Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Title:International Literacy Day 2024:Promoting Multilingual Literacy through Wikipedia Education in Kwara State. (ID: 22764498)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Linason Blessing
- 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.
Title: International Literacy Day 2024: Promoting Multilingual Literacy through Wikipedia Education in Kwara State.
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2024-09-16 - 2024-11-30
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
Nigeria
- 5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)
Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom
- 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)
International Literacy Day (ILD) is celebrated annually to highlight the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights, and to advance the literacy agenda towards a more literate and sustainable society. Despite global progress, literacy challenges persist, with at least 763 million young people and adults lacking basic literacy skills in 2020.
In Nigeria, the National Policy on Education (NPE) recognizes the importance of language, yet the implementation of multilingual education remains inadequate. Many educators and the government have not fully enforced the provisions for multilingual education, leading to a gap in educational resources and orthographies for indigenous languages. The Federal Government of Nigeria is urged to enforce these multilingual provisions across all educational sectors and develop more resources to meet the demands of multilingual education.
There is a pressing need to harness the transformative potential of literacy to promote mutual understanding, social cohesion, and peace. In today’s multilingual world, adopting a first language-based, multilingual approach to literacy development and education offers significant cognitive, pedagogical, and socio-economic benefits. This approach can foster mutual understanding and respect while strengthening communal identities and collective histories.
This proposal aims to enhance multilingual digital literacy among secondary school students in Kwara State, Nigeria, using Wikipedia as a tool to promote mutual understanding, social cohesion, and peace. This aligns with the International Literacy Day 2024 theme, "Promoting multilingual education: Literacy for mutual understanding and peace."
There are significant challenges to address, including limited access to multilingual educational resources in local languages, a lack of critical digital literacy skills among students, and insufficient understanding of diverse cultures and perspectives. Additionally, students have limited opportunities to contribute to global knowledge in their native languages, and there is inadequate representation of local content on Wikipedia in languages spoken in Kwara State.
By implementing these activities, we aim to create a sustainable model for promoting multilingual education through Wikipedia, fostering digital literacy, and enhancing mutual understanding among diverse linguistic communities in Kwara State. This project has the potential to serve as a blueprint for similar initiatives across Nigeria and Africa, contributing to UNESCO's goal of promoting literacy for peace and mutual understanding.
Main Challenges and Problems:
1. Limited Access to Multilingual Educational Resources:
Many Secondary Students in Kwara State lack access to educational materials in multiple languages, limiting their ability to learn and appreciate different cultures and languages.
2. Low Awareness of Digital Literacy Tools:
There is a need to increase awareness and utilization of digital platforms like Wikipedia, which offers a vast array of information in 331 languages, promoting multilingual literacy.
3. Underdeveloped Literacy Skills:
Students need enhanced literacy skills to effectively engage with and contribute to multilingual platforms, fostering a deeper understanding and respect for diverse cultures.
Main Approaches:
Expanding the Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom (RWIC) program: Adapt the RWIC curriculum to include more languages spoken in Kwara State, beyond English, Collaborate with local language experts and educators to develop multilingual teaching materials.
Enhance Literacy Skills through Active Engagement: Encourage students to create and translate Wikipedia articles, fostering active engagement and improving their writing and research skills.
Integrate Multilingual Content into the Curriculum: Collaborate with educators to incorporate Wikipedia resources into the curriculum, enriching learning experiences with multilingual content.
Provide Continuous Support and Evaluation: Offer ongoing mentorship to students and teachers, and regularly assess progress to ensure sustained engagement and improvement in their multilingual literacy skills.
Outcomes: Utilize Wikipedia for Multilingual Literacy in the Classroom: Students will access and learn from information in various languages, particularly Hausa and Yoruba, enhancing their comprehension and appreciation of different cultures.
Increase Awareness and Training on Digital Literacy Tools: Students and teachers will have improved awareness and utilization of Wikipedia, promoting digital literacy and multilingual education, especially in Hausa and Yoruba.
Enhance Literacy Skills through Active Engagement: Students will improve their writing, research, and critical thinking skills by creating and translating Wikipedia articles, fostering respect for diverse cultures and languages, particularly Hausa and Yoruba.
Integrate Multilingual Content into the Curriculum: Learning experiences will be enriched by incorporating Hausa and Yoruba content from Wikipedia, promoting cultural diversity and multilingual literacy.
Provide Continuous Support and Evaluation: Students and teachers will receive an ongoing mentorship and regular assessments, ensuring sustained engagement and improvement in multilingual literacy skills.
