On the edit training session front, I can report on the sample size of 1 VE
edit training session in mid August, where the two trainees both aged 60+ took
to editing relatively quickly in under an hour, which compares favourably with
the half day to a day it often takes to cover the same ground in the source
editor due to the lack of comfort with markup. Both trainees did a few edits
after the training session but neither appears to be currently active. I
certainly intend to teach future sessions using the VE.
But the research question I would pose is “does edit training make any
difference?” I’ve done loads of it but I haven’t noticed that it creates
ongoing contributors. Most people come away from the session very positive but,
when I’ve bothered to check, most don’t edit again. Having said that, after my
own initial edits, I too became inactive for a year or so before doing some
very sporadic edits over a number of years before getting active, so it may be
that people do resurface months/years later (possibly creating a new
username/password as they have forgotten their old one).
Now I have thought that maybe the difficulty remembering the markup
weeks/months later might be a contributory factor to this apparent failure to
create active editors and that maybe switching to the VE will make a
difference. But deep down, I am not convinced that the problem of creating
active editors is just about training. And I think Aaron’s study somewhat
supports this. I think the problem with edit training is twofold.
1. People with a burning desire to edit don’t sit around waiting for an
edit training opportunity. Edit training attracts the “just in case” learners,
who think it might be useful to know how to edit Wikipedia. People with a
burning desire to edit just click on “Edit” and hope they can make it work. Q.
Is the VE enabled for anon editing? (I just logged out to test it and it does
not appear to be – why not? Surely anon editors should be dumped into VE by
default or offered both?)
2. The routine beating up of newbies. One of the joys of edit training is
seeing just how unpleasant our community can be to newcomers. In most edit
training sessions, trainees experience reverted contributions, quality tagging,
etc, without any attempt to reach out and help them make their good faith
contributions (anyone who comes to edit training is good faith, I have never
seen any of them attempt to vandalise). The trainees find this somewhat
upsetting. It is interesting to note that many assume other editors should know
they are in a training session (they are probably mapping their real world
experience that training sessions are “visible”). However, despite a couple of
people telling me there is some template I can use to indicate an educational
activity is taking place (not clear if it tags the user or the article) but I
have yet to discover what it is. I have tried putting {{inuse}} onto the
article but that’s been a failure (doesn’t deter these unfriendly folk and it’s
often removed as well).
So, in summary, yes, teach the VE, it’s much easier for new users. But don’t
think the problems of new users are completely solved with the VE.
Kerry
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