The significant issue for discussion is the lower number of women compared to men Wikipedia contributors, that is, those who edit or write articles. A United Nations University research indicated that females are simply 12.6% of Wikipedia contributors (Eckert, Metzger-Riftkin & Nurmis, 2018). This gender gap is related to that in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Females’ lower levels of contribution are due to their low self-confidence, their culturally inspired resistance to seeing themselves as experts, and a low self-perception of their online skills (Eckert, Metzger-Riftkin & Nurmis, 2018). Also, females specified that their failure to add content to Wikipedia is as a result of the negative interactions and concerns over unpleasant experiences. For example, online mistreatment, including sexual harassment and rape extortions, inhibit them from contributing.
Hargittai and Shaw (2015) hold that internet skills are a huge predictor of contributing to Wikipedia. Also, internet skills specify a critical dimension of the gender gap amongst Wikipedia editors. Typically, women tend to possess lower internet skills compared to men, making the gender gap to be persistent. Nonetheless, both low-skilled men and women are greatly unlikely to contribute to Wikipedia. Hence, no gender gap in Wikipedia contribution subsists among people with low internet skills (Hargittai & Shaw, 2015). Normally, efforts are made to enhance the skills of females to have them among Wikipedia contributors. For instance, Eckert, Metzger-Riftkin, and Nurmis (2018) came up with and implemented Wikid Grrls, which is a ten-week after-school workshop to teach online skills to middle school girls in U.S. schools. Subsequently, girls’ online expertise and confidence improved during the workshop. Therefore, media literacy classes entailing online skills ought to be offered regularly in school curricula rather than being in voluntary programs alone. This will ensure the narrowing of gender gaps regarding digital knowledge creation and distribution (Eckert, Metzger-Riftkin & Nurmis, 2018). As such, more females will be recruited among the Wikipedia contributors.
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Analyzing the lower number of women compared to men Wikipedia contributors is significant to me as a high school computer science teacher for grades 9 to 11. This is because, in school, girls portray poor participation and willingness to pursue computer science, robotics, and engineering classes, which are almost exclusively filled by boys. Also, boys make use of computers regularly compared to girls and have better positive feelings about them. On the other hand, girls are more nervous and possess less confidence in the use of computers. This could be attributed to the fact that considerably more males indicate early exposure to computers at home compared to their female counterparts. As such, females end up acquiring fewer internet skills in school, which are vital for them to be among Wikipedia contributors.
To increase the number of women Wikipedia contributors, efforts have to be made to change the attitude of the girl child towards computers for them to acquire the necessary internet skills. This is because Hargittai and Shaw (2015) hold that no gender gap in Wikipedia contribution exists among persons with low internet skills. Hence, given the right support, females can acquire the needed skills and become relevant Wikipedia contributors. First, camping for middle school girls through programs like Wikid Grrls to expose them to other female Computer Scientists will prompt them to realize the significance of computer science education. Therefore, they will take into consideration their skills and experience acquisition process in school. Moreover, schools can work with Tech companies, including Wikipedia, and sponsor computer science students’ events to have the learners excited and meet amazing speakers, enabling them to sharpen their internet skills. Eckert, Metzger-Riftkin, and Nurmis (2018) indicate that women’s voices and knowledge ought to be part of Wikipedia to make the content fair, inclusive and dynamic for all consumers, and uphold the democratic potential of the internet. Hence, hastening computer science studies will enable females to acquire the necessary skills to enable many of them to be among Wikipedia contributors.
References
Eckert, S., Metzger-Riftkin, J., & Nurmis, J. (2018). Teaching Girls Online Skills: Results of the Wikid Grrls Intervention. Journal of Media Literacy Education 1 , 10 (3), 20 - 42.
Hargittai, E., & Shaw, A. (2015). Mind the skills gap: the role of Internet know-how and gender in differentiated contributions to Wikipedia. Information, Communication & Society , 18 (4), 424–442. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2014.957711
