Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Enhancing Collaboration:A Study on the Perception of Professional Academic Organizations Towards Wikimedia and Sister Projects (ID: 22448104)
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Applicant Details[edit]
- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
KingVik Planet
- 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.
Enhancing Collaboration: A Study on the Perception of Professional Academic Organizations Towards Wikimedia and Sister Projects
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2024-04-01 - 2024-05-31
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
Rwanda
- 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)
Change Envisioned: The primary objective is to foster enhanced collaboration between professional academic organizations and Wikimedia projects. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between academic communities and the Wikimedia platform, cultivating a symbiotic relationship. The focus is on raising awareness, encouraging active participation, and demonstrating the advantages of integrating Wikipedia and its sister projects into academic endeavors.
Challenges and Problems:
- 1. Limited Awareness and Engagement: Many academic professionals may lack awareness of the potential benefits or harbor reservations about the reliability of Wikimedia content for academic purposes.
- 2. Perceived Barriers: Institutional policies, concerns about academic rigor, and other perceived barriers may impede academic professionals from actively contributing to or utilizing Wikipedia's projects.
- 3. Underutilization in Academic Research and Education: The potential of Wikimedia projects, such as Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, as valuable resources for academic research and education may be underutilized or not fully recognized.
Approaches to Achieve Change:
- 1. Comprehensive Perception Study: Conduct a thorough study to understand the current perceptions, attitudes, and levels of engagement of professional academic organizations towards Wikimedia and its sister projects.
- 2. Impact Assessment: Assess and highlight instances where Wikimedia projects have positively impacted academic research, contributed to educational resources, and been cited in academic publications.
Identification of Barriers:
- 3. Identify and analyze perceived barriers or challenges that hinder collaboration between academic professionals and Wikimedia projects.
- 4. Success Stories and Best Practices:Showcase success stories of academic organizations that have effectively integrated Wikimedia into their research and education activities. Share best practices to inspire others.
- 5. Recommendations for Promotion: Develop concrete recommendations for promoting the use of Wikimedia projects within academic organizations. This may include awareness campaigns, training sessions, and collaborative events.
- 6. Building a Community of Contributors: Explore strategies for building a community of academic contributors to Wikimedia projects. Foster collaboration and the sharing of academic resources through Wikimedia platforms.
- 7. Educational Resource Development:Investigate the creation and utilization of educational resources on Wikimedia projects.
Expected Outcomes:
- 1. Increased awareness and engagement of academic professionals with Wikimedia projects.
- 2. Overcoming perceived barriers and challenges through targeted recommendations.
- 3. Recognition of the positive impact of Wikimedia in academic research and education.
- 4. Building a community of academic contributors to Wikimedia projects.
- 4. Improved utilization of Wikimedia projects as valuable resources in professional academic settings.
- 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.
List of Main Activities:
- 1. Perception Study Design: Develop a comprehensive study design to assess the current perceptions and attitudes of professional academic organizations towards Wikimedia and sister projects. This will include surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions.
- 2. Survey Deployment:Distribute surveys to a diverse range of academic professionals, including faculty members, researchers, and administrators. The survey will gauge their awareness, attitudes, and experiences with Wikimedia projects.
- 3.Interviews and Focus Groups:Conduct in-depth interviews with key stakeholders in academic organizations and organize focus group discussions to delve deeper into the nuanced perceptions and challenges.
- 4. Impact Assessment Research:Undertake research to identify and document instances where Wikimedia projects have made a positive impact on academic research and education. This may involve literature reviews and case studies.
- 5. Barrier Analysis: Analyze the identified barriers or challenges hindering collaboration. This will involve a combination of literature review, interviews, and consultation with academic professionals.
- 6. Success Stories Compilation: Compile success stories of academic organizations successfully integrating Wikimedia projects into their activities. This will serve as inspirational material for other institutions.
- 7. Recommendation Development:Develop clear and actionable recommendations based on the findings of the perception study and barrier analysis. These recommendations will address concerns and promote collaboration.