- 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 International Literacy Day 2024: Promoting Multilingual Literacy through Wikipedia Education in Kwara State project will run for 10 weeks, starting as soon as the proposal is approved and funds are secured. We will involve 60 students from 4 secondary schools, with follow-up training provided by certified teachers from the previous Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom 2.0 Kwara program. Planned Activities Include these strategies in achieving a successful implementation:
Strategy 1: Community Expansion and Engagement Community Outreach: Distribute a Google form to teachers in the Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom Kwara group to gather information about their schools' computer and internet resources. School Visitation: Visit schools to assess their computer and internet facilities and hold initial meetings with school principals and teachers.
Strategy 2: Resource Development
Training Materials: Create and distribute guides and tutorials to support students in their Wikipedia and Wikidata activities, focusing on multilingual content.
Strategy 3: Wikipedia Introductory Sessions
Introductory Training: Introduce Wikipedia-based activities in the classroom to give students access to a wealth of information in various languages. Conduct a session for students, in collaboration with certified teachers, to introduce them to Wikipedia, its multilingual features, and basic editing skills. This will include translating articles in Yoruba and Hausa and setting up student accounts.
Strategy 4: Hands-on Practice
Practical Editing: Allow students to apply their learning by editing existing Wikipedia articles and Wikidata descriptions.
Strategy 5: Mentoring and Fan Club Creation
Mentoring Program: Pair students with experienced Wikipedia contributors and previously trained teachers for ongoing support and guidance.
Regular Check-ins: Schedule meetings to monitor progress, address questions, and gather feedback.
Fan Club Creation: Establish mini Wikimedia fan clubs in schools to promote continued engagement and growth in Wikimedia activities in the schools.
- 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.
I have a team of four (6) active Wikimedians (including myself), that will ensure the diligent implementation of this project , We are:
Linason Blessing (Project Lead): a member of the WUGN Grants Committee for the Community Support Funds as a representative of the North Central Region of Nigeria, She led the Wikipedia awareness for Library and Information Science Students in Nigeria and she is a certified Librarian of the Librarians' Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN) she was a facilitator for the first Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom in Nigeria, she also led Wiki Loves Libraries 2.0 Nigeria. She is a Wikibrarian and she has also participated in various Wikimedia projects such as WikiLoveAfrica, WPWP, Wikidata (Media personalities in Nigeria), Winner of WPWP Kwara and Wikidata Media personality in Nigeria, WikiGLAM Awareness for Libraries and Librarians in Kwara, Wikidata for Libraries and Librarians in Nigeria, 1lib1ref 2022 Kwara, etc. She is the Co-Founder of the Kwara State University Fan Club.
James Rhoda(co- lead/ Facilitator): is a Wikimedia volunteer from Nigeria. She currently serves as the Content designer at the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria. As a volunteer, she was the project lead for the Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom programs for secondary school students in Kwara State, Promoting Nigerian Books and Authors, and Wikidata for Novels and Novelists in Nigeria among others, she has also served a facilitator for Wikidata for Libraries and Librarians in Nigeria, AfroCreatives 2022 contest, WikiLovesLibraries Nigeria, Celtic Knot Kwara, Building Open Culture Community for Sustainable Open Licensing for GLAM Institutions in Nigeria, and more. She has also participated in various Wikimedia projects and won several contests such as Wiki Loves SDG's Contest 2021.
Bukky658 (Facilitator): She is the Sub-Saharan Liaison Officer for the Let’s connect working group and the 1st Certified Trainer of the Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom program in Nigeria, a certified Content Campaign Organiser focused on Climate Change and Sustainability. She has led several projects such as W4HR in Nigeria 2024, Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom Kwara, Nigeria for teachers and Students, Wiki Climate Campus Tour Nigeria 2023, Wiki-cred Bootcamp for information professionals, WikiLovesLibrariesNigeria, 1Lib1Ref Kwara 2022, WikiGLAM Awareness for Librarians in Kwara State, and Wikidata for Libraries and notable Librarians in Kwara State among others, whilst co-organising several Wikimedia projects related to SDGs and other topics of impact. She founded the Wikimedia Fan Club at Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria.
Ibijaja55: (Facilitator Hausa Wikipedia) He is a Nigerian Wikipedia Editor and the Founder of AfroDemics. With a background in education and English Language, He has created over 200 articles and is currently a New Page Reviewer, He is an expert in Hausa Wikipedia.
