Commons:OpenRefine/Training 2023-24

 About How to: upload files How to: edit files Advanced tips and tricks Training Projects 

OpenRefine is an open source, very flexible power tool to work with data, clean it, transform it, and move it from one data repository to another. It is widely used by data scientists, data journalists, cultural institutions and other professionals working with data. OpenRefine is also a popular tool to batch upload and batch edit data on Wikidata.

Since 2022, with support from a Wikimedia grant, it is possible to use OpenRefine to batch edit and upload files on Wikimedia Commons, with a focus on adding multilingual, linked, structured data to the files on Commons.

This new Wikimedia Commons functionality in OpenRefine is especially useful for cultural institutions who want to upload files to Commons with linked, structured data. OpenRefine offers powerful import functionalities from various data formats (csv, tsv, Excel sheets, XML…) and APIs (for those cultural institutions which use these). It also allows revisiting existing Wikimedia Commons files, improving their metadata, and adding multilingual structured data to them. Wikimedians in general can also use OpenRefine to batch upload their own or externally-hosted files to Wikimedia Commons.

For 2023-24, as part of its support for Wikimedia Commons, the Wikimedia Foundation has funded OpenRefine for bug fixes to its Commons features, for a train-the-trainer program, documentation, and a WikiLearn course.

Train-the-trainer course, 2023-24

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OpenRefine-Wikimedia train-the-trainer course, November 2023 until April 2024.

From November 2023 until April 2024, there was an intensive online train-the-trainer course for candidate OpenRefine-Wikimedia trainers. Read more on the dedicated info page.

  • September 1 until 15, 2023: registration period
  • November 1, 2023 until April 30, 2024: train-the-trainer course
  • May 2024: newly certified OpenRefine-Wikimedia Commons trainers are listed on meta.wikimedia.org

Documentation and how-tos

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General information about OpenRefine for Wikimedia Commons has been updated at Commons:OpenRefine. This page links to several updated resources:

Log of activities

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When Activity Link(s)
2024-06-25 Final report of training and documentation part of this grant is published. Final report
2024-04-30 Train-the-trainer course has concluded and new certified Wikimedia-OpenRefine trainers are listed on meta.wikimedia.org Info page about OpenRefine with trainers and training resources
2024-03-14 Wikimedia Sverige started working on the feature to enable upload of larger files (>100MB) to Wikimedia Commons. GitHub issue
2024-03 WikiLearn course OpenRefine for Wikimedia Commons: the basics is launched WikiLearn course
2024-02-10 Newly designed general Wikimedia info pages published on meta.wikimedia.org OpenRefine and Wikimedia overview on meta.wikimedia.org
2024-01-31 Midpoint report of this grant and project is published. Midpoint report
2024-01-14 A beta version of a WikiLearn course for OpenRefine and Wikimedia Commons is ready for beta testing. Beta course link (only for invited testers)
2024-01-14 Improved documentation and how-tos on using OpenRefine for Wikimedia Commons are published. Based on feedback from the user surveys, these resources contain short, translatable video demos. Commons:OpenRefine and subpages: How to upload files / How to edit files / Advanced tips and tricks
2023-12-10 Results of the two user surveys published: usage of OpenRefine's Wikimedia Commons features, and users' priorities. Report of the surveys on OpenRefine's forum.
2023-10-05 Launch of two surveys to learn more about usage of OpenRefine's Wikimedia Commons features and about users' priorities. Example invitation to participate in surveys via a talk page / First survey / Second survey
2023-10-01 A group of ~16 train-the-trainer course participants has been selected and notified. The list of participants is available on the course page.
2023-09-12 Analysis of uptake of the Wikimedia Commons features in OpenRefine. Report of the analysis on OpenRefine's forum.
2023-08-31 Announcement of train-the-trainer course. Registration period for this course starts. Info page about the course / registration form
2023-07-21 This info page is published. This page :-)