This MOOC aims to simplify learning how to edit Wikidata through an online course. Participants will understand how Wikidata works, its rules, its community, and how to contribute to it.
Who can join?
Anyone interested in learning about Wikidata and contributing to it, regardless of your background or computer skills. In addition to beginners, this course is also beneficial for Wikidata trainers.
Participation in this course, including interactions and discussions on various channels, is covered by the Code of Conduct for technical spaces. Participants are encouraged to contribute to making the discussion spaces safe and welcoming for everyone.
Course schedule
The course is offered in different iterations. After each iteration, we may adapt and improve it based on your feedback. Below is the schedule for upcoming sessions:
Iteration
Class start
Class end
Duration
Time commitment
1 Wikidata 101: An Introduction (concluded)
22 April 2024
31 May 2024
5w4d
3 to 4 hours/week
2 Wikidata 101: An Introduction (concluded)
01 July 2024
11 August 2024
5w6d
3 hours/week
3 Wikidata 101: An Introduction (concluded)
01 October 2024
14 November 2024
45 days
3 hours/week
Individual progress may vary. Some participants may complete the course earlier than the estimated duration after starting.
About
The Wikidata open online course is offered by the software communication team at Wikimedia Deutschland. Originally developed in French by Wikimedia France, the course content has been updated and translated into English. This effort aims to make the training material accessible to English-speaking audiences everywhere, ensuring that learners can benefit from it.
Course Structure
Chapter 1 - Introduction
Part 1 - Welcome
Sections:
Outline of the MOOC and the team
Introduce yourself to the Wikidata MOOC community!
FORUM: Your questions about the course
Part 2 - Wikimedia movement and creation of Wikidata
Sections:
What are Wikimedia projects?
Brief history of Wikidata
Traffic and content modifications on Wikidata
FORUM: Your questions about the Wikimedia movement and the creation of Wikidata
Chapter 2 - Understanding knowledge graphs
Part 1 - Introduction to knowledge graphs
Sections:
Introduction
Value / data
Why organise values into data?
Why do we need knowledge graphs?
What can a knowledge graph be used for?
Constraints and consistency
Role of unique identifiers
Examples of unique identifiers
Glossary and summary
FORUM: Your questions about knowledge graphs
Part 2 - Initiation to queries
Sections:
Introduction
Why query a knowledge graph?
What is a query?
Introduction to commands
Query testing
Visualization queries and syntax highlighting
Glossary and summary
FORUM: Your questions about queries
Part 3 - Comprehension assessment
Sections:
Quize
FORUM: Your questions about the quize
Chapter 3 - Discover Wikidata
Part 1 - Introduction to open data
Sections:
Introduction
Definition of open data
Open data, closed data
Right and licence to use
Sharing data
Testing Wikidata's open data
Glossary and summary
FORUM: Your questions about open data
Part 2 - Introduction to the semantic web
Sections:
Introduction
Definition of the semantic web
RDF triplets
The five Linked Open Data stars
The ontology
Ontology on Wikidata
Glossary and summary
FORUM: Your questions on Chapter 5
Part 3 - Presentating Wikidata
Sections:
Introduction
Wikidata, what is it?
A knowledgebase
Data structure in Wikidata
Links between Wikidata and other Wikimedia projects
What is Wikidata used for?
Ready, set, navigate!
Does all data have a place in Wikidata?
Glossary, summary and additional resources
FORUM: Your questions about Wikidata
Part 4 - First steps
Sections:
Introduction
A personal account, why?
Tutorial for creating an account
Setting up your personal page
Exploring new options
The CC-0 license
Modifying your first item
Viewing and using the unique identifier with Réasonator
Glossary and summary
FORUM: Your questions about the first steps
Part 5 - A progress report!
Sections:
A progress report!
Part 6 - Wikidata Discovery Assessment
Sections:
Quiz
FORUM: Your questions about the quiz
Chapter 4 - Contribute to Wikidata
Part 1 - Important announcement
Sections:
New spaces
Part 2 - The Interface
Sections:
Introduction
Discover the interface
Identifier and label
Alias and description
Structure of statements
Properties and property values
Qualifiers, references and ranks
Glossary and summary
FORUM: Your questions about the Interface
Part 3 - Creation of new Items
Sections:
Introduction
Admissibility case studies
Check eligibility
Admissibility case studies
Avoid duplication using the search engine
Create the new Item
Add triples to the new Item
Add references to the new Item
Use Item page history
Modify and delete data
Geotagged Items
Glossary and summary
FORUM: Your questions about creating new Items
Part 4 - The Community
Sections:
Introduction
Social spaces in Wikidata
Contribution statuses
Discussion pages
Where to ask a question?
How does decision-making or an election take place?
Glossary and summary
FORUM: Your questions about the Community
Part 5 - Data quality
Sections:
Introduction
What is data quality?
What is a well-populated Item page?
Constraints
How to correct errors?
Completeness? RECOIN?
The quality of references
ORES and tracking recent changes
Glossary and summary
FORUM: Your questions about data quality
Part 6 - Final assessment
Sections:
Explanations of the assessment
Final exercise report
Chapter 5 - Bonus resources
Part 1 - Scientific bibliography from Wikidata
Section:
Why this bonus?
General information and history of Wikidata
Uses of Wikidata in libraries and research
Internal workings, tools and alignment
Data quality
Frequently Asked Questions
(1) Who is this course for?
Beginners eager to learn Wikidata from scratch.
Individuals in need of a refresher on Wikidata concepts.
Trainers looking to further develop their skills for teaching others.
Click on enroll and complete by signing in with your Wikimedia account.
If you don't have a Wikimedia user account, you'll need to create one to sign in and enroll. To create an account, visit Special:CreateAccount and fill in the required fields
(3) Is the course free?
Yes, the course is completely free of charge.
(4) Is the course self-paced?
Yes, the MOOC operates on a self-paced model without the need for an instructor or teacher guiding the learning process. You can progress through the material at your own speed.
(5) Is there a grading system in place?
Instead of traditional grading, the course utilizes peer assessment, where learners evaluate each other's work. However, it's important to note that a minimum number of participants is required for the peer assessment system to function effectively.
(6) Where can I ask questions during the course?
You can post questions and interact with fellow learners on the community forum within the course platform. Throughout the course, you'll regularly see pointers and links in the discussions on the community forum. Discussions on the community forum will be archived once the course concludes.
(7) Is there anywhere else I can get help outside of the forums in the MOOC?
Yes, for general Wikidata inquiries, you can join the Wikidata Help Telegram channel. Unlike the course forum, the Telegram channel provides a more permanent location for your inquiries.
(8) Where can I give general feedback about the program?
You may leave feedback on the project discussion page: Wikidata talk:Open Online Course, or write directly to mohammed.abdulaiwikimedia.de
(9) Is this course accessible on mobile devices?
Yes, the MOOC is hosted on the Wikimedia Formations platform, which is responsive and accessible on both mobile devices and tablets.
(10) Can I join multiple iterations of the course?
Yes, you can join as many iterations of the course as you like, as long as new course schedules are made available. However, please note that only one iteration will be available at any given time.
(11) Can I receive a certificate of completion for this course?
Yes, participants can receive a digital certificate of completion upon request. To request your certificate, simply tag @masssly in the course forum.
(12) Can I fork the MOOC in my language?
The MOOC is hosted on Wikimedia France servers, and they reserve the rights to the original content and decisions about hosting. However, English text and video subtitles are available upon request. Reach out to Mohammed Abdulai (WMDE) if you need them.