Learning patterns/How to make editathons for new users more successful

A learning pattern foreditathons

Learning Pattern Library

How to make editathons for new user more successful

problemEditing Wikipedia is not easy for new comers, and they are embarrassed when they realized actual Wikipedia-editing is different from what they thought.

solutionDon't show wikitext in the beginnig. Encourage them to take pictures.

creator• Motoko C. K.

created on09:05, 30 January 2019 (UTC)

status:DRAFT

What problem does this solve?

Everyone can edit Wikipedia, but actually, editing it is not as easy for new comers as they thought. They feel exhausted when they see wikitext and are told about many rules in an editathon event. They also feel embarrassed when they don't know what to write.

What is the solution?

Things to consider

• Wikitext may complicate new users. Most of them are not used to markup languages like it.
  • Avoid showing wikitext at first, and use the VisualEditor. When they use the editor, they are likely to think learning to edit wikipeida is not very hard for them.
• Many of new comers don't know Wikipedia requires to annotate, and they usually don't prepare for the resources ahead of the editathon.
  • In this case, we encourage them to take pictures with their cell phone cameras. Uploading pictures on Wikimedia Commons is easier than writing articles, and it helps them to maintain their interest in the Wikipedia.

When to use

• When many of participants are not used to using software programs.
• When many of participants have difficulty editing articles with annotating.

See also