Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Building Public Knowledge on UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks in Türkiye through Wikipedia-Based University Education (ID: 23733720)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Leplebi
- Organization
N/A
- If you are a group or organization leader, board member, president, executive director, or staff member at any Wikimedia group, affiliate, or Wikimedia Foundation, you are required to self-identify and present all roles. (required)
N/A
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
Main Proposal
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
Building Public Knowledge on UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks in Türkiye through Wikipedia-Based University Education
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-04-03 - 2027-04-02
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
International (more than one country across continents or regions) The project will be implemented in Türkiye, where an elective university course will be offered to students at Abdullah Gül University in Kayseri. This phase focuses on capacity building, Wikipedia training, guest lectures from UNESCO designated sites in Türkiye and Japan, and content development for Turkish and English Wikipedia.
The project focuses on two key Turkish sites: Artvin (Camili Biosphere Reserve—UNESCO MAB) and Kula-Salihli (UNESCO Global Geopark). These sites serve as the primary learning spaces and the central focus for Turkish and English Wikipedia content development. Students will engage directly with representatives from these sites through guest lectures to ensure the content created is accurate and impactful for the Turkish context.
At the international level, the project is connected to Kanazawa, Japan, through collaboration with Kanazawa University and its link to the Hakusan UNESCO designated site. This collaboration plays a complementary role focused on comparative learning, content review, and educational reuse. Hakusan will be used as a reference for comparison and knowledge sharing, especially regarding Global Geoparks and Biosphere Reserves. This is significant because Hakusan is Japan’s only area where a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a UNESCO Global Geopark overlap. This connection explains why Kanazawa is an important international partner and supports the project’s intercultural approach.
- 5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)
Not applicable
- 6. What is the change you are trying to bring? What are the main challenges or problems you are trying to solve? Describe this change or challenges, as well as main approaches to achieve it. (required)
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves are designated under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme and function as “learning places for sustainable development,” linking nature conservation with community life and education. UNESCO Global Geoparks are a separate UNESCO designation focused on geological heritage, education, and sustainable development. For the purposes of this proposal, these designations will be collectively referred to as UNESCO designated sites
This project aims to improve the quality and visibility of Wikipedia content on UNESCO designated sites in Türkiye while equipping university students with practical skills in open knowledge production, ethical public writing, and multilingual contribution. By bridging the gap between academic theory and public service, the project transforms students into active contributors to the global open knowledge ecosystem.
The Challenges and the Need for Change: The main change this project aims to bring about is to move university students beyond traditional lecture-based instruction and classroom-bound academic outputs. With changing learning styles, it is increasingly important to support students as active contributors who produce, question, and share knowledge. However, opportunities for such learning remain limited in higher education.
We are addressing two key challenges: 1. Skill Gaps: The lack of opportunities for students to develop open-source writing, proper referencing, and interdisciplinary collaboration in a real-world context. 2. Knowledge Gaps: The limited quality and awareness of Wikipedia content regarding UNESCO designated sites in Türkiye. Despite their importance for cultural heritage and sustainability, these sites remain underrepresented in public knowledge platforms.
An additional aim of the project is to use the developed Wikipedia content as pre-departure learning material for the Japanese students. These students will conduct a field visit to the Kula-Salihli UNESCO Global Geopark in Manisa in September 2026. By studying this material in advance, students bridge the gap between digital learning and physical exploration, arriving with a common understanding of the site’s significance.
Main Approaches and Strategies
The project adopts Wikipedia as a teaching and learning tool as its core strategy. We chose this approach because it moves learning into the public sphere, fostering a sense of responsibility and ethical writing. This approach is grounded in international research showing that Wikipedia-based education models significantly improve digital literacy and student engagement.
The project follows a phased approach:
1. Phase 1: Capacity Building Turkish students learn Wikipedia editing and content development in both Turkish and English.
2. Phase 2: Educational Reuse In the second phase, the project moves from content creation to educational reuse. The Wikipedia articles developed by the Turkish students will serve as the primary pre-departure learning material for Japanese students from Kanazawa University.
Before these students arrive in Türkiye for their field visit to the Kula-Salihli UNESCO Global Geopark in September 2026, they will use the newly created Wikipedia content to:
1. Build Context: Gain a deep understanding of the site’s geological and cultural importance through the student-produced articles. 2. Bridge the Gap: Use open knowledge to transition from classroom learning to physical, place-based exploration during their field trip.
