Amical Wikimedia/Research

Presentation of Amical's main research activities and University partnerships

Research developed by Amical Viquipedia:

Annual survey among the Catalan Wikipedians community

This research project aims to understand the sociodemographic profile, interests, perceptions and opinions from editors and readers of Catalan Wikipedia. It is composed by several groups of questions, some of them persisting in every edition to study community variation. Others are new in every survey to extend knowledge to different topics. The last year's edition was the fourth (Quart sondeig dels usuaris) and it included questions in motivation, usability and context of use. It was presented as a poster in Wikiacademy (2012), Berlin (Germany).

Research developed in partnerships with Universities:

Research project: Active Aging, citizenship & participation

In partnership with Institute of Government & public policies (Autonomous University of Barcelona).

This research project aims to analyze the participation of older people in the process of elaboration and implementation of public policies to promote active aging. An analysis of the active aging though technologies of information and communication, and Wikimedia projects specifically, will be developed.

Link to the presentation of the project at Wikimedia Research Project directory at Meta.

Research project: Information, culture and knowledge: New citizens’ practices, new public policies. A case comparison of Spain and United States

In partnership with the [Institute of Government and Public Policies] (Autonomous University of Catalonia), and in collaboration with the [Berkman Center for Internet and Society] (Harvard University).

The project addresses the emerging free culture movement, how contextual factors shape it and its interaction with political institutions in the policy making process. Our association Amical Viquipedia will enrich the research development, particularly in regards to results diffusion and applicability.

Link to the presentation of the project at Wikimedia Research Project directory at Meta.

University teachers attitudes and practices regarding Wikipedia

In partnership with Open University of Catalonia and Polytechnic University of Catalonia.

The object of this research are several Wikipedia language editions, but when analyzing individual users it will focus on Catalan Wikipedia.

The main goals of our project are: 1) Detect and measure skeptical attitudes in university professors when addressing the use of Wikipedia in class and establish if they are related to generational and disciplinary factors or to an implicit conflict between the scientific academic culture and Wikipedia culture. 2) Analyze the international experiences already carried on in applying Wikipedia in university courses. 3) Obtain a document of recommendations to help any university teachers to design, plan and implement new teaching practices using open resources and Wikipedia.

Link to the presentation of the project at Wikimedia Research Project directory at Meta.

User Engagemenet in Wikipedia: The Influence of Cultural Identity

In partnership with Pompeu Fabra University and Polytechnic University of Catalonia. The object of this research are several Wikipedia language editions, but when analyzing individual users it will focus on Catalan Wikipedia.

The main goals of our project are: 1) To obtain/quantify content related to different Cultural Identities and measure its scope in 20 languages. Later, to verify its existence and quantify its characteristics as product of User Engagement. This is already in the process of publishing. 2) To evaluate over time the influence of Cultural Identity as a User Engagement factor in both edition/discussion community dynamics and navigation/reading. 3) To understand how Cultural Identity is consequence of both user involvement/activity in Wikipedia and affection for its cultural background. 4) To assess how ‘Local Content’ identification can affect the reading experience regarding the elements in the Wikipedia article layout. This is in-progress as a collaboration with the MW Extension Universal Language Selector WMF project.

Link to the presentation of the project at Wikimedia Research Project directory at Meta.