- 8. Awareness Campaigns: Implement targeted awareness campaigns within professional academic organizations. This may include webinars, workshops, and promotional materials highlighting the benefits of Wikimedia projects.
- 9. Training Sessions: Organize training sessions for academic professionals especially Students of the targetted universities' on how to effectively contribute to Wikimedia projects, emphasizing best practices, citation standards, and academic rigor which will be monitored using https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org.
- 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.
KingVik Planet - Postgraduate Researcher During my undergraduate studies, I held a different perspective on Wikipedia and its sister projects, influenced by my lecturers who portrayed Wikipedia as unreliable due to inexperienced editors. As a as undergraduate student then, I realized the valuable resources Wikipedia offers, often presenting information more clearly than traditional sources. Despite discouragement, I joined Wikipedia in 2018 for academic research. However, a lack of mentorship hindered my contributions until the Africa Growth Pilot training rekindled my interest in mid 2023. Now an active contributor, I aim to bridge the gap between academia and Wikipedia, understanding their skepticism and advocating for academic contributions to Wikimedia platforms. This role is voluntary, aligned with my commitment to improving Wikimedia's image among academics. My contributions and experiences from the Africa Growth Pilot will guide this initiative, forming a crucial part of my research understanding.
- 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)
Target Participants:The primary target participants for this project are academic professionals affiliated which includes faculty members, researchers, librarians, and students who play crucial roles in academic institutions in the following institution in Rwanda University of Rwanda University of Lay Adventists of Kigali East African University Rwanda University of Kigali University of Global Health Equity Institut d'Enséignement Supérieur de Ruhengeri Adventist University of Central Africa University of Tourism Technology and Business Studies Université Libre de Kigali Kibogora Polytechnic
Engagement Strategies:
Pre-Activity Engagement:
Needs Assessment: Conduct a needs assessment by reaching out to academic departments and facultiesto understand their current engagement with Wikimedia projects and identify specific areas of interest or concern. Information Sessions: Organize information sessions and meetings prior to the activities to introduce the project, explain the benefits of collaboration, and address any concerns or questions.
During Activities: Interactive Workshops: Host interactive workshops and training sessions to actively engage participants in contributing to Wikimedia projects. Ensure the content is tailored to their academic disciplines and interests. Open Discussions: Facilitate open discussions and Q&A sessions during events to encourage participants to share their thoughts, experiences, and expectations. Real-Time Feedback Mechanism: Implement a real-time feedback mechanism during webinars or training sessions to gauge participants' reactions and adapt the content accordingly.
Post-Activity Follow-Up: Feedback Surveys: Distribute post-event surveys to collect detailed feedback on the effectiveness of the activities, areas for improvement, and participants' intentions for future engagement. Community Building: Establish an online community or platform for participants to continue discussions, share success stories, and seek assistance. Actively moderate and contribute to the community to maintain engagement. Resource Sharing: Share educational resources, guides, and relevant materials with participants after the activities to support ongoing engagement with Wikimedia projects. Individual Outreach: Conduct personalized follow-up emails or messages to key participants, expressing appreciation for their involvement and encouraging sustained contributions.
Community-Specific Engagement: Collaborate with academic departments and relevant faculty associations to promote the project within the university. Utilize university communication channels, such as class social media channels
Overall Approach:
Employ a multi-channel communication strategy, including emails, social media, and direct outreach to academic departments. Tailor messages to highlight the specific benefits and relevance of Wikimedia projects to each university.
- 10. Does your project involve work with children or youth? (required)
No
- 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.
N/A
- 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.
