Classroom Wikipedia Participation Effects on Future
Intentions to Contribute
Cliff Lampe, Jonathan Obar, Elif Ozkaya, Paul Zube, Alcides Velasquez
Wikipedia growth is slowing/declining.
The Problem
Wikipedia participation is unequal.
Stolen from Suh, Convertino, Chi and Pirolli 2009 Wikisym paper
The “easy” topics are covered
Theories for decline
Other cool sites have appeared, interface
Wikipedians bite newbies
Lack of editor diversity
Direct people’s attention
Possible solutions
Create new interfaces for editing
Introduce new audiences
http://outreach.wikimedia.org/wiki/Public_Policy_Initiative_Learning_Points
12 classes in 9 U.S. Universities~ 600 students, mostly grad
How does WPPI participation affect
student perceptions of participating on
Facebook?
185 survey respondentsMixed closed and open Qs
DV = likelihood to participate in the future
Results
Age increased likelihood; ESL decreased; no gender effect
Impression of assignment and class mattered
Social media use and global awareness mattered
72% would NOT have preferred trad. assign.
Results
Global awareness strongly mattered for people who preferred this assignment
Some discomfort with the idea of future edits
25/615 edited Wikipedia after the class had ended
Assignment effects on future use
Conclusions
Class size, level may matter
Need to account for student demos
WPPI and similar moving forward
Cliff Lampe University of Michigan
Jonathan Obar Michigan State University
Elif Ozkaya Michigan State University
Paul Zube Michigan State University
Alcides Velasquez Michigan State University
NSF – 0812429
Slideshare: clifflampe
