Submissions:2017/Wikipedia Organizations on Campus: Case Study and Guide

This submission has been noted and is pending review for WikiConference North America 2017.

Title

Wikipedia Organizations on Campus: Case Study and Guide

Theme (optional)

Education

Type of submission

Presentation

Author

Kevin Payravi (en:User:SuperHamster) and Emery Dalesio (en:User:Blervis) of the Ohio Wikimedians User Group

E-mail address

kevinpayravigmail.com

Username

en:User:SuperHamster

Affiliation

Ohio Wikimedians User Group

Abstract

Wikipedia student organizations at colleges and universities present a unique opportunity for student Wikipedians to engage their higher-education setting and perform effective Wikimedia outreach. A student organization can reach students and faculty alike, and oftentimes has access to resources and a network that a conventional independent Wikimedia organization does not have.

This presentation will first briefly cover the history of Wikipedia-related student organizations in the higher education setting, including efforts in Michigan, New York, and China. We'll then cover the history of Wikipedia Connection, a student organization at the Ohio State University that was created in Spring of 2015. The student-run organization, with the support of library faculty, has hosted edit-a-thons, weekly workshops, a photo event, and more on-campus.

We'll cover some of the pros of running a Wikipedia-related student organization, including:

• Connecting existing young editors to the broader Wikimedia community.
• Introducing students and faculty to editing Wikipedia and understanding how it functions ("is Wikipedia reliable?").
• Supporting Wikipedia Education program classrooms.
• Connecting librarians, academics, and other university staff to the project and community.
• Bettering students' research skills through their participation on Wikipedia.

Wikipedia-related student organizations can be difficult to sustain and success, with Wikipedia Connection probably being the most long-lived and successful student organizations in the United States. In addition to sharing the type of work the student organization engages in, we'd also like to generalize what Wikipedia Connection's organizers have learned from running their Wikipedia student organizations, and describe the key ways to remain sustainable. Some of the key topics that will be covered are:

• What are the necessary ingredients to run a successful Wikipedia student club?
• What are the key challenges to running a Wikipedia student organization, compared to other Wikimedia groups and affiliates?
• How does a student organization attract and retain student editors?
• What sort of resources does a university student organization have that other Wikimedia affiliates may not have access to?
• What are the differences between running an edit-a-thon for students vs. running a general public edit-a-thon?

Length of presentation

20 minutes

Special requests

N/A

Preferred room size

Typical sized lecture audience; 20-30?

Wikimania submission?

Yes

Will you attend WikiConference North America if your submission is not accepted?

Yes

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