Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Wiki Elder's Knowledge (ID: 22990292)
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Applicant Details
edit- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Marshallaw2
- 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.
Wiki Elder's Knowledge
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2025-04-14 - 2025-06-30
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
South Africa
- 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)
We aim to transform the role of older and retired lecturers at North-West University. Instead of remaining on the periphery of digital knowledge creation, we want to empower these experienced academics to become active contributors to Wikipedia. Their extensive expertise and nuanced perspectives can significantly enrich the quality and diversity of online academic content. By turning them into engaged knowledge creators, we preserve decades of scholarly wisdom and ensure that vital academic insights are accessible to a global audience.
We aim to empower older adults to actively contribute to Wikipedia, focusing on topics that improve the mental health and quality of life of older people (physical, mental, and social dimensions). To overcome these, we will conduct targeted, hands-on training workshops and regular editathons emphasising editing articles related to ageing, mental health, and quality of life. Continuous support and peer mentorship will further build participants’ confidence and skills while fostering a collaborative, supportive community that highlights the importance of well-being in later life.
However, several challenges currently hinder this transformation. Despite their deep academic expertise, many senior lecturers often lack the digital literacy required to navigate and edit Wikipedia effectively. This digital divide is compounded by a general unfamiliarity with collaborative online platforms, making open editing seem daunting or irrelevant. Technological barriers such as limited access to up-to-date equipment or reliable internet connections can further discourage participation. These challenges contribute to a situation where valuable academic knowledge remains locked away in traditional formats rather than shared widely in the digital domain.
To address these issues, our main approach involves a series of targeted training sessions, editathons, and continuous support initiatives designed specifically for older academics. We will begin with hands-on workshops introducing participants to Wikipedia’s editing tools and best practices, ensuring they gain the confidence to contribute effectively. Mentorship will play a key role in our strategy, as we plan to foster a collaborative environment where experienced editors support their peers. By leveraging institutional resources such as computer labs and technical support from North-West University, we aim to overcome technological barriers and create a comfortable, familiar space for learning. Finally, by maintaining engagement through follow-up sessions and online forums, we intend to build a sustainable community that continues to contribute to Wikipedia well beyond the initial project period.
- 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.
Four Workshop Trainings onsite: Launch the initiative with a hands-on session where older and retired lecturers are introduced to Wikipedia editing. This workshop will cover creating and editing articles, navigating Wikipedia’s interface, and understanding its guidelines.
Online Office hours: Work Organize biweekly office hours where participants collaboratively work on improving or creating academic Wikipedia articles. Each session will begin with a brief refresher training followed by a supervised editing period with available technical support.
On two of the workshops we will run we will: Host two expert talks focusing on the importance of open knowledge, digital literacy, and the role of academic expertise in enhancing Wikipedia content. These sessions will also include informal round-table discussions to share experiences, challenges, and best practices.
Mentorship and Peer Support Sessions: Establish a mentorship framework where experienced participants help their peers. This will involve pairing up participants during editathons and providing ongoing support via an online forum or dedicated mailing list.
Post-Event Follow-Up and Evaluation: Conclude the project with a wrap-up session to evaluate outcomes, gather participant feedback through surveys and interviews, and discuss ways to sustain long-term engagement. An online report will be prepared to document successes and lessons learned.
Outreach and Promotion: Implement promotional activities such as email invitations, posters, and social media announcements to raise awareness and encourage participation among eligible lecturers.
- 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.
Dr. Lawrence Ugwu (Marshallaw2)- Project lead Dr. Ajele Wojujutari Kenni (Elaemi) - Organiser Keategile Tlou (Keategiletlou) - Organiser
- 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 participants are older or retired lecturers from North-West University and individuals with a wealth of academic experience from various faculties. By engaging this community, we aim to tap into their expertise and enrich Wikipedia's content with high-quality academic insights while addressing the digital literacy gap that often limits their participation in open knowledge projects.
Before the activities, we will engage participants through multiple channels. Personal invitations will be sent via university email lists and through department heads who can directly reach out to retired lecturers. Additionally, we will leverage the university’s intranet, printed posters in common areas, and official social media channels to announce the project. Informational sessions and pre-event workshops will be scheduled to familiarise participants with the basics of Wikipedia editing and the project’s goals, ensuring they feel well-prepared and motivated to join.
Engagement will be maintained during the activities through hands-on workshops, periodic editathons, and thematic talks focusing on open knowledge and the value of academic contributions. Each session will incorporate interactive elements, such as live demonstrations, guided editing, real-time technical support, and peer collaboration and mentorship opportunities. These efforts create a supportive, interactive learning environment encouraging active participation and skill development.
Following the activities, we will follow up with participants by distributing post-event surveys and conducting short interviews to gather feedback on their experience. We will create an online forum or mailing list to ensure ongoing support and community building. Regular follow-up emails, updates on new opportunities, and invitations to future events will help sustain engagement and foster a long-term network of senior academic contributors to open knowledge initiatives.
- 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.
We discussed the project idea with our community members through informal and formal channels. First, we held preliminary consultations with retired lecturers and representatives from North-West University’s continuing education office. In these meetings, we gathered initial feedback on how best to structure the project to meet the needs of our target audience and ensure that it would be accessible and valuable to participants. Simultaneously, we posted a draft of our proposal on our university’s internal wiki and discussion forums. We invited comments and suggestions from faculty and staff via these on-wiki platforms. These discussions allowed us to refine our approach and address potential challenges our academic community and local Wikimedia supporters highlighted. In addition, we reached out to local Wikimedia chapters and experienced editors to secure endorsements and technical assistance. This ensured our project was aligned with Wikimedia’s best practices and received the necessary community support. The combined input from internal consultations, on-wiki discussions, and external endorsements has been crucial in shaping our final proposal and ensuring it addresses our participants' educational and technical needs.
- 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)
Age (recency)
- 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)
Age (diversity of age groups)
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Invest in Skills and Leadership Development
Learning and metrics
edit- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
Our project aims not only to engage older lecturers as active contributors to Wikipedia but also to generate valuable insights into how best to support and sustain their participation in open knowledge initiatives. We hope to learn about the project's barriers, opportunities, and overall impact in this process. Below are some key learning questions that we plan to address, along with the data we intend to collect to answer them:
i. What are older lecturers' primary digital literacy challenges when learning to edit Wikipedia? We will measure this through pre-and post-training assessments, surveys, and interviews to understand their initial skill levels and subsequent progress. ii. How practical are our training sessions and editathons in building participants’ confidence and competence in using Wikipedia editing tools? We will gauge the impact of our hands-on workshops by analysing participant feedback, editing error rates, and the volume and quality of content contributions over time. iii. What specific technical or conceptual barriers do participants encounter during the editing process, and how can these be best addressed? We plan to document challenges as they arise during live sessions and follow-up interviews, which will help us refine our support mechanisms and training materials. iv. How does participating in the project change older lecturers’ attitudes toward digital platforms and open knowledge? We will use surveys and focus group discussions to assess shifts in perceptions regarding the value and accessibility of digital collaboration tools. v. What is the level of sustained engagement post-project, and how many participants continue contributing to Wikipedia over the long term? We will evaluate the sustainability of the community we build by tracking editor activity and contributions for several months after the project.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 40 | |
| Number of editors | 40 | |
| Number of organizers | 5 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 100 |
| 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)
Dashboard
Financial proposal
edit- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
61750 ZAR
- 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.
3250 USD
- We/I have read the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.
Yes
Endorsements and Feedback
editPlease 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).