Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Research Fund/Improving Cultural Relevance on Wikipedia through the Participation of Immigrant School Students

statusnot funded
Improving Cultural Relevance on Wikipedia through the Participation of Immigrant School Students
start and end datesJuly 2023 - July 2024
budget (USD)50000 USD
fiscal year2022-23
applicant(s)• Abhishek Suryawanshi and Madhura S

Overview edit

Applicant(s)

Abhishek Suryawanshi and Madhura S

Affiliation or grant type

WikiProject Med; Wiki Project SWASTHA; Harvard University

Author(s)

Abhishek Suryawanshi and Madhura S

Wikimedia username(s)

AbhiSuryawanshi

Project title

Improving Cultural Relevance on Wikipedia through the Participation of Immigrant School Students

Research proposal edit

Description edit

Description of the proposed project, including aims and approach. Be sure to clearly state the problem, why it is important, why previous approaches (if any) have been insufficient, and your methods to address it.

The proposed project aims to improve the cultural relevance of Wikipedia's content through the participation of immigrant school students. The project will use Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) to engage the students in the process and center their voices. The project will begin with a needs assessment to identify the specific perspectives that are underrepresented on Wikipedia and will involve conducting focus group interviews with immigrant school students. The findings will be used to develop a tailored training program that will be delivered in a series of workshops. The training will focus on improving the students' content creation skills and empowering them to contribute to Wikipedia. The project will also provide ongoing support to the students to help them overcome any challenges they may face when contributing to Wikipedia. Overall, the project aims to make the content on Wikipedia more culturally relevant through the participation of immigrant school students.

Personnel edit

N/A

Budget edit

Approximate amount requested in USD.

50000 USD

Budget Description

Briefly describe what you expect to spend money on (specific budgets and details are not necessary at this time).

The budget for the proposed project will cover research and data collection, compensation for volunteers, training and support for immigrant school students, and necessary technology and software. The goal is to provide the resources necessary for the successful localization and cultural relevance of Wikipedia content through the participation of immigrant school students.

Impact edit

Address the impact and relevance to the Wikimedia projects, including the degree to which the research will address the 2030 Wikimedia Strategic Direction and/or support the work of Wikimedia user groups, affiliates, and developer communities. If your work relates to knowledge gaps, please directly relate it to the knowledge gaps taxonomy.

The proposed project aligns with the Wikimedia 2030 Movement Strategy and aims to improve the cultural relevance of Wikipedia's content by engaging immigrant school students in the content creation process. The project supports inclusivity and participatory decision-making, promotes equity and empowerment, and uses Youth Participatory Action Research to take into account the unique perspectives of the students. The project also supports the work of Wikimedia user groups and affiliates and aligns with the Strategic Direction to become the essential infrastructure of the ecosystem of free knowledge. The project aims to make Wikipedia more culturally relevant and give immigrant school students a platform to have their voices heard.

Dissemination edit

Plans for dissemination.

The proposed project plans to disseminate the findings through academic journals, conferences, and presentations at Wikimedia events, as well as through collaborations with participating schools and organizations and the development of a toolkit for replication. The project team will also share the findings with the Wikimedia community through blog posts, reports, and presentations.

Past Contributions edit

Prior contributions to related academic and/or research projects and/or the Wikimedia and free culture communities. If you do not have prior experience, please explain your planned contributions.

Abhishek Suryawanshi is a language and healthcare expert who has worked with the United Nations, TEDTalks, BMGF as well as other government agencies on translation and localization projects. He is also an immigrant and contributor to Wikipedia, where he works with WikiProject medicine and WikiProjectSWASTHA to localize Wikipedia's English healthcare information for South Asia's large and diverse population. Suryawanshi is currently a visiting scholar at the University of Virginia School of Data Science, where he continues to support the cultural relevance of Wikipedia through the participation of immigrant school students.


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Yes