Wikipedia & Education User Group/Theory of Change

Wikipedia & Education User Group

Wikipedia & Education User Group

• Background
• Theory of Change
• Questions, processes, and systematization of learning
• Methodology
• Glossary and References

Theory of Change

Executive Summary

The Wikipedia and Education User Group (EduWiki UG) stands as a global affiliate of the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF), bringing together affiliates, organizers, and volunteers who engage at both formal and informal education settings. Their mission is to harness Wikimedia projects as a pedagogical tool, aiming to expand content and grow the contributor base, thereby transforming these projects into scalable and replicable Open Educational Practices and Resources. Throughout its existence, the EduWiki UG has significantly bridged the gap between Wikimedia and education by achieving several key objectives: (1) diversifying the range of contributors, (2) pinpointing impactful topics for development, and (3) enhancing the overall user experience on Wikimedia platforms. In addition to these achievements, the EduWiki UG has consistently engaged in collaborative efforts over the years, fostering partnerships with the WMF Education Team and spearheading or supporting community initiatives such as outreach programs, conferences, and mentorship opportunities. A testament to the EduWiki UG commitment to building an inclusive community is the notable increase in membership diversity, particularly the growth in female participation from 28.5% in 2020 to 38.1% in 2022. This progress reflects the group's dedication to creating a more equitable and diverse environment within the Wikimedia and education ecosystems.

Despite nearly 20 years of impactful development both within and outside Wikimedia projects, the Wikimedia and Education community, formalized as the EduWiki UG, faces several challenges that predominantly stem from its volunteer-run structure. Key issues identified include the necessity for enhanced coordination and networking, the need for consistent capacity building and decision-making, and the requirement to cater to the diverse needs of educational programs of various sizes and contexts. These challenges highlight the intricate nature of the EduWiki UG mission and reveal emerging patterns that may inform future organizational structuring. Moreover, they emphasize the critical role of sustaining a robust community network of educational programs and regional collaborations. Addressing these challenges through a strategic approach is essential for fostering the continued growth and effectiveness of the EduWiki UG mission, thereby contributing significantly to the broader Wikimedia and education communities.

The accelerating digital transformation represents new and complex challenges for educational systems globally, and Wikimedia and Education Movement can have a wider role. This requires reviewing the Movement’s work in education in terms of governance, principles, strategy, and pedagogical approaches. Our findings show the Wikimedia and Education Movement requires employing staff to provide support that goes beyond the capabilities of the existing structures, consistent capacity building,  creating guidelines to diversify, contextualize, and sustain education-related Wikimedia initiatives of various sizes. It requires enhanced technical tools to measure impacts and bridge digital gaps. It requires more consistent funding opportunities and a more equitable distribution of funds and training to guarantee wider impact. Finally, better support for longer-term strategic partnerships and research as well as continuous community engagements.

To effectively address the challenges facing global educational systems and respond to the needs that were identified, we propose the creation of an Education Hub. This Education Hub is designed to provide key services and robust support for the Wikimedia and Education Movement. By empowering global education program leaders, the Hub will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our initiatives and better meet the evolving challenges in education.

This document consists of a synthetic illustration of the EduWiki UG Theory of Change. It is combined with a more detailed analysis of the issues, processes, and systematization of learning linked to the expected changes in the Wikimedia and Education Movement ecosystem in the context of EduWiki UG's operations. A broader environmental assessment of EduWiki UG is also presented, aimed at discussing the challenges of acting in favor of emancipatory practices and realizing utopias.

As we progress, the importance of community feedback cannot be overstated. We encourage the Wikimedia and Education community to actively participate by providing comments and questions on the talk page of our report. Additionally, we plan to present and discuss our findings at the upcoming EduWiki Knowledge Showcase in February 2024. This engagement will be instrumental in refining our approach, ensuring that our principles and objectives align with the community's expectations. Moreover, this feedback will be vital in supporting and shaping the development of an Education Hub, designed to offer key services that resonate with the needs and aspirations of our community.

Main Problem

We face the challenge of adapting to the evolving demands of global open educational systems within the Wikimedia and Education Movement, which operates under a volunteer-run structure. We have limited governance capacities, and have been unable to meet common needs identified by the Wikimedia and Education Community and addressing the complex challenges affecting the education programs globally. Consequently, we have struggled to effectively implement diverse, inclusive, and impactful educational initiatives using Wikimedia projects. This fundamental issue will be tackled through the Theory of Change.

Key Principles

As part of the change we envision, The new Education Hub for the Wikimedia and Education Movement must rely on the set of common principles below:

• Open Knowledge Sharing: Open access to high-quality educational resources should be free and unrestricted by location, affiliation, or money.
• Collaboration and Networking: Sharing experiences and cultivating an environment of openness should enable encouragement and serve as a source of inspiration to grow content and contributors.
• Accessibility and Inclusivity: Programs and events should aim to promote a balanced representation of every individual and ensure transparency in the decision-making process.
• Sustainability: Activities should follow a clear plan for long-term project and community maintenance.
• Ownership: Individuals should be empowered to take ownership of their learning and contributions to Wikimedia projects.

These principles should guide and serve as a benchmark for evaluating proposed actions.

Objectives

In order to move forward in light of the identified needs and challenges, the Education Hub of the Wikimedia and Education Movement must:

• Employ staff to ensure the sustainability of the short, medium, and long-term objectives.
• Provide consistent capacity building and mentorship opportunities that focus on the use of Wikimedia projects as a pedagogical tool for educators and learners.
• Develop a repository of Open Educational Resources that promote the use of Wikimedia projects for Open Education Practices globally.
• Improve Technical tools for education-related Wikimedia program implementation and reporting.
• Enhance mechanisms for continuous community engagement.
• Advocate for strategic partnerships that ensure sustainable financial support, collaborate on policy development, and undertake additional actions that enhance Wikimedia's impact in education globally.
• Promote a research network that helps to identify the application of Wikimedia projects in education, and establish a platform for researchers to share their findings and insights for best practices.

Expected Impact

The expected impact/outcomes of these actions on the broader Wikimedia Movement and Open Education Movement are primarily to enhance the movement's capacity to support its global membership, which is anticipated to lead to improved engagement, professional development opportunities, and increased project success rates.

Specifically, the expected impact of these actions on the broader Wikimedia Movement and Open Education Movement are:

1. Steward the growth of a centralized structure for support, effective operations, and engagement to facilitate the continuous development of the Wikimedia and Education Movement.
2. Grow confidence in incorporating Wikimedia into instructional methodologies, and enhance the pool of learning resources accessible to educators worldwide.
3. Facilitate global access, and exchange of best practices and innovative strategies, ensuring scalability and consistency in Wikimedia education programs.
4. Ensure better project outcomes, more accurate qualitative and quantitative metric for impact measurement, and increased transparency, thereby strengthening the trust and participation of the educational community.
5. Increase financial stability for the Wikimedia and Education movement and become better positioned to grow, evolve, and make a more significant impact in the global open educational landscape.
6. Strengthen collaboration and partnerships that amplify the reach and influence of the Wikimedia and Education community.

As our Wikimedia and Education Movement thrives we expect to:

1. Contribute to the enhancement of the Open Education Movement from the Wiki perspective, and promote the integration of the Wikimedia and Education Movement into the global Open Education initiatives.
2. Steer an open-access educational culture.
3. Promote the flourishing of a recognized group of educational leaders around the globe that can advocate for Wikimedia initiatives/programs/activities.
4. Contribute to reaching evidence based on research about the challenges, opportunities, and impact of Wikimedia and Education initiatives.