ONGOING PROJECT
WikiEdu: Shaping the Future of Education
Making knowledge accessible to all through open-source data
My Role
Interaction Designer
Team
4 Designers
Product Manager, Wikimedia
Category
User Research and Product Design
ONGOING PROJECT
WikiEdu: Shaping the Future of Education
Making knowledge accessible to all through open-source data
My Role
Interaction Designer
Team
4 Designers
Product Manager, Wikimedia
Category
User Research and Product Design
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CAPL Outstanding Startup - Impact Award Recipient View Award
CAPL Outstanding Startup - Impact Award Recipient View Award
CAPL Outstanding Startup - Impact Award Recipient View Award
The Problem We Trying to Solve
The Problem We Trying to Solve
The existing education system, established in a bygone era, was inherently oppressive, excluding various social groups. Despite the passage of time, there have been minimal changes to this system, continuing its outdated norms. And now, we see a striking rate of Gen-Z people disengaging from the traditional education system and the opportunities are not available to everyone in an equitable way.
5.3%
5.3%
High School Drop-outs in US
33%
33%
College Drop-outs Rate in US
17.7%
17.7%
4-Yr Institution Dropout rates
What role can Wikimedia play?
What role can Wikimedia play?
Wikimedia is the largest open-source knowledge repository that holds vast amount of data and is inclusive of different languages from around the world. It is created by people, for the people, in real-time, with continuous data accuracy checks.
Wikimedia is the largest open-source knowledge repository that holds vast amount of data and is inclusive of different languages from around the world. It is created by people, for the people, in real-time, with continuous data accuracy checks.
56 million
56 million
open-source articles in their repository
open-source articles in their repository
320+
320+
languages globally
languages globally
280,000
280,000
Wikimedia global Editors' community
Wikimedia global Editors' community
15 billion+
15 billion+
page views each month from Readers globally
page views each month from Readers globally
Opportunity Space
Opportunity Space
How can WikiMedia enable education to help Gen-Z dropouts become knowledge creators using internet culture?
How can WikiMedia enable education to help Gen-Z dropouts become knowledge creators using internet culture?
Who Are We Designing For?
Who Are We Designing For?
Acquiring knowledge is not confined to traditional school settings; it can extend beyond the classroom to include alternative mediums. Our current education system, though traditional, is gradually going beyond traditional limitations such as time, finances, etc. Thus, we want to accommodating all types of learners, particularly focusing on the digital natives i.e. Generation Z.
Acquiring knowledge is not confined to traditional school settings; it can extend beyond the classroom to include alternative mediums. Our current education system, though traditional, is gradually going beyond traditional limitations such as time, finances, etc. Thus, we want to accommodating all types of learners, particularly focusing on the digital natives i.e. Generation Z.
Traditional Learners
College Dropouts
School goers &
passouts
Never took
formal education
Knowledge Creators
Traditional Learners
College Dropouts
School goers &
passouts
Never took
formal education
Knowledge Creators
Traditional Learners
College Dropouts
School goers &
passouts
Never took
formal education
Knowledge Creators
How we approached?
How we approached?
Into Our Process
Into Our Process
Assumption Mapping
Assumption Mapping
An assumption map helps clarify our hypothesis assumptions, enabling us to make safer, informed decisions. We've mapped assumptions for various learner types and their reasons for continuing or stopping their education. These are organized into a 2x2 matrix of impact and certainty, highlighting the high-impact, high-uncertainty assumptions for focused attention.
An assumption map helps clarify our hypothesis assumptions, enabling us to make safer, informed decisions. We've mapped assumptions for various learner types and their reasons for continuing or stopping their education. These are organized into a 2x2 matrix of impact and certainty, highlighting the high-impact, high-uncertainty assumptions for focused attention.
