Wikijunior: Difference between revisions

Other languages: Template:TR-Wikijunior

A while ago, the Beck Foundation approached the Wikimedia Foundation, inquiring about whether we would be able to use our resources to develop educational material for a younger audience. We responded that we would be interested in such a project, and that our materials can be adapted for children. A proposal was sent, and we received a 10,000ドル grant to develop the project (see October 16, 2004 board meeting). Thus was born Wikijunior. Before delving into the details of the project, it should be noted that this is a working title, and suggestions for a better name are welcome.

See Wikijunior/2005 Beck Foundation grant

The idea behind Wikijunior is to produce a series of full-color glossy booklets (48 pp.; 8 1⁄2 x 11) for a young audience (ages 8-11) on a variety of topics that interest kids. This can include Astronomy, Animals, Dinosaurs, Countries of the World, Science, History, and virtually anything else we can think of. The books will not be comprehensive. Instead, they can form various subseries, such as African Mammals, Jurassic Carnivores, South America, the French Revolution, etc. These will also be numbered (e.g., African Mammals 1-5).

These booklets will be richly illustrated with photographs, diagrams, sketches, and original drawings. They should be appealing to kids, and the writing should be light and friendly. The texts will also follow a format, so that each article, while different, will also have certain common features, so that kids can flip through the different articles and find the themes that are of especial interest to them. This can be achieved by replacing standard Wikipedia headers with questions. (e.g., Where do lions/giraffes/elephants live?)

Wikijunior will also have an extensive online component. Like any Wiki project, they will be developed online, and the community will create, edit, and verify the content.

There will, however, be certain basic differences.

1. All content must be verified. Sources should be given in the talk page for any additions made to the text.
2. Uniform spelling will be adopted. This can be either British or American, but it is unfair to confuse kids. Editions might be made in British and American versions, if necessary.
3. There will be NO POV warring, and the content, for the most part, will not be conducive to POV warring. Nor will there be any material that qualified educators deem inappropriate for children of that age. In other words, even if we do something on human reproduction, it will be done tastefully, without any references to specifics of the exterior process of intercourse.
4. The online version will also have a special area for kids to ask questions. They will then be directed to the appropriate articles or article segments. In the event that the material is missing, we will do what we can to amend that.
5. The website that is accessible to kids will not be identical to the website accessible to contributors. That will avoid having kids who are just trying to do their homework get caught up in flame wars, personal attacks, and other assorted nonsense (you know exactly what I mean).

Our plan calls for these books to be distributed worldwide. A token fee may be requested, based on where they are being distributed, i.e., the fee in Uzbekistan will not be the same as the fee in London. Prices should be affordable to kids, not to their parents.

Wikijunior will be written in English at first, since the grant is for English-language version. However, we strongly encourage translation into other languages. Highest priority will be given to Latin American Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic, because of other potential grant opportunities. Priority means that the Wikimedia Foundation will consider funding a print run in those languages before a print run in Klingon or Gothic.

Special consideration will be given to information that will be of value or interest to children in developing countries, since that is a primary target for this project.

1. Create a wordmark or logo based on (or just including) that name... see Wikijunior project logo
2. Choose the topics for the first volumes: Done; They are...
   • b:Wikijunior Big Cats
   • b:Wikijunior Solar System
   • b:Wikijunior South America
3. Select the content that will be used in the first volumes.
4. Select the uniform question that will appear throughout the volumes.
5. Create a sample spread (4 pp.).
6. Submit to educators for comment.
7. Budgeting.

• Kiki recurring character proposal (Designs, Voting archives)
• Wikijunior/Project name , name selected

• Print language selection
• Establishing primary categories
• Moving to Wikibooks

• Wikijunior/Educators (Finding educators to review the project content)
• Wikijunior/Printing
• Wikijunior/Distribution

(see also Proposal)

see Wikijunior interested participants

*NOTE*: This list is more of historical interest as the project is already going quite well on Wikibooks. If you want to participate, rather than add your name to the list, simple go to Wikibooks and start adding content and help with the editing process to prepare some Wikijunior books for formal publication.

This list is to record people who support the project, but are not currently interested in contributing.

