In this episode, Julian, Justin, and Nicole speak with Will Kent, the Wikidata Program Manager at Wiki Education. Will enlightened us about the uses, extensions, and applications for Wikidata, but also the critical need for open-access repositories of data -- like Wikidata. We also hear from Will about some entry and higher-level Wikidata pedagogical activities in the classroom. Following up on his talks with Graphic Possibilities, Will tells us about some really incredible groups working with Wikidata, including Black Lunchtable and Women in Red, collectives that are engaging with Wikipedia to enact discursive action by reclaiming digital spaces and recovering erased voices of black artists and women, respectively. Finally, we ask Will the big question: "How does working with Wikidata further our understanding of something we're working on?" To our surprise, Will has three answers right away -- listen in to find out what he has to say, and join us on April 22nd, 2021 for our follow-up Wikidata event!
Will Kent is the Wikidata Program Manager at Wiki Education. He leads online courses that cover Wikidata fundamentals, community norms, and best practices. These courses also encourage attendees to contribute new data to Wikidata, helping to build a more representative, equitable, and accurate linked data version of our world.
He is also the Program Manager for the Wiki Scholars and Scientists program, which trains academics and professionals how to contribute to Wikipedia in their areas of expertise. Prior to Wiki Education, Will was a librarian. He is excited to travel and see live music again when the pandemic ends. You can learn more about his courses at learn.wikiedu.org
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