Dropping out due to mismatched expectations in faculties, opportunities and relevancy
Seeking control and autonomy in education
Desires transparency in education structures
Might value self-directed learning
Might consider Wikipedia as unreliable source
Might feel formal education is expensive and has less ROI
Affinity to structured curriculum
Dropping out due to mismatched expectations in faculties, opportunities and relevancy
Seeking control and autonomy in education
Desires transparency in education structures
Might value self-directed learning
Might consider Wikipedia as unreliable source
Might feel formal education is expensive and has less ROI
Affinity to structured curriculum
High Impact and High Uncertainty Assumptions
Guiding Design Principles
Guiding Design Principles
Working with the community needs us to actively recognize systemic inequalities that can persist in our design, which we acknowledge through Anti-Oppressive lens. One of our strong principles being promoting equity and justice in our solution, we accounted for Mutual Aid and Ethical Practices.
Working with the community needs us to actively recognize systemic inequalities that can persist in our design, which we acknowledge through Anti-Oppressive lens. One of our strong principles being promoting equity and justice in our solution, we accounted for Mutual Aid and Ethical Practices.
Anti-Oppressive Lens
Inclusive of all kinds of communities based on region, culture, motive, social perception, access, background.
Mutual Aid Practices
Collaborative Learning, Peer-to-peer Knowledge Sharing, Community-driven,
Participatory Learning
Ethical Considerations
Information Quality & Bias, Privacy & Data Security, Accessibility & Equity, Responsible Content, Power Dynamics
Anti-Oppressive Lens
Inclusive of all kinds of communities based on region, culture, motive, social perception, access, background.
Mutual Aid Practices
Collaborative Learning, Peer-to-peer Knowledge Sharing, Community-driven, Participatory Learning
Ethical Considerations
Information Quality & Bias, Privacy & Data Security, Accessibility & Equity, Responsible Content, Power Dynamics
Anti-Oppressive Lens
Inclusive of all kinds of communities based on region, culture, motive, social perception, access, background.
Mutual Aid Practices
Collaborative Learning, Peer-to-peer Knowledge Sharing, Community-driven,
Participatory Learning
Ethical Considerations
Information Quality & Bias, Privacy & Data Security, Accessibility & Equity, Responsible Content, Power Dynamics
Key
Adaptations
Key Adaptations
Strength in Shared Resources and Collaboration
Strength in Shared Resources and Collaboration
Respectful Engagement and Diverse Voices
Respectful Engagement and Diverse Voices
Transparency and Shared Ownership
Transparency and Shared Ownership
The Way Ahead
The Way Ahead
Co-design: Taking the Community Forward with Us
Co-design: Taking the Community Forward with Us
How we involved them?
How we involved them?
We collaborated with the Centre for Art and Public Life, connecting with various institutions like short-term degrees, language and skill-based schools and multiple knowledge seekers via social media and events. This enabled us to host three co-design events, both in-person and online, with 20 participants globally.
We collaborated with the Centre for Art and Public Life, connecting with various institutions like short-term degrees, language and skill-based schools and multiple knowledge seekers via social media and events. This enabled us to host three co-design events, both in-person and online, with 20 participants globally.
MORE THAN
MORE THAN
120 Schools
120 Schools
ONLINE COMMUNITIES
ONLINE COMMUNITIES
15+ Social Media Channels
15+ Social Media Channels
HOSTED
HOSTED
3 Co-design Events
3 Co-design Events
COLLABORATION ACROSS
COLLABORATION ACROSS
1000+ Peers
1000+ Peers
Breakdown of the Co-design Workshop
Breakdown of the Co-design Workshop
We designed activities to understand their needs, gaps, learning reflexes in the current scenario and the availability of resources. We conducted pilot testing to realize that we have to make sure there is no power imbalance by asking them to co-facilitate, create a safe space for them to share and establish clear expectation settings.
We designed activities to understand their needs, gaps, learning reflexes in the current scenario and the availability of resources. We conducted pilot testing to realize that we have to make sure there is no power imbalance by asking them to co-facilitate, create a safe space for them to share and establish clear expectation settings.
