example:

  • Training materials and guides
  • Presentations and slides
  • Work processes and plans
  • Any other materials your team has created or adapted and can be shared with others

Materials and Resources Used

1. Training Materials and Guides

2. Work Processes and Plans

  • Workshop Format & Guide: [11]
  • Pre-Workshop Checklist: [12]
  • Workshop Coordination Tool: [13]
  • Administration Guidelines: [14]
  • Kannada Wikisource Workflow (Diagram): [15]

3. Topic-Specific Reference Materials

4. Technical and Collaborative Tools

  • PAWS Help Page: [26]
  • OpenRefine Workflow (Diagram): [27]

3. To what extent do you agree with the following statements regarding the work carried out? You can choose “not applicable” if your work does not relate to these goals. Required. Select one option per question. (required)

Our efforts during the project period have helped to...
A. Bring in participants from underrepresented groups Agree
B. Create a more inclusive and connected culture in our community Agree
C. Develop content about underrepresented topics/groups Not applicable
D. Develop content from underrepresented perspectives Strongly disagree
E. Encourage the retention of editors Agree
F. Encourage the retention of organizers Agree
G. Increased participants' feelings of belonging and connection to the movement Agree
F. Other (optional)

Part 2: Learning

4. In your application, you outlined some learning questions. What did you learn from these learning questions when you implemented your project? How do you hope to use this learnings in the future? You can recall these learning questions below. (required)

You can recall these learning questions below: Through this project, I aim to understand how language learning, digital literacy, and community participation can come together to strengthen the Kannada and Tulu languages in Wikimedia ecosystems. I hope to learn not only what works in engaging new learners and editors, but also why certain approaches are more effective for small and regional language communities. This can be achieved from experience from my previous rapid project which made me more insightful for organizing a workshop by tackling obstacles and be attentive to be more involved with the community. 

The project yielded key insights into the role of language learning, digital literacy, and community engagement in strengthening Kannada and Tulu representation within Wikimedia ecosystems.

Institutional partnerships proved highly effective, as workshops held at St Aloysius University(Mangalore), Maps College(Mangalore), Vijaya College(Mulky), and Canara College(Mangalore) consistently demonstrated that academic institutions offer reliable access to students, infrastructure, and faculty support. A blended learning model by integrating the structured WikiLearn online course with in-person workshops was particularly successful; online coursework enhanced practical editing skills, while immediate on-site support resolved technical difficulties efficiently. Providing training materials in Kannada, such as printed handbooks and Wikisource guides, significantly boosted comprehension and confidence among new editors, enabling them to engage more comfortably in their native language. Diversifying activities beyond Wikipedia editing to include Wikisource proofreading, Wikidata editing, book reviews, and science photography attracted a wider range of participants and increased overall engagement. Recognition served as a key motivator: the Prize Distribution Ceremony and the provision of completion certificates validated efforts and encouraged continued involvement, particularly among students enhancing their academic portfolios.

Building on prior experience, we anticipated technical challenges, such as connectivity issues and account creation blocks and implemented contingency plans with dedicated facilitators for one-on-one support started off with tasks using Growth tools where students were able quickly familiarize with wiki editing through simpler tasks such as adding links. This proactive approach minimized frustration and improved retention.

Future plans include: developing a scalable workshop model for broader institutional replication; establishing a formal network of faculty champions to integrate Wikimedia editing into curriculum, launching a mentorship program pairing experienced editors with newcomers; expanding the WikiLearn course to include Tulu modules and intermediate subjects; systematically assessing workshop outcomes to refine strategies; and creating a community hub to foster collaboration among Kannada and Tulu editors.

Specific challenges provided further strategic lessons. The IP throttle issue underscored the need for pre-event coordination, prompting us to require advance account creation and prepare alternative technical solutions as we were aware of IP throttle but unable to overcome it as some Institutions failed/refused to provide valid IP which led us look into alternative solutions such as creating new usergroup on . To sustain student engagement beyond workshops, we recognized the necessity of follow-up mechanisms, including virtual meetups, reminders, and structured tasks. Additionally, community participation highlighted the effectiveness of competitions and specialized activities, which we will continue using to leverage expert knowledge while cultivating new contributors.