This approach demonstrates the wider change we aim to bring: positioning Wikipedia not merely as a place to "write an essay," but as a platform to create open-source resources that others will actually use for their own education. This strategy is grounded in international research and practice, which shows that Wikipedia-based education models contribute significantly to digital literacy, student engagement, and long-term learning outcomes. Furthermore, similar initiatives within the Wikimedia Education Program have proven that course-based projects allow students to make sustained and meaningful contributions to the global open knowledge ecosystem.
Expected Impact
If implemented, the project will provide students with an alternative and engaging learning experience while producing high-quality, neutral, and verifiable content on underrepresented Turkish UNESCO designated sites. This will both increase students’ awareness of sustainability and cultural heritage and improve public access to reliable information, contributing to the strengthening of public knowledge.
In addition, a unique innovation of this project is the educational reuse of the content. The Wikipedia articles developed by the students will serve as pre-departure learning materials for Japanese students before their field visit to the Kula-Salihli UNESCO Global Geopark in September 2026. This ensures the project’s impact extends beyond the classroom, linking open knowledge with physical, place-based learning.
- 7. What are the planned activities? (required) Please provide a list of main activities. You can also add a link to the public page for your project where details about your project can be found. Alternatively, you can upload a timeline document. When the activities include partnerships, include details about your partners and planned partnerships.
The project consists of a course-based and phased set of activities designed to build student capacity in Wikipedia editing, improve UNESCO designated content, and support intercultural learning and collaboration.
Planned Activities
1. Fourteen-week elective course with Integrated Wikipedia Content Development The project is centered around a 14-week interdisciplinary elective course for Turkish university students. This course moves beyond traditional learning by integrating guest lectures from UNESCO designated site representatives and Wikimedia contributors directly into the curriculum. Throughout the semester, students will learn to use Wikipedia as a professional tool—mastering core policies, neutral point of view, verifiability, and ethical public writing. As they learn from experts, students will identify content gaps and create or improve Wikipedia articles in both Turkish and English using reliable academic sources.
Why this activity: Sustained, course-based engagement is more effective than short-term events in developing digital literacy and long-term contributor capacity.
a. Sustained Engagement: A full-semester course is more effective than short-term workshops for developing digital literacy and long-term contributor capacity. b. Knowledge Transformation: Linking expert lectures with immediate editing ensures that professional knowledge is instantly transformed into high-quality, public-facing open-source content. c. Direct Impact: Gap-focused editing ensures that student contributions respond to real information needs within the global Wikipedia community.
2. Guest lectures from UNESCO designated sites in Türkiye Guest speakers from UNESCO designated sites in Türkiye, including a representative from the Artvin Biosphere Reserve and Kula Global Geopark will contribute to the course by sharing local knowledge and practical experience. With the guests from Turkiye, the sessions will be conducted primarily in Turkish to ensure accessibility and inclusive participation.
Why this activity: Local experts provide place-based knowledge that strengthens content accuracy and relevance, while supporting multilingual participation.
3. Sessions with Wikimedia contributors from Türkiye Experienced Wikimedia contributors from Türkiye will join selected sessions to introduce Wikipedia community practices, editing steps, and support mechanisms for student
Why this activity: Direct interaction with the Wikimedia community supports skill development, confidence building, and editor retention.
4. Guest lecture from Kanazawa University A faculty member from Kanazawa University will join the course as a guest speaker to introduce UNESCO Global Geoparks and Biosphere Reserves from an international perspective. This session, conducted in English, provides expertise that complements our local Turkish site knowledge.
Why this activity: This lecture provides students with a comparative framework, helping them understand how Turkish sites fit into a global context. It specifically supports their ability to contribute high-quality content to English Wikipedia and prepares them for the international collaboration and site visit planned for September.
5. Use of Wikipedia content as pre-departure learning material The content developed in the first phase will be specifically curated to serve as pre-departure learning material for Japanese students from Kanazawa University. Before their field visit to the Kula-Salihli UNESCO Global Geopark in September 2026, the Japanese students will use these Wikipedia articles to build their contextual understanding of the site.
Why this activity: This demonstrates the educational reuse of the project’s outputs. It proves that the students' work has a practical impact beyond the classroom, providing essential information to an international audience traveling to Türkiye.
PARTNERSHIPS UNESCO Biosphere Reserve – Artvin, Camilii (Türkiye): Contribution through guest lectures and local expertise, delivered in Turkish to support accessibility.
UNESCO Global Geopark – Kula, Manisa (Türkiye): Contribution through guest lectures and local expertise, delivered in Turkish to support accessibility.