Ridzaina (Facilitator): is a Wikimedia volunteer from Nigeria. She has served as the Programs Lead (Intern) at the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria, She has served as the General Secretary of the Wikimedia Fanclub, University of Ilorin for the academic session of 21/22. As a volunteer, she is the project lead for the Let's Connect Peer Learning Program in Kwara and has facilitated some Wikimedia projects which include Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom programs for teachers and secondary school students in Kwara State, 1lib1ref Kwara 2022, Wikidata for Libraries and Librarians in Nigeria, Wikidata for Novels and and Novelists in Nigeria, WikiLovesLibraries Nigeria, Promoting Nigerian Books and Authors, Celtic Knot Kwara, Building Open Culture Community for Sustainable Open Licensing for GLAM Institutions in Nigeria, and more. She has also participated in various Wikimedia projects and won several contests such as Wiki Loves SDG's Contest 2021, Wikidata for Libraries and Librarians in Nigeria, Afro Creatives 2022 contest, etc. She is a trained educator who is passionate about learning and sharing knowledge. Barakat will train the participants of this project on editing Wikipedia and creating articles on Nigerian names on Wikipedia.
Mijesty ( Communication Expert):
She is an active member of the Wikipedia user group in Nigeria, holding a position as one of the executives in the University of Ilorin fan club. With her extensive knowledge and experience, she has successfully coordinated various Wikipedia projects, including but not limited to initiatives like "Wikipedia awareness in Offa" Inspire Inclusion-Africa Wiki Women co-facilitated "Wiki Loves Libraries." Among others, Her commitment to fostering engagement and knowledge dissemination through these projects reflects her passion for leveraging Wikipedia as a powerful educational and informational resource.
- 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)
Our target audience includes secondary school students from three selected schools in Kwara State, whose teachers were certified in the previous Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom program. We will engage these participants by collaborating closely with students, the State Universal Basic Education Board, school authorities, parents, and certified teachers.
Participation Call: We'll use local communication channels, such as posters, social media channels such as Whatsapp, telegram, Twitter and Telegram.
Project Execution: Our team, along with certified teachers, will facilitate the training sessions to ensure students effectively learn to contribute to Wikipedia and other sister projects. We'll monitor the new editors to prevent vandalism and misuse.
Feedback and Follow-Up: At the project's conclusion, we will conduct one-on-one interviews with some students. And a mini survey as well to get their feedback, We will continue engaging students through their Teachers and the Whatsapp group that will be created during the commencement of the program.
- 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.
At the start of each event, we will summarize and review the General Friendly Space Policy to remind all participants and organizers of the importance of maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment. Additionally, the 24-hour emergency contact numbers will be provided and printed on the back of their training manual.
- 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.
I have informed them at the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria for their suggestions and inputs. The link can be found here
I have reached out to the Ministry of Education board Kwara State.
- 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)
Language
- 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)
Linguistic / Language
- 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)
Through this project, we aim to gain valuable insights into promoting multilingual literacy among secondary school students using Wikipedia. We seek to understand students' awareness of International Literacy Day, first celebrated in 1967 to highlight the importance of literacy for individuals, communities, and societies, and how they perceive its significance. We also want to explore their perception of Wikipedia and its usage in both classroom and extracurricular activities. Additionally, we aim to identify the best strategies for retaining students in the Wikimedia community and effective techniques to encourage their participation and contributions to Wikimedia projects.
We are also interested in measuring the impact of Wikipedia on enhancing multilingual literacy, particularly in Yoruba and Hausa languages, and improving students' digital literacy skills. Evaluating the effectiveness of collaboration between students and certified teachers, as well as the success of mini Wikimedia fan clubs in fostering community engagement, is another key focus. By addressing these questions, we seek to refine our approach, improve future programs, and contribute to the broader goal of promoting multilingual education and digital literacy.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 70 | The total participants includes (60) Secondary school Students (60) Team Members and (4) Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom Certified Teachers |
| Number of editors | 60 | We will be working with 4 Secondary Schools and a total number 15 Students from each schools |
| Number of organizers | 6 | A total number of 6 Organizers |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 100 |
| Wikimedia Commons | |
| Wikidata | 150 |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
We will be mostly improving and Translating articles and descriptions on Wikidata
- 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 be using the outreach dashboard to track the contributions and also use their Global Contribution page as well.
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14r2C9ZA7PU7LsTUY0zgEI9a11K08htq-dPVoCiw-X_8/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)
3369032 NGN
- 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.
4088 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).