Wikipedia:Wikipedia Workshop for Women in Mumbai

Summary
The Wikipedia Workshop for Women aims to equip its participants with the rudiments of contributing to Wikipedia, and to introduce Wikipedia as an encyclopaedia and a concept to them. The workshop is free of cost and open to all women.

About the workshop
The day-long workshop intends to address the difficulties and challenges faced by women while contributing to Wikipedia and editing its pages. Participants will interact with women Wikipedians. This will provide them an opportunity to learn about Wikipedia in a bias-free, women-only environment.

Wikipedia has become an invaluable destination for millions of Internet users seeking information. However, only a small fraction of Wikipedia’s legion of volunteer editors is female. The large gender gap among editors reflects the gender-oriented disparity in the content of Wikipedia’s articles. This workshop, which will be the first of its kind in Mumbai, would address this concern, and also mark the start of a series of such workshops and women-centric training sessions.

Important information

 * As the workshop involves hands-on learning about making contributions to and editing Wikipedia, participants are required to carry a mobile device (laptop, netbook, or tablet).


 * We are using the English-language Wikipedia to instruct participants. Before attending the workshop, register on Wikipedia using the Create account link, if you don't have an account already.


 * The venue has free Wi-Fi.
 * Lunch is on us.

Date and Venue

 * Date: 4 November 2012
 * Day: Sunday
 * Start Time: 10.00 a.m.
 * End Time: 4.30 p.m.
 * Venue: B 105 Conference hall, Vidyalankar Institute of Technology, Wadala
 * Maps: Vidyalankar Institute of Technology at the institute's website.

From Wadala

 * From Wadala road railway station (Harbour Line), walk towards the flyover in the direction of Panvel. (A walk of approx 3 minutes)
 * From the start of the flyover, board BEST Bus route number 110, which terminates at Vidyalankar Institute of Technology. (A bus ride of approx 5 minutes)

From Dadar

 * From Dadar railway station (Central line and Western line), walk towards Plaza Theatre. (A walk of approx 5 minutes)
 * Or board BEST Bus route number 110,from Dadar Railway station. It terminates at Vidyalankar Institute of Technology. (A bus ride of approx 10 minutes)

Schedule
Head home and edit Wikipedia!
 * Session 1: Introduction of all organisers and participants
 * Session 2: Participants split into groups
 * Session 3: Hands-on editing by participants
 * Session 4: 'Why edit Wikipedia?'
 * Session 5: 'Adding references to Wikipedia articles'
 * Session 6: The concept and practice of 'Notability' in Wikipedia
 * Session 7: 'Facts about Wikipedia'
 * Lunch break
 * Session 8: Session on the Wikimedia Commons
 * Session 9: Hands-on session on 'Uploading photos to the Commons' (Group activity)
 * Session 10: Quiz time
 * Session 11: Women Wikipedians share their experiences

Report
A day well spent

The Wikipedia Workshop for women, held on November 4, 2012 at Vidyalankar Institute of Technology (VIT), Wadala, was indeed a success.

The Wikipedians people who volunteered to organise the workshop are Aditi Juneja, Anshuman Fotedar, Bishakha Datta, Harriet Vidyasagar, Karthik Nadar, Krutikaa Jawanjal, Moksh Juneja, Netha Hussain, Netra Parikh, Nikita Belavate, Noopur Raval, Pradeep Mohandas, Pranav Curumsey, Rohini Lakshane. All discussions and planning done while organizing this workshop for women paid off. More than 70 women participants attended the workshop.

The workshop started with a short introduction after which the participants promptly moved on to learning how to edit Wikipedia which was though by the present on ground volunteers. The participants were divided in groups and every group had to create a new article which wasn't already available on Wikipedia. In the process, women interacted with the volunteers, asked question regarding Wikipedia. Every group at least had added introduction to the new article.

Having done with the basic editing, a general presentation on Wikipedia was given by some of the volunteers. This was followed by question and answers regarding the same. By this time, it was already 1.30pm, so the lunch was announced. After having lunch, the participants got back to their seats. Pretty much everybody stayed back post lunch. Moksh continued with teaching how to edit Wikipedia. This time it wasn't it in groups though. "References" and "Notability" were the main topics that were covered in this session.

Anshuman and Karthik then proceeded with teaching photo uploads on Wikipedia. Quiz was conducted towards the end and Wikipedia-Tshirts were given as prizes for giving right answers. Karthik, then also showcased the winning images of Wiki Loves Momunents 2012 India. The long day came to an end with an overwhelming response and a call for organizing many such activities. The feedback received was positive. The participants enjoyed the workshop.

We are thankful to everybody who made this event a great one. Thanks to all the volunteers. Special thanks to Moksh and Karthik who went out of the way to get everything arranged before hand at the venue, to Netha and Noopur for making it to the workshop and for working hand in hand with the Mumbai Community, to Srikanth Ramakrishnan who constantly stayed in touch for online help.

Special thanks to whole Vidyalankar team. Vishwas Deshpande, Founder of Vidyalankar, who gave us an opportunity to to do the Mumbai's first Wiki Workshop for Women at Vidyalankar. Milind Tadvalkar (Director) and Seema Shah (Principal), Jayprakash Kurmi and Vivek and the complete IT Team at VIT, Mahesh from Canteen for an awesome Pav Bhaji for Lunch. Another thanks to Netra Parikh, for giving us enough place at her office, Pinstorm, for all out pre-meetings. Thanks to all.

Share your experiences!
''Please share your experiences and sign using " ~ "
 * It was a very wonderful experience. we got a lot knowledge & info about Wikipedia. Thanx to all! - Sailee Paralkar (User : Sailee5)
 * It was very wonderful experiences. Thanks for giving information of wikipedia. Juhi Tejwani

Connect

 * RSVP at the Facebook event page
 * Wikipedia in Mumbai at Facebook
 * Tweet with the hashtag #WWWM

External Links about the event

 * http://www.techgoss.com/Story/5086S14-Wiki-women-@Mumbai.aspx
 * http://hashonomy.com/link/wikipediawikipedia-workshop-for-women-in-mumbai-wikipedia-the-free-encyclopedia-706393/