One of the biggest challenges faced by social media sites like Wikipedia is how to motivate users to contribute content. Research continues to demonstrate that only a small percentage of users contribute to user-generated content sites. In this study we assess the results of a Wikimedia Foundation initiative, which had graduate and undergraduate students from 22 U.S. universities contribute content to Wikipedia articles as part of their coursework. 185 students were asked about their participation in the initiative and their intention to participate on Wikipedia in the future. Results suggest that intentions to continue contributing are influenced by the initial attitude towards the class, and the degree to which students perceived they were writing for a global audience.

1. Classroom Wikipedia
Participation Effects on Future
Intentions to Contribute
Cliff Lampe, Jonathan Obar, Elif Ozkaya,
Paul Zube, Alcides Velasquez

2. The Problem
Wikipedia growth is
slowing/declining.
Wikipedia participation is
unequal.

3. Stolen from Suh, Convertino, Chi and Pirolli 2009 Wikisym paper

4. Theories for decline
The “easy” topics are covered
Other cool sites have appeared, interface
Wikipedians bite newbies
Lack of editor diversity

5. Possible solutions
Direct people’s attention
Create new interfaces for editing
Introduce new audiences

6. http://outreach.wikimedia.org/wiki/Public_Policy_Initiative_Learning_Points

8. 12 classes in 9 U.S. Universities
~ 600 students, mostly grad

10. How does WPPI
participation affect
student perceptions of
participating on
Facebook?

11. 185 survey respondents
Mixed closed and open Qs

13. Results
DV = likelihood to participate in the future
Age increased likelihood; ESL decreased; no
gender effect
Impression of assignment and class mattered
Social media use and global awareness
mattered

14. Results
72% would NOT have preferred trad. assign.
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

15. Conclusions
Assignment effects on future use
Class size, level may matter
Need to account for student demos
WPPI and similar moving forward

18. 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