Community Outreach: Initiated discussions on relevant Wikimedia forums and mailing lists, introducing the project idea and seeking input from experienced community members. Engaged with community members through existing channels, such as the Wikimedia Foundation's mailing list and relevant Wikimedia project talk pages. Project Introduction on Wikimedia Platforms: Created a dedicated project page on Wikimedia Meta-Wiki to provide comprehensive details about the proposal, including its objectives, target participants, and expected outcomes. Shared the project idea on relevant Wikimedia noticeboard, inviting community members to review and share their thoughts. Public Presentation and Webinars:Organized public presentations or webinars to discuss the project idea, its significance, and the potential impact on the Wikimedia community. Provided opportunities for community members to ask questions, express concerns, and offer suggestions during these interactive sessions. Feedback Mechanism:Established an open feedback mechanism, encouraging community members to provide input directly on the project's Meta-Wiki page. Actively monitored and responded to comments, questions, and suggestions from the community. Alignment with Existing Projects:Explored ongoing projects within the Wikimedia community related to academic engagement and academic research Ensured alignment with existing initiatives to promote collaboration and prevent duplication of efforts.
- 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)
Not applicable
- 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)
Not applicable
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Increase the Sustainability of Our Movement
Learning and metrics[edit]
- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
Learning Questions: Community Perception: How do academic professionals perceive the Wikimedia projects, and what factors influence their engagement or lack thereof? Barriers to Participation: What are the primary barriers preventing academic professionals from actively contributing to Wikimedia and its sister projects? Effectiveness of Outreach Strategies: Which outreach strategies are most effective in encouraging academic professionals to contribute content to Wikimedia projects? Impact on Academic Communities: How can Wikimedia and its sister projects contribute to enhancing the academic environment, research dissemination, and collaboration within academic institutions? Long-Term Sustainability: What measures can be implemented to ensure the sustained involvement of academic professionals in Wikimedia projects beyond the project duration? Collaboration Potential: To what extent can partnerships with academic institutions be leveraged to enhance Wikimedia content quality and diversity? Wikimedia Awareness: How aware are academic professionals of Wikimedia projects, and what educational initiatives are most effective in raising awareness? Community Engagement Models: What models of community engagement are most successful in fostering collaboration between Wikimedia contributors and academic professionals? Impact on Wikimedia Content: How does the involvement of academic professionals contribute to the improvement and expansion of content on Wikimedia projects? Community Feedback: How responsive is the Wikimedia community to projects aimed at engaging academic professionals, and what insights can be gained from their feedback? By addressing these learning questions, the project aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics between academic communities and Wikimedia projects, leading to more informed strategies for fostering collaboration and participation.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 180 | I am targeting over 180 academicians, aiming to engage 20 from each of the 9 selected universities in Rwanda. The selection of different universities serves the purpose of creating awareness about Wikimedia and its sister projects. Focusing on a single university not only limits the diversity of views from academicians with various backgrounds but also helps establish awareness in different universities, fostering potential collaborations across the country. |
| Number of editors | 80 | I am targeting new editors from university or academic backgrounds, with a specific focus on training academics to harness their wealth of knowledge and actively contribute to the Wikimedia community. Reflecting on my personal experience during undergraduate studies, where my work was canceled for citing a Wikipedia source, I aim to engage academics in sharing their experiences and participating in contributions.
This approach seeks to cultivate a sense of involvement in Wikimedia's development, motivating academics to inspire their students to contribute and cite Wikipedia articles in their experiential work. My goal is to onboard approximately 80-90 new or returning editors from academic backgrounds. This initiative aims to reshape the narrative and challenge stereotypes that academics may hold towards Wikipedia. |
| Number of organizers | 3 | In organizing a training event, my plan includes inviting community leaders from Wikimedia Rwanda to share their wealth of knowledge with the academic community. This collaboration aims to inform and inspire the academic community, providing them with compelling reasons to become active participants in open knowledge-sharing communities like Wikimedia. |
| 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)
No
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
- 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)
I will employ a survey form as a robust tool for tracking and collecting data. Additionally, I plan to utilize https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/ to monitor and track both new and returning Wikimedia members from the academic community. To ensure effective management, monitoring, and tracking of the project, I will create a unique hashtag.
Financial proposal[edit]
- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1U7c4CAGfX1Lg5OjPTqK7_rr9BNh_njJz1vtnqtEcmpc/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)
2555000 RWF
- 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.
2018.23 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).