Kanazawa University (Japan): Academic partnership including guest lectures and student collaboration.
Wikimedia contributors from Türkiye: Community-based support for training and editing practices.
- 8. Describe your team. Please provide their roles, Wikimedia Usernames and other details. (required) Include more details of the team, including their roles, usernames, Wikimedia group, and whether they are salaried, volunteers, consultants/contractors, etc. Team members involved in the grant application need to be aware of their involvement in the project.
The project is led by an academic course instructor and supported by guest contributors and volunteers from UNESCO designated sites, Wikimedia Türkiye, and an international academic partner. All team members are aware of their involvement in the project.
Project Lead / Course Instructor Role: Project coordination, course design and delivery, student supervision, coordination with partners, reporting Affiliation: Abdullah Gül University (AGÜ) Status: Salaried academic staff Wikimedia username: Leplebi
The project lead, Assoc. Prof. Elif Bengu is responsible for overall project management, integration of Wikipedia activities into the course curriculum, coordination with Wikimedia and local/global partners, and ensuring alignment with Wikimedia policies and education program practices.
Documentation and Reporting Support Role: Activity documentation, compilation of participation and editing metrics, support for interim and final reporting Affiliation: Independent researcher Status: Short-term, task-based support (paid) Wikimedia username: To be added
In the documentation and reporting support role, Dr. Lacin Tutalar is responsible for systematically documenting project activities, compiling quantitative metrics (participants, editors, content contributions), and supporting the preparation of reports required by the Wikimedia Foundation. This role ensures that project outcomes are accurately recorded and aligned with Wikimedia reporting standards, without involvement in teaching, grading, or editorial decision-making.
Social Media Support Role: Project visibility, dissemination of activities and outcomes, support for community outreach Affiliation: Independent contributor Status: Short-term, task-based support (paid) Wikimedia username: To be added
In the social media support role, the assigned contributor will be responsible for sharing project updates, milestones, and outcomes through appropriate social media channels. This includes promoting the course, highlighting student contributions, and increasing public awareness of Wikipedia and open knowledge practices related to the project. All social media content will align with Wikimedia Foundation communication guidelines and respect participant privacy. This role is limited to outreach and visibility activities and does not involve teaching, grading, editorial decision-making.
Guest Academic Partner – Kanazawa University Role: Guest lecturer; international academic advisor; support for intercultural collaboration Affiliation: Kanazawa University (Japan) Status: Guest contributor (volunteer / in-kind contribution) Wikimedia username: To be created
Assoc. Prof. Aida Mammadova, a faculty member from Kanazawa University will contribute a guest lecture on UNESCO Global Geoparks and Biosphere Reserves and support later student collaboration from an international perspective.
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Representative – Artvin Role: Guest speaker; local UNESCO site expertise; Turkish-language academic and contextual support Affiliation: Artvin Biosphere Reserve Status: Guest contributor (volunteer / in-kind contribution) Wikimedia username: To be created
Dr. Inci Zeynep Yilmaz, the faculty member from Artvin Coruh University will provide site-based knowledge and support accessibility by delivering sessions in Turkish.
UNESCO Global Geopark Representative – Kula Role: Guest speaker; local UNESCO designated site expertise; Turkish-language academic and contextual support Affiliation: Kula Global Geopark Status: Guest contributor (volunteer / in-kind contribution) Wikimedia username: To be created
Dr. İsmail EGE, the faculty member from Uşak University will provide site-based knowledge and support accessibility by delivering sessions in English & Turkish.
Wikimedia Contributors from Türkiye Role: Wikipedia training, community practices, mentoring new editors Affiliation: Wikimedia community in Türkiye Status: Volunteers Wikimedia usernames: To be added
Experienced Wikimedia contributors, Zafer Batik & Basak Tosun from Türkiye will support students through training sessions and guidance on Wikipedia editing standards, community norms, and sustainability of contributions.
Student Participants Role: Wikipedia editors, researchers, content contributors Affiliation: Abdullah Gül University Status: Students (volunteers as part of coursework) Wikimedia usernames: Created during the course
Students enrolled in the elective course will contribute to Turkish and English Wikipedia as part of their learning activities, under supervision and in line with Wikimedia Education Program guidelines.
- 9. Who are the target participants and from which community? How will you engage participants before and during the activities? How will you follow up with participants after the activities? (required)
The primary target participants are undergraduate students at Abdullah Gül University (Türkiye) who enroll in the course as an elective. These students come from different academic disciplines and form the core participant group responsible for Wikipedia-based content development related to UNESCO designated sites in Türkiye.
