Education/News/October 2023/WikiConference on Education ignites formation of Wikimedia communities

WikiConference on Education ignites formation of Wikimedia communities

A couple of months ago, educators and language enthusiasts gathered at the Bikol WikiConference 2023, a 3-day conference on Wikipedia and Education collaboration. Organized by the Bikol Wikipedia Community as part of the 15th anniversary celebration of Bikol Wikipedia, the conference was attended by over 50 participants from the education and youth sectors.

Summary: More Wikimedia communities will be launched through partnership with educational institutions and organizations in coming days in the Philippines.

The conference aimed to share information about Wikimedia projects with new and existing audiences and editors, to create a space for collaboration and the development of Bikol Wikipedia as a learning resource, and to reconnect and make new linkages with academic institutions and government agencies.

High school teacher Arvy James Aquino proposed to have a university-based Wikimedia Community at the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) Sipocot Campus.

Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges (CSPC Nabua) – Center for Rinconada Studies director Elbert Baeta envisioned to have Wiki Loves Rinconada while CBSUA university lecturer at Calabanga Campus Jerome Hipolito thought of having a Wiki Loves CBSUA education program.

Bicol University educator Michael Embestro wished to bring Wikipedia in the province of Albay, while Camarines Sur National High School (CSNHS) master teacher Estelito Jacob thought to have a partnership with fellow teacher and PhilWiki Community board secretary Maria Glenda Brioso in conducting Wikimedia activities in their school.

Among the topics discussed in the conference is the establishing of WikiClubs inspired by Wikimedia Armenia's Lernapat WikiClub, the WikiProject on building 1,000 core topics on Bikol Wikipedia inspired by Basque Wikipedians' education program, and Bikol WikiProyekto Edukasyon on building articles of public and private schools.

Bikol WikiConference was held on August 4, 5 and 6 in Naga City, Philippines in partnership with the City Government of Naga and Philippine Wikimedia Community User Group.