Overall, these experiences reinforced the critical importance of flexibility, proactive planning, and the balanced nurturing of both student and community participation to ensure long-term program sustainability.

5. Did anything unexpected or surprising happen when implementing your activities? This can include both positive and negative situations. What did you learn from those experiences? (required)

Positive situations

On the positive side, the response from the wider community members was far more fruitful than anticipated. While the workshops were primarily designed to engage students, experienced community editors and enthusiasts demonstrated remarkable interest and participation, particularly in the competitions such as Wiki Science Competition and Wikisource20. Their contributions were of high quality, and their involvement added significant value to the project outcomes. This unexpected level of community engagement enriched the overall experience and strengthened the collaborative spirit of the program. Below two graph generated using Quarry SQL query demonstrates how these learning activity are vital as workshop we conduct are inclusive of both new editors and active users of community

Challenge

The most significant technical challenge encountered was the IP throttle issue, which limited the number of accounts that could be created and edits from a single IP address during workshops. This resulted in several students being unable to edit swiftly at the workshop venue, causing delays and frustration. Additionally, it was observed that student participation and editing activity were significantly lower outside the structured workshop environment. While students actively engaged during the sessions with facilitator support, their independent editing activity declined once they left the workshop setting, indicating that sustained engagement beyond the event remained a challenge.

6. What is your plan to share your project learnings and results with other community members? If you have already done it, describe how. (required)

Blog was shared with respective communities on Whatsapp WIkirelated groups and Telegram groups blog post [32]

Part 3: Metrics

7. Wikimedia Metrics results. (required)

In your application, you set some Wikimedia targets in numbers (Wikimedia metrics). In this section, you will describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used.

Target Results Comments and tools used
Number of participants 220 200 https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/ktlg/Kannada-Tulu_Wikilearn/home
Number of editors 220 126 https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/ktlg/Kannada-Tulu_Wikilearn/home
Number of organizers 15 9
Wikimedia project Target Result - Number of created pages Result - Number of improved pages
Wikipedia 300 1000 800
Wikimedia Commons 300 300 300
Wikidata 500 252 2370
Wiktionary
Wikisource 20
Wikimedia Incubator
Translatewiki
MediaWiki
Wikiquote
Wikivoyage
Wikibooks
Wikiversity
Wikinews
Wikispecies
Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia

8. Other Metrics results.

In your proposal, you could also set Other Metrics targets. Please describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used if you set Other Metrics in your application.

Other Metrics name Metrics Description Target Result Tools and comments

9. Did you have any difficulties collecting data to measure your results? (required)

No

9.1. Please state what difficulties you had. How do you hope to overcome these challenges in the future? Do you have any recommendations for the Foundation to support you in addressing these challenges? (required)

Part 4: Financial reporting

[edit]

10. State the total amount spent in your Indian Rupees. (required)

311600

11. State the total amount spent in US dollars. (required)

3268.96

12. Report the funds spent in the currency of your fund. (required)

Upload the financial report

12.1. If you have not already done so in your financial spending report, provide information on changes in the budget in relation to your original proposal. (optional)

Not a deviations but We did celebrate Wikipedia25 which was included in updated budget, we initially intended to have a small workshop for community members in the region and  students of Aloysius , due to timing of Wikipedia25 we had a opportunity to celebrate it  

13. Do you have any unspent funds from the project? (required)

No

13.1. Amount of unspent funds.

N/A

13.2. Explain the reason for unspent funds.

N/A

13.2. What are you planning to do with the underspent funds?

N/A

13.3. Please provide details of hope to spend these funds.

N/A

14. Are you in compliance with all applicable terms, laws and regulations as outlined in the project agreement? Yes

15. If you have additional recommendations or reflections that don’t fit into the above sections, please write them here. (optional)

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