Beacon of theology 2011 is a 72 days writing competition in the Wikipedia Bahasa Indonesia. The purpose of this competition is to achieve wikimedia’s vision, specifically to share knowledge freely to everyone. This competition was supported by Jakarta Theological Seminary, Wikimedia Indonesia, and Wikimedia Foundation.
The competition began in February 24, 2011, with an intensive training for all participants and ended in May 6, 2011. All participants of Beacon of theology 2011 competition are students from Jakarta Theological Seminary from varying level of graduate study to post-graduate. The competition restricted participant to write articles mainly in theological subject and other subjects that support theology like philosophy, psychology, etc. The competition used the same system applied in Free Your Knowledge 2010
At the end of this competition, the committee hopes the participants become a Wikipedia contributors who realize that writing and sharing their knowledge are a precious things in their life.
What lessons were learned that could help others succeed in similar projects?
The participants really enjoy this competition. Some of them told that this competition have to be held again next time. Some of participants said that they find that writing is their talent throughout this competition. Danang Kurniawan, the winner of this competition said that he get a lot of knowledge from this competition and would like to share his knowledge more and more.
The dean of Jakarta Theological Seminary said that Jakarta Theological Seminary is very satisfied with this project. He also hope that Jakarta Theological Seminary can build the cooperation again with Wikimedia Indonesia and Wikimedia Foundation for this kind of project.
The most effective way to train the participants, how to understand the writing skill in Wikipedia, is by personal approach and learning by doing.
As the part of Jakarta Theological Seminary, we hope that this project can be a vehicle for all of students to improve their writing skill. Moreover, Wikimedia Indonesia is also satisfied with the result of this project. As the committee, we learn a lot of skill to organize the project like this.
Goal measurement point one and two are too high and too difficult to be achieved. Numbers of students in Jakarta Theological Seminary (graduate students) is only 200 persons. The committee’s target (70 participants) means 30% from all students in Jakarta Theological Seminary.
The result of articles publication toward the churches in Jakarta, Depok, Bogor, and Bekasi is not yet known. Until now, only a few churches give a positive respond.
The big banner is not big enough so that less visible from a distance.
The communication materials using a printed power point is not so effective.
As the committee, we are happy to organize this project. Although we only have a very short preparation times (January-February). The 72 days competition is not a short time and makes us tired. The compensation received by committee cannot pay our mind and fatigue that we spend for this competition. Because of that, we would like to think that the committee are not paid professionally but considered as voluntary. Our fatigues is paid by the fruitful of this competition.
This project is hold in one campus (Jakarta Theological Seminary, not a university). So, this project has a positive and negative side. Positively, the committee can make a personal approach to motivate the participants, train, and help the participants intensively. But negatively, the qualified participants in Beacon of Theology are less than in Free Your Knowledge competition. This can be understood because the participants in Free Your Knowledge competition are the best students in many universities. It is different from Beacon of Theology competition which accepted every student in Jakarta Theological Seminary who interested in.
The committee shall ask the media partnership and sponsor earlier. This overdue was caused by the doubt of the committee. Nevertheless, the sponsor and media partnership said that this project is very interesting and ready to be a sponsor again in the other competition.
What impact did the project have on WMF mission goals of Increased Reach, Increased Quality, Increased Credibility, Increased and Diversified Participation?
Project result in statistic
Planned goal
70 students become a participant
30 participants finishes the competition.
500 new articles written by the participant.
Result
After the project is finish we have these results:
Two former points from the goal’s measurement was not achieved. Only 59 participants followed the training and competition. And only 23 participants finished this competition. Based on the percentage, 38.98% from all participants finished this competition successfully. In comparison with “Free Your Knowledge” competition in 2010 (which involved 10 campuses including STT Jakarta), there were 90 participants, but only 18.88% participants (17 person) finished the competition.
The participants contributed total more than 750 articles within 72 days of the competition - all of the articles, short and long, were in good quality. This achievement is greater than the committee’s goal measurement (500 articles). The participants also improved a quality of numbers of theology articles which were made before this competition.
During the competition, Wikipedia Bahasa Indonesia very active contributors number increase 100%. This project actually impacted wikipedia activity that can be seen clearly through statistic.
From the evaluation by the juries, it is clear that most of participants have a very good writing ability. The articles were made by participants have a good quality with a neutral perspective. Nevertheless, we have to realize that a small numbers of participant have to improved their ability in writing. This can be understood because this competition is intended to give a basic training for every student in Jakarta Theological Seminary who has a passion to be a contributor in the future.
In the middle of this competition, socialization toward the churches was done by the committee. The committee made specific website to publish what we had done within this competition (http://wikimedia.or.id/wiki/Pijar_Teologi_2011). The committee sent the poster and the formal letter to the church and published the articles made by participants to the free social network such as facebook and mailing-list. The participants also participate in this socialization. The participants publish their own article in their facebook and mailing list. This fact was shown us that the committee and participants working together to introduce Wikipedia and to share the knowledge freely.
At the same time, BPK Gunung Mulia publisher and Inspirasi magazine become our media partner. We set the poster and banner in BPK Gunung Mulia bookstore at the end of competition. This project is also published periodically in Saat Teduh Daily Devotional book Facebook account and Inspirasi Magazine. The committee also notes that more than 100 people give appreciation toward this project for every time these articles are published in Saat Teduh Facebook account. The committee also sent the poster and letter to the churches in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, and Bekasi areas. Unfortunately, we still cannot identify the efficiency of our efforts in this socialization.
Will you be requesting re-allocation of remaining grant funding?
Since our project only funded less than a half and there is also a devaluation of US$ to Rupiahs, we don't have remaining fund to re-allocate.