A secondary group consists of students from Kanazawa University (Japan) who plan to visit Türkiye to engage with these sites, particularly the Kula-Salihli UNESCO Global Geopark. These students will join the project in Phase 2 as users of the content during their pre-departure preparation.
- 10. Does your project involve work with children or youth? (required)
Yes
- 10.1. Please provide a link to your Youth Safety Policy. (required) If the proposal indicates direct contact with children or youth, you are required to outline compliance with international and local laws for working with children and youth, and provide a youth safety policy aligned with these laws. Read more here.
All project participants are undergraduate university students. However, as they fall within the youth demographic, we have established a Youth Safety Policy to ensure a safe and supportive environment. Our policy can be found at the following link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YE4GJgXYUoqyeRs6GJpdxLD7dZdI7_ctaHN8I6yYAcM/edit?usp=sharing
- 11. How did you discuss the idea of your project with your community members and/or any relevant groups? Please describe steps taken and provide links to any on-wiki community discussion(s) about the proposal. (required) You need to inform the community and/or group, discuss the project with them, and involve them in planning this proposal. You also need to align the activities with other projects happening in the planned area of implementation to ensure collaboration within the community.
The idea for this project developed through early engagement with the Wikimedia community around using Wikipedia as a pedagogical tool. The initial concept emerged when I invited Wikimedia volunteers to my campus in 2024 to discuss how Wikipedia could be meaningfully integrated into university courses. These early conversations laid the groundwork for designing a Wikipedia-based course.
The project gained a stronger UNESCO designated site and international focus during the time I spent in Japan. In March 2025, I visited the Hakusan UNESCO designated site in collaboration with Kanazawa University. During this visit, we discussed educational approaches, field-based learning, and possibilities for international collaboration around UNESCO designated sites.
During the same visit, I also met with a representative from the Artvin, Camilii UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. She highlighted that, in Türkiye, educational practices linked to UNESCO designated sites are still very limited and that there is a strong need for more structured programs to increase awareness, particularly among students and local communities.
Following these discussions, in September 2025, we hosted 30 Japanese students at the Kula-Salihli UNESCO Global Geopark in Türkiye. During this visit, I met with representatives from Uşak University. The experience demonstrated the strong potential for sustainable, education-based collaboration between Türkiye and Japan centered on UNESCO designated sites. This visit clarified the value of structuring a Wikipedia-based course to support both content development and international collaboration.
The course concept was further refined through consultations with Wikimedia contributors, experts working at UNESCO designated sites, and academic partners at Kanazawa University. While we initially explored offering the course in both countries simultaneously, the Japanese academic calendar and advanced scheduling requirements led us to a different approach. We decided to pilot the course in Türkiye first, involving Japanese students in Phase 2 as users of the developed content.
The project builds on existing relationships with the Wikimedia community and aligns with ongoing educational and student exchange activities related to UNESCO designated sites. The long-term aim is to strengthen these collaborations and, eventually, run the course simultaneously in both countries in the future.
- 12. Does your proposal aim to work to bridge any of the content knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Geography
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Education
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Socioeconomic status
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Invest in Skills and Leadership Development
Learning and metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
Through this project, we aim to learn how course-based Wikipedia activities can support students in becoming confident and responsible contributors to open knowledge. In particular, the project seeks to explore the following learning questions:
1. How does working on Wikipedia help students learn to contribute accurate, ethical, and well-sourced information to an open and public platform? 2. To what extent does engaging with less well-known UNESCO designated sites (such as Global Geoparks and Biosphere Reserves in Türkiye) increase students’ awareness of cultural heritage and sustainability? 3. How do students connect UNESCO designated with their own academic disciplines when producing public-facing knowledge? 4. How does asynchronous, content-based intercultural engagement through Wikipedia contribute to Turkish and Japanese students’ understanding of global perspectives, cultural context, and shared heritage? 5. What forms of instructional guidance, peer support, and learning environments enable students to confidently contribute to Turkish and English Wikipedia articles?
