Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom 2.0 Kwara Nigeria

The Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom program in Kwara State Nigeria 2.0 aims to enhance digital education by providing secondary school teachers with the skills to effectively use Wikipedia as a learning tool. The project aims to instil a comprehensive understanding of Wikipedia as a learning tool in the digital ecosystem by aligning it’s objectives with UNESCO’s Media and Information Literacy Framework, 50 teachers in Kwara State’s teachers were equipped with the skills and knowledge to navigate the digital future adeptly and also navigate other Wikimedia projects to access, retrieve, interpret, and monitor the information consumed whilst developing Open Educational Resources (OERs) by adopting the UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Framework through one on one mentorship and training workshops.

This initiative was led by Rhoda James, an active Wikimedian in Nigeria who has taken part in a number of contests and campaigns that enrich articles, establish Wikidata entries, and increase visibility of content connected to Africa.

The project aims to:
Adopt a follow-up initiative to the Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom program for students in secondary schools in Kwara State.

2. Step-down training by certified teachers
3. Organizing a refresher course for Teachers to broaden their knowledge and increase skills.
4. Invite 3 certified teachers for the RWC 2022 to help mentor and supervise the new teachers to guide the teachers enrolled in the program, to enable them understand the content of the module.
   The project achieved its goals through registration of teachers through which we were able to conduct an informal interview to identify areas to focus and various misconceptions about Wikipedia believed by the teachers which needs to be clarified, a needs assessment was also carried out to identify areas were the skills gained during the project will be useful in implementing the knowledge gained in the classroom, invited certified teachers were actively involved and the team also ensured following up with the participants by creating communication channels and customizing training materials to suit the needs of the teachers.
   During the implementation of the project, the team engaged target participants through the creation of a WhatsApp group for seamless communication, customization of training modules, and interactive sessions which was focused on focused on aspects which will be beneficial to the Teachers and their students. This approach ensured active participation, fostering a collaborative learning environment for the effective utilization of Wikipedia as a learning tool.

Outcome

The project achieved its goals through registration of teachers through which we were able to conduct an informal interview to identify areas to focus and various misconceptions about Wikipedia believed by the teachers which needs to be clarified, a needs assessment was also carried out to identify areas were the skills gained during the project will be useful in implementing the knowledge gained in the classroom, invited certified teachers were actively involved and the team also ensured following up with the participants by creating communication channels and customizing training materials to suit the needs of the teachers.
During the implementation of the project, the team engaged target participants through the creation of a WhatsApp group for seamless communication, customization of training modules, and interactive sessions which was focused on focused on aspects which will be beneficial to the Teachers and their students. This approach ensured active participation, fostering a collaborative learning environment for the effective utilization of Wikipedia as a learning tool.

Initially, the participants lacked the skills necessary to effectively navigate and utilize Wikipedia for it’s various educational purposes. The project aimed to address these initial skill gaps through its training and mentorship initiatives which led to the successful creation of awareness about Wikipedia and it’s effective usage among 50 secondary school teachers from different schools to navigate Wikipedia. The outcomes focused on improved knowledge and skills in using Wikipedia for educational purposes.
The learning priorities of the participants included gaining a comprehensive understanding of how to evaluate information on Wikipedia and its sister projects. Additionally, participants focused on developing the skills needed to responsibly use Wikipedia as an effective learning tool in the classroom setting.
To achieve this:
The project employed a systematic evaluation method wherein participating teachers were assigned tasks specifically designed to assess their comprehension of the training modules. These assignments were strategically customized to ensure a thorough understanding of the content, thereby verifying the teachers’ readiness to impart the acquired knowledge to students within the classroom setting, we also utilized open-ended surveys and interviews to ascertain the knowledge and insights teachers glean from the program

Adopting a follow-up initiative to the Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom program to equip 50 teachers with skills needed to efficiently navigate Wikipedia, during the implementation of the project this objective was achieved through the cooperation of the participants who played integral roles in the project, undertaking responsibilities related to understanding the module. Their engagement contributed to the success of the initiative, fostering an environment conducive to the effective integration of Wikipedia as a valuable learning tool in the classroom

Project team

James Rhoda (Project Lead): She was the project lead for Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom for secondary school students in Kwara State. She is an experienced Wikimedian, who has participated in various Wikimedia projects (as a facilitator as well as an editor) namely; 1lib1ref, WikiGlam, Wikidata for Libraries and Librarians in Nigeria, Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom Kwara and Lagos Nigeria, etc. She has led Wikidata for Novel and Novelist in Nigeria, Reading Wikipedia in the classroom for secondary school students, and Promoting Nigerian books and Authors.

Ridzaina (Facilitator): Barakat, a Wikimedia volunteer from Nigeria, has gained extensive experience as a facilitator and editor in various Wikimedia projects. She served as a facilitator for Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom programs in Kwara, Nigeria, for teachers and secondary school students. She has also participated in projects such as Wiki loves SDGs, WikiGLAM, 1lib1ref, Wikidata for Libraries and Librarians in Nigeria, Wikidata for Novels and Novelists in Nigeria, WikiLovesLibraries, Promoting Nigerian Books and Authors, Celtic Knot Kwara, and more. She led the Let’s Connect Peer Learning Program in Kwara. As the General Secretary of the University of Ilorin Wikimedia Fan Club, Barakat, a trained educator, is passionate about learning, sharing knowledge, and has gained valuable experience through her contributions to these projects and others over the past two years.

Mijesty (Facilitator): Miracle, a member of the Wikimedia Nigeria user group and an executive of the University of Ilorin fan club. She was a facilitator for the Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom for Secondary School Students in Kwara State, has actively participated in multiple Wikimedia projects, implementing a Wikipedia awareness event in Offa and enlisting new volunteers in the process. Furthermore, she has contributed to various Wikipedia projects such as Wikidata for Nigerian Novelists and more. In addition to her contributions, she has played a key role in helping information professionals learn how to incorporate fact-checking into Wikipedia through the Wiki-cred for information professionals, promotion of Nigerian books and authors, African Day campaign, and was part of the establishment of Open Culture Community in Nigeria, among others.

Bukky658: (Program Advisor and Co-ordinator): She is the first Certified Trainer of the Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom program in Nigeria, a certified Content Campaign Organiser focused on Climate Change and Sustainability. She has led several projects such as Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom Kwara, Nigeria for teachers and Students, Wiki Climate Campus Tour Nigeria 2023, Wiki-cred Bootcamp for information professionals, WikiLovesLibrariesNigeria, 1Lib1Ref Kwara 2022, WikiGLAM Awareness for Librarians in Kwara State, and Wikidata for Libraries and notable Librarians in Kwara State among others, whilst co-organising several Wikimedia projects related to SDGs and other topics of impact. She founded the Wikimedia Fan Club at Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria.

The team also includes Three (3) certified teachers from the formerly executed Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom Program to help engage, motivate and assist the newly selected teachers.