Learning patterns/How to generate a stronger and more relevant relationship with the schools
What problem does this solve?[edit]
To maintain activities from the Wikimedia education programs is often hard, mainly because most of them depend on the goodwill of an innovative teacher rather than an institutional vision. Much effort, time and resources are wasted if only one teacher is trained. Sometimes teachers leave the school or change the course and the proposal does not work anymore.
What is the solution?[edit]
It is important that the whole school gets involved in the Education Program’s project, both teachers, directors and area coordinators.
An initial step is to create workshops to devise a long term education program with the Wikimedia projects. In Argentina we call these meetings "Workshops for digital craftsmen" and we have held them during all the school year: in the beginning, middle and end of the school year to accompany the schools in the design, development and evaluation of their experiences with the Wikimedia projects. It is useful to get involved in advance with the annual education strategy to understand how to articulate proposals with Wikimedia. That’s a key to make a genuine and sustainable relationship.
That serve us to further involve directors and area coordinators and empower them regarding the Wikimedia projects.
Throughout the year, Wikimedia Argentina performs nationwide contests for children, youth under the guidance of school teachers. We especially invite our schools network to participate and get involved in those kind of activities.
As a result of this meaningful bond, other actors such as technology coordinators proposed activities such as uploading to WikimediaCommons musical recordings, as a way to promote daily the free culture and the digital practices with students.
Besides we encourage the participation of our schools network in conferences and education specialized magazines to position their experiences applying the Wikimedia projects in the classroom.
Aswell, we generate a system of membership for being part of the Wikimedia Argentina Education Program that became significant and valuable to set long term relationships within our school network.
Things to consider[edit]
When to use[edit]
Wikimedia education proposals most of the time are isolated activities in the schools and often the Wikimedia Education Program runs the risk to be an sporadic partner, especially if the proposal depends on the goodwill of a single innovative teacher and not an institutional proposal.