Learning Roadmap
Create visual timelines of their learning journeys, mark achievements, turning points, self-learning and challenges
Create visual timelines of their learning journeys, mark achievements, turning points, self-learning and challenges
Learning Stations
Dot voting on the platforms and mediums they go to reflexively to learn anything
Dot voting on the platforms and mediums they go to reflexively to learn anything
Build your Toolkit
Collect a set of challenges and resources to make a learning kit for the future self, based on their journeys
Collect a set of challenges and resources to make a learning kit for the future self, based on their journeys
Co-design
Design an optimal learning experience for the future based on your reflections and learning toolkit
Design an optimal learning experience for the future based on your reflections and learning toolkit
WHAT DID THE TEAMS CO-DESIGN
GROUP 1
GROUP 1
Ecosystem of peer mentorship
and continuous learning system
Ecosystem of peer mentorship
and continuous learning system
GROUP 2
GROUP 2
No social competition - One that celebrates and failures
No social competition - One that celebrates and failures
GROUP 3
GROUP 3
Learn by doing, experiencing new environments, journaling
Learn by doing, experiencing new environments, journaling
GROUP 4
GROUP 4
Peer experiential learning: Express, observe, and learn
Peer experiential learning: Express, observe, and learn
GROUP 5
GROUP 5
Global Co-Learning Platform: Flexible, Gamified, and Personalized teaching traditional and alternative subjects
Global Co-Learning Platform: Flexible, Gamified, and Personalized teaching traditional and alternative subjects
Key Research Learnings
Key Research Learnings
1
1
Collaborative ecosystem of Editors and Readers
Collaborative ecosystem of Editors and Readers
2
2
Change in learning form and medium
Change in learning form and medium
3
Value in real-time data updation
4
3
Balance of autonomy and structure
in learning
Value in real-time data updation
5
4
Incorporating emotional and mental support
Guidance coaches-find their voice
6
Guidance coaches-find their voice
5
Incorporating emotional and mental support
6
Balance of autonomy and structure
in learning
A Step towards the Solution
A Step towards the Solution
Concept Solution
Concept Solution
FINAL PROTOTYPE COMING SOON
FINAL PROTOTYPE COMING SOON
It is an ongoing project spanned across 2 semesters. In the upcoming May-August, we plan to structurally conceptualize our solution, prototype, build and test it with our partner communities and Wikimedia.
It is an ongoing project spanned across 2 semesters. In the upcoming May-August, we plan to structurally conceptualize our solution, prototype, build and test it with our partner communities and Wikimedia.
A Product-Service
Ecology
A Product-Service Ecology
That empowers readers with personalized open-source structures to co-build their learning journeys
That empowers readers with personalized open-source structures to co-build their learning journeys
Bridges the gap between readers and learners and channelize their shared knowledge
Bridges the gap between readers and learners and channelize their shared knowledge
Expected Impact
Expected Impact
Informed by our studies and our envisioned goal for the solution, this is what we project as the result in relation to promoting inclusive education and boosting Gen-Z interaction on Wikimedia.
Informed by our studies and our envisioned goal for the solution, this is what we project as the result in relation to promoting inclusive education and boosting Gen-Z interaction on Wikimedia.
Increase Direct Engagement by
Increase Direct Engagement by
50%
50%
by boosting active
Gen Z users’ engagement
by boosting active Gen-Z users’ engagement
Grow Wikimedia’s
User Base by
Grow Wikimedia’s User Base by
30%
30%
to include not only learners but also knowledge creators
to include not only learners but also knowledge creators
Expand Educational
Horizons to
Expand Educational Horizons to
1000+
1000+
gen-Z dropouts, empowered to be contributors
gen-Z dropouts, empowered to be contributors
Inclusive Learning
& Equity with
Inclusive Learning & Equity with
500+
500+
diverse resources by and for marginalized voices
diverse resources by and for marginalized voices
Always ready to talk - let's connect!
Email me at ruchirabiswas97@gmail.com
Drop a text +1 628-358-1287
Always ready to talk -
let's connect!
Email me at ruchirabiswas97@gmail.com
Drop a text +1 628-358-1287
Always ready to talk - let's connect!
Email me at ruchirabiswas97@gmail.com
Drop a text +1 628-358-1287
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