ESEAP Conference 2024/Report/Athikhun.suw

This report was submitted by Athikhun Suwannakhan from Thailand. My attendance was funded by Wikimedia Thailand. It was the third ESEAP Conference I have attended.

Things I contributed or participated in or since the conference

As a member of the ESEAP Preparatory Council, we had the opportunity to participate in multiple sessions dedicated to communicating our work over the past few months and outlining the next steps.
I was a session moderator in the morning of the final day.

Plans after the conference (from what I learned or contributed in the conference)

Skill-mapping on a regional level: Many talented and highly skilled Wikimedians gathered at the ESEAP Conference 2024. This provided a unique opportunity for skill-mapping, which involves systematically identifying and documenting the diverse skills and expertise present within each affiliate. By conducting skill-mapping at a regional level, we can gain a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and capabilities of our community members.
Data analytics using Wikidata and Wikipedia traffic: I gained a lot of insights from presentations related to Wikidata and how we could use numbers and Wikipedia traffic to answer real-world questions. One compelling question that emerged from these discussions is whether students are still using Wikipedia as a learning resource, especially in the wake of the rise of generative AI technologies. Understanding this shift in user behavior is crucial, as generative AI has the potential to change how information is accessed and utilized. This research will involve examining various metrics, particularly page views on a given topic, to gain a comprehensive picture of how students interact with Wikipedia. This will be my research topic for the next 1-2 years.
Community awareness of the Charter: As a member of the ESEAP Preparatory Council, I have observed that many community members still lack sufficient awareness and understanding of the Charter. This is a critical issue, as the Charter outlines essential guidelines and principles that will shape our community's governance and operations moving forward. To address this gap, I am committed to taking proactive steps to communicate the importance and content of the Charter to the Wikimedians in my home community.

Comments/ suggestions about the conference

Thank you the Malaysian user group for hosting such a wonderful event. The only thing that could be improved was the audio-visual system.