Grants:TPS/Harej/ILTY Training in Seattle

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This Wikimedia Participation Support request was funded in the fiscal year 2014-15. A report is available.

statusfunded
ILTY Training in Seattle
summaryTraining workshop hosts prior to the event and then assisting at the event the following day.
event locationSeattle, Washington, United States
event date(s)February 13–14, 2015
amount requestedUS$735.08
home countryUnited States
creatorHarej
submitted on15:22, 15 January 2015 (UTC)

Proposed participation[edit]

Two members of the Cascadian Wikimedians user group are hosting a Wikipedia training workshop and "critical edit-a-thon" called I Love to You, in part sponsored by the University of Washington with support from Wikimedia DC. Though there are numerous Wikipedians in the Seattle region who will be helping out with the event, they are looking for someone to help teach them how to properly hold workshops. Wikimedia DC has funding to cover the cost of the event but not to send me (or anyone) to train them.

My years of experience of organizing edit-a-thons with Wikimedia DC will help ensure that the event is properly scoped and that the pedagogical methods employed are consistent with best practices (basically, that the lecture materials do not delve too deeply into the details and focus on practical skills). I am also interested in the critical theory angle of this workshop; rather than simply being an edit-a-thon about critical theory, the workshop employs critical theory and encourages participants to view Wikipedia through a critical lens. This approach is novel, as far as I can tell, and I am always interested in new ways to teach people about Wikipedia. Depending on the outcome of this event, I would be interested in carrying out similar events in Washington, DC.

As agreed upon between me and the event organizers, I will host a training the evening before on Friday, February 13 to help prepare for the event. This training will focus on event scoping, preparing resources, and teaching methods, largely based on the Systemic Bias Workshop Kit. I will also help them with data collection and Wikimetrics. On the day of the event itself, I will help assist the local participating Wikipedians with running the event.

Goal and expected impact[edit]

My goal is to give the organizers in Seattle the resources they need to successfully carry out a Wikipedia workshop event, and to measure the outcomes of that event. This will help them carry on additional programming as a user group. My participation will help ensure that they will not need to re-invent the wheel, that they can learn from the past experiences of myself and Wikimedia DC.

Budget breakdown[edit]

  • Travel: $300
    • Flight from Washington, DC, to Seattle on Thursday, February 12 and then a returning flight on Monday, February 16. I did numerous price comparisons and this was the combination of dates that produced the cheapest itinerary, even when considering additional accommodation costs.
  • Accommodations: $146 $435.08
    • Airbnb stay from Thursday to Monday. I will be walking distance from the university.
    • Unfortunately the Airbnb canceled on me, two days before the trip. I went with a very inexpensive hotel on UW's campus that is ~$110/night with tax.
  • Total: $446 $735.08

Other instructions[edit]

I can charge the costs upfront and then submit for reimbursement later.

Endorsements[edit]

  • James' expertise will help the Cascadia team prepare for our exciting Gender-gap related workshop! Jtmorgan (talk) 18:18, 15 January 2015 (UTC)
  • Thanks to James for his enthusiasm for I Love To You and an energetic reception to the critical approach. I look forward to learning from James at his workshop beforehand. Monika Sengul-Jones. Shameran81 (talk) 06:18, 20 January 2015 (UTC)