Eduwiki South Sudan 2024: Digital Literacy and Wikimedia Program

Digital Literacy and Wikimedia Program at Eloi Secondary School, Juba: A Report on Educational Transformation

Digital Literacy and Wikimedia Program

Program Overview
Eduwiki in South Sudan 1.jpg Students and teachers engaging in Wikimedia training
Date	April 2024
Location	Eloi Secondary School, Juba
Participants	50 students, 10 teachers
Equipment	11 laptops
Focus	Wikimedia editing, ICT skills, digital literacy

Introduction

In 2024, building on the foundation laid by previous EduWiki programs in South Sudan, we launched a focused initiative at Eloi Secondary School in Juba to enhance digital literacy among students and teachers. This effort was part of our broader goal to empower participants to effectively use and contribute to Wikimedia projects and develop critical ICT skills.

We began with a cohort of 50 students and 10 teachers, introducing them to a range of Wikimedia projects like Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikidata. Additionally, the program sought to address South Sudan’s pressing need for digital literacy by equipping participants with practical ICT skills, including internet navigation, content creation, and editing. We procured 11 laptops to facilitate the training, but challenges like limited electricity and computer access persisted, affecting the sustainability of the initiative.

Students participating in a Wikimedia session

This report outlines the significance of the program in promoting Wikimedia awareness and open knowledge in South Sudan, the impact on the students and teachers, and the challenges faced, particularly concerning infrastructure. The report also highlights the steps taken to incorporate offline solutions such as Kiwix, which provides access to Wikimedia resources without requiring constant internet connectivity, and the importance of broader digital literacy efforts in achieving these objectives.

The Importance of Digital Literacy in South Sudan

South Sudan remains one of the least connected countries in the world, with limited access to computers and the internet. Educational institutions, particularly in rural areas, suffer from a lack of basic resources, including textbooks, computers, and reliable electricity. In this context, the need for digital literacy among students and teachers is critical, as it opens doors to global knowledge networks and empowers them to overcome local information gaps.

Teachers learning about Wikimedia projects

The introduction of Wikimedia projects in education is especially relevant in South Sudan, where access to information is constrained by infrastructural challenges. Wikimedia’s open-access platforms provide an invaluable resource for both teachers and students to explore topics beyond the limited scope of traditional textbooks. Through this initiative, participants are not just passive consumers of knowledge but also active contributors, making their mark on the global information landscape by sharing knowledge about their own communities and culture.

Introducing students to digital tools and resources

Program Overview at Eloi Secondary School

Date: April 2024 Location: Eloi Secondary School, Juba, South Sudan Participants: 50 students, 10 teachers Equipment: 11 laptops Challenges: Limited power supply, insufficient number of computers

The digital literacy and Wikimedia training at Eloi Secondary School spanned several weeks, with workshops focused on key areas:

1. Introduction to Wikimedia Projects

Students and teachers were introduced to the foundational concepts of Wikimedia, including how to navigate Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikidata. Practical sessions enabled participants to engage with the platforms, learning to edit articles, upload media, and contribute data to Wikidata. This gave them hands-on experience in becoming knowledge creators rather than just consumers.

Group work during a Wikimedia workshop

2. ICT Skills Development

In addition to Wikimedia projects, the program emphasized essential ICT skills, including:

• Basic computer navigation
• Word processing and data entry
• Internet browsing and online research techniques
• Using educational resources like Kiwix, which provides offline access to Wikimedia content.

These skills are particularly vital in South Sudan, where internet access is limited and expensive. Teaching participants to use Kiwix ensures that they can access Wikipedia and other knowledge repositories even when the internet is unavailable, making education more sustainable in resource-constrained settings.

3. Equipment and Resource Challenges

The 11 laptops procured for the program significantly aided the training process, but the number of computers remained insufficient for the size of the group, requiring students to share devices. Moreover, power supply issues hampered the continuity of sessions, as the school often lacked electricity for extended periods.

Addressing these infrastructure limitations will be key to sustaining the momentum of digital literacy programs in the future. We are working on securing partnerships with local organizations to improve access to solar power solutions, which would mitigate the electricity problem, and procuring additional devices to ensure broader participation.

Impact and Relevance of the Program

Despite the challenges, the program at Eloi Secondary School had a profound impact on the participants, both in terms of Wikimedia engagement and digital literacy:

1. Empowering Students and Teachers:

Students and teachers were empowered to not only access knowledge but also to share their own insights and experiences with a global audience. Several students have already contributed to Wikimedia projects by editing articles about South Sudanese culture and history, showcasing the potential of such programs to amplify local voices.

Teachers gained valuable tools to integrate digital content into their curriculum, enriching their lessons with Wikimedia resources that go beyond the limitations of textbooks. This ensures that students are exposed to diverse perspectives and up-to-date information.

2. Building Digital Literacy Foundations:

For many participants, this program was their first exposure to computers and the internet. The skills they acquired go beyond Wikimedia projects and are applicable to various aspects of modern life, from basic computer operation to internet research. These competencies are critical in preparing students for future educational and employment opportunities in an increasingly digital world.

3. Relevance to Wikimedia Programs:

The program supports Wikimedia's mission of free and open access to knowledge by recruiting new contributors and ensuring that underserved communities like those in South Sudan are represented on global platforms. By focusing on local content, the initiative enriches Wikimedia with diverse and unique information that might otherwise go undocumented. This is particularly important for South Sudan, a country with a rich cultural heritage that is underrepresented on platforms like Wikipedia.

Challenges and Future Directions

1. Infrastructure Challenges: The scarcity of computers and unreliable electricity remain significant obstacles. While we have made strides by procuring 11 laptops, the number is still insufficient for the growing demand. Additionally, the lack of consistent power disrupts training sessions, making it difficult to maintain engagement.

2. Expanding the Use of Offline Tools: Programs like Kiwix have shown great potential in overcoming the internet connectivity barrier, but further efforts are needed to ensure that students and teachers can effectively use these tools. Providing more training on Kiwix and expanding its availability across schools in South Sudan will help ensure that learning continues even in areas with no internet access.

3. Future Expansions: Moving forward, we aim to extend this program to other schools in South Sudan. Partnering with organizations that can provide additional laptops and solar power solutions will be essential to scaling up our efforts. We also plan to increase outreach to educational institutions across the country to introduce more teachers and students to Wikimedia and ICT skills.

Conclusion

The digital literacy and Wikimedia program at Eloi Secondary School marks an important step in addressing South Sudan’s educational challenges. By introducing students and teachers to open knowledge platforms and essential ICT skills, we are helping to bridge the digital divide and promote a culture of knowledge sharing. Despite ongoing challenges, the program has made a tangible impact on the participants and demonstrated the transformative power of Wikimedia and digital literacy in education.

The next phase will focus on expanding access to equipment, overcoming infrastructural barriers, and scaling the program to reach more schools. With continued support, these efforts can help South Sudanese students and teachers become active contributors to the global knowledge community.