Crowdsourcing has become a normal trend, but some still argue its potential for education. This is due to the fact that it relies on expertise from non experts who possibly act out of emotions which tend to lead to bias. However, some projects have proved fruitful which show that the public is a great resource to be exploited.
My efforts to get a Cameroonian artist into Wikipedia was one of the most challenging activities I had to undertake. Being an avid blogger and a proponent of quality entertainment, I made it a goal to see into it that Stanley Enow got into the site.
It was an inside and outside challenge as I faced both internal and external hindrances. Externally, I had to get people who didn't even know about him to write articles and submit to Wikipedia. This proved tedious as I had to constantly remind them, which almost made me a stalker.
Internally, I had to contact other bloggers to submit verified fact about the artist, as it was almost impossible to get to him due to his tight schedule. Also, most people became jealous of the attention he was getting and decided to sabotage the project.
Consequently, when the artist was nominated, his recognition leaped and so I was able to convincingly persuade people to write, and they willingly did so. Finally, Wikipedia included him which made him the first Cameroonian youth to feature in Wikipedia.
The role of others in the project was very vital, as I alone could not have managed to realise the project. I found out that all the articled I had been writing were taken into account and the information used in the final article of the artist.
In order to understand why some people are willing to engage in the crowdsourcing effort, I had a chat with a fellow blogger-turned-participant. Here is the chat (from Facebook) on how he felt about participating in crowdsourcing projects:
Me: Hello sir, nice to finally meet you
Baba: Hello Hansel, Good day.
Me: Finally got hold of you.
Baba: Yes, sorry for the unanswered calls.
Me: No problem, well, straight to the point.
Baba: Ok oh
Me: Have you realised that we as Cameroonian bloggers need to put showbiz into the map?
Baba: How do you mean?
Me: I think the world should know more about Cameroon's budding arts and
culture.
Baba: Oh, that's true. But how?
Me: Are you a registered contributor on Wikipedia?
Baba: Yes, but I'm trying to get myself there.
Me: How?
Baba: I want to be on Wikipedia too
Me: Everyone wants to be on Wikipedia. One at a time. I think we should get
Stanley Enow on Wikipedia. It will boost his career and Cameroon's image.
Baba: What's in it for me? Are you getting paid by him?
Me: No. I wish. lol. I'm doing it cos you know how much I love
entertainment. Plus, it's a school project.
Baba: Ah, ok.
Me: Do you often join crowdsourcing projects?
Baba: Yes, I joined one that allows one to download trial games, play and
report any faults in programming.
Me: and I'm sure you joined that because you're an avid gamer.
Baba: Of course. You know me.
Me: Ok, back to the issue, I know you are also a blogger. That is why i
want you to write a good article about Stanley Enow and submit it to the
Wikipedia team. Contact your fellow bloggers in the Diaspora to do same. It
might help.
Baba: You know those people, they will start asking many questions and
eventually drop the whole stuff.
Me: Why do you say so?
Baba: They believe that we are inferior to them. They only engage in high
class activities and politics.
Me: Tell them it's about reviving our culture.
Baba: I'm telling you, those people don't even listen to hip hop. They are
old fashioned.
Me: Anyway, just give me their contcts and I will get to them.
Baba: Ok, I will inbox.
Me: So are you joining the project?
Baba: Hmmm. Ok, no problem. But do you know how long I have been trying to
get myself into Wikipedia?
Me: I know. I tried it too. It takes more than one person to do so, trust
me. That's why I want us to rally behind Stanley Enow and make this a dream
come true.
Baba: Ok, no prob. I'll start working on it as soon as I am done writing
about our National Team and the World Cup.
Me: Good luck, and thanks for your time.
Baba: You're welcome
bro. Be safe.
Secondly, some people will expect financial compensation in order to partake in activities that are of little or no interest to them. This financial motivation will spur their interest and 'bribe' them into acting according to the wishes of the initiator of a crowdsourcing project.
In the end, one finds out that people who think alike always identify with each other, and it is this bond that serves as a massive voice that can impact change and influence decisions. The power of the public should not be taken too seriously but on the other hand should not be ignored because they help shape the emergence of better products.
Stanley Enow's Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Enow
Viral and contagious: Wisdom of Crowd: Crowdsourcing, Ushahidi, Twitter and Black Twitter, FB, Kickstarter
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/10/04/101004fa_fact_gladwell?currentPage=all
www.wikipedia.com/ngwanehansel
Falcioni, John G. "Project
Crowdsourcing." Mechanical
Engineering 132.12 (2010): 6-. ABI/INFORM Complete. Web. 2 Oct. 2011.
