User:Priscaumba/report

Wikipedia is a great tool to gain insight into a topic, person, place, etc. The work and research done to find that information are carried out by a community of people who work together to ensure that information is conveyed to the general public. The community at Wikipedia can be described as those working hard to ensure that information is shared. Because of the details and accuracy of their efforts, the community is difficult to fit into. Wikipedia has some great tools to entice newcomers. However, due to its intimidating nature, it can be hard for it to keep newcomers and ensure that they are constantly engaged. Some ways to improve are using terms that motivate users' contributions, gameplay for Wikipedia training, and mentorship.

One way that the site entices contribution is through notices on a page that let users know that a specific page needs more information. I think this is very beneficial because if an outsider stumbles on a page, they know that more information is needed. If that particular person knows or has resources, they can add the information needed to create a sufficient page. However, the current notification that shows up is never understandable or gives good cause for a user to become part of the Wikipedia editing community. There needs to be a positive outcome that can encourage the user to contribute. In my own experience, I chose my article based on an article I found about mass media in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I was interested in the DRC as my home country and media as something that I am studying. Knowing that I can add more insight to a topic that people haven’t had a chance to explore drove me to want to add information to this specific topic. My biggest motivator, however, was the fact that this was for class; before this, I didn’t even know I was able to edit Wikipedia pages. Wikipedia needs to let people know how crucial editing and adding information are to their community. In Building Successful Online Communities: Evidence-Based Social Design, it states, “According to the collective effort model, people will contribute more to a group if they think their contributions make a difference to the group’s performance” (Kraut, Robert E., and Paul Resnick, 2012, p. 30). Taking this step can take a user who is simply cruising to feel influenced to edit a Wikipedia page knowing they are part of a bigger goal. It increases users' commitment which increases the effort and work put into the articles.

Wikipedia has a very in-depth and detailed informational training course. However, the training was a lot of work and effort and can be very boring. Putting in the work and effort is important, but it can be discouraging to newcomers that they never fully commit to the community. Having a game that is fun or training in the form of a game can alleviate the emptiness of the training and can be rewarding to newcomers. In a community such as Zooniverse, it included a lot of images, and the activities themselves were sort of like games. It ensured that newcomers were not only learning but also having something interactive that stimulated the brain. My exploration of the site allowed me to explore while facing fun images, so I did not get bored and was challenged. While the multiple-choice format of Wikipedia is good, the format can be boring and can become a lot after a while. Having gameplay with different characters or cartoons can help newcomers feel at ease while gaining knowledge. Gameplay also does not make a specific page less serious or diminish its value; rather, it eases the newcomers into understanding the format and understanding a specific page. Through gameplay, there can be scores and rewards that users can gain. It encourages newcomers to be motivated to do well in the training as there is something to gain. Wikipedia did not have any reward that could encourage speeding through the training and make it difficult to retain the crucial steps and training that were needed. Gameplay ensures that important skills are gained through a fun process.

Lastly, Wikipedia can introduce a mentorship program that requires newcomers to meet old users before training starts. The program can require consistent interaction and review with the old user every week. This ensures that the newcomer has their questions answered and they have someone who was in their shoes to learn from. The use of Wikipedia was at first difficult to acclimate to. Even after the course exercise, I do not feel fit to become part of the community to the point of constantly adding information. This is due to the fact I am unsure of what every article needs. Wikipedia was able to send a mentor to talk to; however, the program was solely based on whether I wanted to interact with him. In my case, my Professor was very helpful in guiding me through what I had to add and what this would look like. I always had someone I could talk to. Currently, the program seems based on the needs of the newcomer if they want to speak to the old user. However, the use of Wikipedia should ensure that this is a requirement that the newcomer cannot miss. The book states, “Assigning the responsibilities of having friendly interactions with newcomers to particular community members increases the frequency of these interactions” (Kraut, Robert E., and Paul Resnick, 2012, p. 210). If the step is not a suggestion but something that must be done, it ensures that the newcomer is taking the steps to learn from someone who knows more. This can prove that they are committed because they are taking the required time to meet with old users to better their use of the platform. The community can also grow closer as there is a relationship being created through this.

If Wikipedia integrates motivating language on its pages, introduces gameplay, and has a required mentorship program, it can be a better welcoming space for newcomers. Taking these steps can ensure that Wikipedia continues to grow and be a safe space for all users.

Kraut, Robert E., and Paul Resnick. Building Successful Online Communities: Evidence-Based Social Design, MIT Press, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/washington/detail.action?docID=3339407.