Wikidata:Requests for comment/How to model curricula and link them to educational resources?
An editor has requested the community to provide input on "How to model curricula and link them to educational resources?" via the Requests for comment (RFC) process. This is the discussion page regarding the issue.
If you have an opinion regarding this issue, feel free to comment below. Thank you! |
Note: please discuss this on the Discussion page, suggestions will then be integrated. |
Background[edit]As of the 10th of April 188 countries have completely shut their schools affecting over 1,5 billion learners, which is over 90% of all enrolled learners worldwide. Even before the pandemic there were:
There are many resources available at a wide range of education levels to support these learners however they cannot be used easily because they are not connected to curricula and may not be available in the learner's language. |
Wikidata connecting resources and curricula[edit]What roles can Wikidata play in this? One way is by helping learners and their parents/guardians find educational resources they need to continue their education at home. However currently no one is consistently and systematically linking curricula (what students need to learn) to the educational resources which are available. Wikidata could fulfill this role.
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Use cases[edit]Providing people with ways to easily find and access relevant information is critical. There are likely to be many options for this including:
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Steps[edit]Wikidata becoming a connector of curricula and educational resources can be done in four steps:
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Step 1: Modelling curricula on Wikidata[edit]Mapping which topics are in which curricula at which grade level[edit]Mapping which topics are in which curricula at a specific level is needed to map the curricula. This could be done through a statement like 'topic is in X national curriculum at X grade level', we currently have a property proposal here. Mapping other information[edit]It could be important to also map other information e.g subjects, learning outcomes Example curricula[edit]
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Step 2: Linking to relevant educational resources[edit]Linking to relevant educational resources on Wikidata is already happening through linking to Wikimedia project resources on that subject and through External IDs to other databases. However this is insufficient in providing the resources people need. What is the best way to link the educational resources e.g assigned textbooks online, an online course, a video etc? There appear to be two broad options to do this, but both have costs and benefits in recording the relevant level of detail and fitting within Wikidata's notability policy. A. Linking from a subject to a resource[edit]These resources are available on this topic at X grade level
B. Creating a Wikidata item for each resource[edit]The second option is creating an item for each resource which would allow more information to be recorded. However would it fall within Wikidata's notability policy? E.g Should each Khan Academy lesson on algebra get its own Wikidata item? |
Step 3: Importing the data into Wikidata systematically[edit]An existing or new Wikiproject could organise the information about which curricula are available and which have been imported into Wikidata. We could use the model used for FindingGLAMs, both crowdsourcing and importing datasets. |
Curricula[edit]Many governments are making their curricula available online as well as NGOs and other bodies which create curricula
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Resources[edit]There are many many resources available, which we could import into Wikidata both through importing datasets (eg Khan Academy list of lessons) through crowdsourcing the information. Wikidata could use existing work done to compile resources e.g the Hewlett Foundation research database. |
Step 4: Providing ways for people to find and access the information[edit]Providing people with ways to easily find and access the information is critical. There are likely to be many options for this including:
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Main questions[edit]Use cases[edit]
Inclusiveness[edit]
Structural issues in Wikidata[edit]
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