The data collected through student participation, Wikipedia contributions, and reflection activities will help answer these questions and inform future applications of the course.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 60 | ~30 Abdullah Gül University students (elective course)
~30 Kanazawa University students (summer field visit) |
| Number of editors | 30 | Students who make at least one edit to Turkish and/or English Wikipedia as part of the project |
| Number of organizers | 7 | Project Management & Instruction
1 Project Lead / Course Instructor: Responsible for overall coordination and academic delivery. 1 Documentation and Reporting Support: Responsible for tracking project milestones and final reporting. 1 Social Media and Design Support: Responsible for visual communication and public outreach. Technical & Site Experts 2 Wikimedia Contributors (Türkiye): Providing technical guidance on Wikipedia editing and community standards. 2 UNESCO Designated Site Representatives (Türkiye): Subject matter experts representing the Kula-Salihli UNESCO Global Geopark and the Artvin Camilii UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. International Partnership 1 Kanazawa University Faculty Member: Serving as the Japanese academic lead and an international representative for UNESCO designated sites. |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | |
| Wikimedia Commons | |
| Wikidata | |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
N/A
- 19. Do you have any other project targets in numbers (metrics)? (optional)
Yes
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Articles created or substantially improved | Articles created or substantially improved in Turkish Wikipedia (10) and English Wikipedia (20). These articles Articles will focus on UNESCO Global Geoparks, Biosphere Reserves, and related heritage and sustainability topics in Türkiye.
Academic article (1) |
21 |
| university course and evaluation metrics | Implementation of elective university course (1)
Student evaluations to assess participants' satisfaction, the course’s impact on skills development and engagement with Wikimedia projects (3) |
4 |
| Event(s) | Online opening event.
Online closing event. Outreach event. |
3 |
| Speakers | Guest speakers engaged from UNESCO designated sites and Wikimedia community. | 5 |
| Meeting session with organizers | Online meeting sessions as part of the course design and international collaboration. | 8 |
- 20. What tools would you use to measure each metrics? Please refer to the guide for a list of tools. You can also write that you are not sure and need support. (required)
The project will use existing Wikimedia tools, combined with limited manual tracking where appropriate, to measure all selected metrics.
Number of participants -- Programs & Events Dashboard will be used as the main tool to register participants and track engagement across course-based activities and online sessions. -- Event Metrics may be used as a supporting tool for specific activities such as online sessions or focused editing periods.
Number of editors -- Programs & Events Dashboard will be used to track participants who create or improve content on Turkish and English Wikipedia as part of the project. -- Event Metrics will be used as a complementary tool to confirm editing activity.
Number of organizers -- The number of organizers will be tracked manually, following Wikimedia recommendations, and will include individuals involved in planning, teaching, guest lecturing, and facilitation. -- Organizer usernames will be added to the Programs & Events Dashboard where applicable.
Number of new content contributions per Wikimedia project -- Programs & Events Dashboard will be used as the primary tool to track articles created or improved on Turkish and English Wikipedia. Event Metrics may be used as an additional tool to support content-level reporting.
Additional metrics -- Online sessions (MsTeams): tracked through meeting records and attendance logs. Editor retention (where applicable): reviewed using data available through the Programs & Events Dashboard and Event Metrics, with support from the Wikimedia Community Resources team if needed. -- After getting the appropriate ethical permission from the AGU’s ethical commission, student evaluations will be used to assess participant satisfaction, skills development, and engagement with Wikimedia projects, and key findings will be shared with the local Wikimedia community.
If additional guidance or technical support is required for using these tools, support from the Wikimedia Community Resources team will be requested.
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_HX_PJ9HuF_zb402GsGRrT7h1AhOUiyqcxI07dwcmLI/edit?usp=sharing
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
198500 TRY
- 22.2. Convert the amount requested into USD using the Oanda converter. This is done only to help you assess the USD equivalent of the requested amount. Your request should be between 500 - 5,000 USD.
4601.89 USD
- We/I have read the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.
Yes
Endorsements and Feedback
[edit]Please add endorsements and feedback to the grant discussion page only. Endorsements added here will be removed automatically.
Community members are invited to share meaningful feedback on the proposal and include reasons why they endorse the proposal. Consider the following:
- Stating why the proposal is important for the communities involved and why they think the strategies chosen will achieve the results that are expected.
- Highlighting any aspects they think are particularly well developed: for instance, the strategies and activities proposed, the levels of community engagement, outreach to underrepresented groups, addressing knowledge gaps, partnerships, the overall budget and learning and evaluation section of the proposal, etc.
- Highlighting if the proposal focuses on any interesting research, learning or innovation, etc. Also if it builds on learning from past proposals developed by the individual or organization, or other Wikimedia communities.
- Analyzing if the proposal is going to contribute in any way to important developments around specific Wikimedia projects or Movement Strategy.
- Analysing if the proposal is coherent in terms of the objectives, strategies, budget, and expected results (metrics).