1. I doubt I will have time to participate (would in french though), but I just wanted to mention I supported the project greatly. Anthere 02:23, 25 Oct 2004 (UTC)
2. Not sure how much I'll be able to help, but it sounds like a great project. Anthony DiPierro

   (削除) so, kinda like wikireaders for kids, yeah? sounds good. The bellman 04:18, 27 Oct 2004 (UTC) (削除ここまで) moved to Interested Participants

3. Yann 13:19, 8 Nov 2004 (UTC)
4. I wont be able to participate in english, but I'm interested to see if it works, for a future french version Guil 15:52, 8 Nov 2004 (UTC)
5. Great project, I'm looking forward to the French version. Deviles 07:11, 9 Nov 2004 (UTC)
6. Why not one more french, let's see how it works ... Tipiac 00:31, 11 Nov 2004 (UTC)
7. Good idea. --Mero 12:22, 31 Dec 2004 (UTC)
8. Cool, hope it works out Dan100 19:40, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC)
9. I'd like to help, but I don't see how...but I am just coming out of the age group, so I would look forward to reading it! ~ Lewis1350 (talk | @) 03:28, 2005 Feb 18 (UTC)
10. Waerth 07:39, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC)
11. Sylvano 13:55, 3 Jun 2005 (UTC) A good way .
12. Hailey I think this will be great, how about a CD rom, a TV show, or a DVD aimed at kids, that would be great, I just hope it's as good as the "Big People" Wikipedia!
13. Not so sure about Wikijunior but is there a Wikiversity for High School? Since I have graduated out of it I think it will be a good idea if I cna help out. Chinmaya
14. (削除) I'd love to help, especially with making the language kid-friendly. And i'm just leaving that age range too, so all the better! --Quadraxis 02:53, 30 Jun 2005 (UTC) (削除ここまで) Moved to Interested participants
15. Thorpe 14:29, 15 August 2005 (UTC) - would love to help out. I already improve on the Simple English Wikipedia.[reply ]
16. WikiFan04 6:16, 30 August 2005 (CDT) - I would be glad to help out! I help out on the Simple English Wikipedia, like Thorpe. I do think that we need to have different books for different ages, though, because an eleven year old may not want to read a book intended for an eight-year old.
17. ··gracefool |☺ 21:43, 26 October 2005 (UTC) [reply ]
18. -- Pietro ^Dn 19:34, 22 February 2006 (UTC) [reply ]
19. --Europa 03:57, 9 June 2006 (UTC) [reply ]

1. Node ue 07:56, 7 October 2005 (UTC) [reply ]
   • Why do you oppose the wikijunior project? And why begin at such a late date? --SV Resolution(Talk) 23:28, 9 October 2005 (UTC) [reply ]

While it is exciting to see a bunch of people interested in Wikijunior, it is time that things actually happen. English Wikijunior is a very strong project with daily edits happening at least somewhere within one of the Wikijunior books right now. Organization issues that pertain just to the material itself should take place on Wikibooks instead of Meta at the moment. This set of pages is more for general discussions that affect all languages and suggested policies that could be implemented in all languages. It is important that rather than discussing what could be happening, that instead you should be bold and make things happen. At least that is what I'm trying to do here. --Roberth 01:46, 17 August 2005 (UTC) [reply ]

Actually, once we've actually come to a conclusion on a final name for the project, I was going to get us our own development domain, seperate from Wikibooks. -- user:zanimum]

If that is the case, Wikijunior really needs to be a Proposed New Project. Wikibooks is not an "incubator" wiki for new project ideas, as the whole discussion about Wikiversity has demonstrated. There doesn't seem to be the same push to move Wikijunior off of Wikibooks as fast as it has with Wikiversity in part because Wikijunior has "played nice" with Wikibooks, and it could be argued that the seperate sections can be considered "books" in a loose sense. There are a number of contributors to Wikijunior on Wikibooks that aren't even aware that the Meta discussion pages even exist, and yes, I have had contact with them. It is also time to be bold and not get bogged down in political discussion that prevent you from actually getting the main goals of the project accomplished. Naming a project should not be a major long-term goal. (Feel free to move this to the discussion pages if you think it is inappropriate here.) --Roberth 05:03, 18 August 2005 (UTC) [reply ]

Please, note that french version of Wikijunior just start (restart?) on Wikibooks fr : The main Wikijunior's page, The project's page. join us! --Boly38 00:01, 9 January 2006 (UTC) [reply ]