Does Wikipedia Belong in Education?

The research

From September-October 2017, the Education Team at the Wikimedia Foundation ran a survey with the aim of collecting data about the perception of the Wikipedia Education Program and its communications to key stakeholders. More than 200 people completed the survey in 10 different languages. Additionally, the Education Team conducted interviews with Wikimedia affiliates that helped to qualify the survey data.

Key findings

While stakeholders are aware of the Wikipedia Education Program and the Education Team at the Wikimedia Foundation, there is not a consensus about what “Wikipedia in education” means for the Wikimedia movement. Likewise, the goals and activities of the education team are not well understood. Lack of awareness among internal stakeholders like WMF staff hinders potential collaborations that could benefit the movement. Educators who are exposed to using Wikimedia projects in the classroom find value in it. They do not tell their students to avoid reading Wikipedia articles, and encourage them to contribute. Educators need more support with pedagogical resources that link Wikimedia projects with student learning outcomes.

The current branding and materials used by the Wikipedia Education Program and the Education Team do not sufficiently represent the relationship between the Wikimedia movement and the education sector. The portal is not utilized as often as it should be, and it is difficult for our stakeholders to find the resources that they need. It is not as user friendly to non-Wikimedians as it should be. Our visual identity also needs to be revised to be more welcoming, inspiring, and oriented towards education.

Recommendations

1. Improve communication both internally and externally about how using Wikimedia projects in education benefits the Wikimedia movement and contributes to global goals for education:

Seek out and create opportunities to share impact and collaborate with internal stakeholders
Develop communications materials and resources that make it easier for educators to become contributors

2. Revise the scope and workflows of the Education Team in order to better align with the new movement strategy and support the diverse needs of stakeholders at scale:

Define the relationship between the Wikimedia movement and the education sector
Align the goals of the education team to the new movement strategy
Improve communications to potential partners who can help achieve shared goals

3. Develop communications materials that are accurate, up to date, and user friendly for non-Wikimedians:

Redesign the logo and other branding materials
Develop a portal for Wikimedia and education that is welcoming, inspiring, and informative. It should also be user friendly for non-Wikimedians
Develop systems and workflows in partnership with other stakeholders that ensure the information we present is accurate and up-to-date