Learning patterns/Peer support for new editors

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Peer support for new editors

problemNew editors who are just learning to use Wikipedia benefit from a collaborative environment.

solutionCreate pairs or trios when teaching new editors how to edit.

creator• Jsm0925

created on21:51, 6 February 2016 (UTC)

status:DRAFT

What problem does this solve?

New users benefit from editing in teams rather than editing alone.

Our WOW! Editing Group participants expressed feeling intimidated by the male dominated forum of Wikipedia. They were nervous about posting even minor edits in the beginning. They described themselves as non-experts who may not be qualified to edit an article. Many of them had edits removed immediately after they were published. We were fortunate enough to have enough participants in our project that we could create pairs or trios to team edit.

What is the solution?

Pair people up, even if all the participants are brand new editors. They feel more confident making edits if they do it as a team - and if their work is removed, they don't feel personally attacked.

Things to consider

• We used team editing in our group of high school and college women who were almost entirely new to Wikipedia editing. We didn't have the opportunity to pair experienced with inexperienced users, but that may work best.

• Experience editing articles is not necessarily the most important skill. The Wikipedia culture can be equally daunting (having work removed, etc), and it would benefit new users to understand how the community functions as well.

When to use

Brainstorming during WOW! Editing Group meeting

• New editing groups

• Edit-a-thons

• Encouraging inexperienced users to become editors

• High school and college editors

• Editors who are new to the practice of research and citations

• Marginalized groups who struggle to have a voice on Wikipedia

See also

Related patterns

New users are afraid of doing something wrong

Fear of editing