Do I need advanced Wikipedia permissions to take this course?
No. This course is intended for editors who want to understand and begin practicing patrolling actions. It does not assume that you already hold advanced user rights.
Introduction to patrolling
Wikimedia-Foundation
Enrollment in this course is by invitation only
Introduction to Patrolling
A practical introduction to patrolling on English Wikipedia through care, judgment, and community participation.
3 self-directed modules + 2 synchronous sessions
4–6 hours over 3 weeks
3 short assignments
Introduction to Patrolling is designed for Wikipedians who want to better understand how patrolling supports the health, reliability, and sustainability of English Wikipedia. Rather than presenting patrolling only as a technical or specialized task, this course introduces it as a set of practical actions that help care for the encyclopedia and the people who contribute to it.
Throughout the course, learners will explore how patrolling can take different forms, from reviewing recent edits to supporting newer contributors. The course is built to help learners recognize the value of patrolling activities while building confidence to explore new ways of patrolling on English Wikipedia.
Through self-directed modules, quizzes, and live sessions, learners will gain a clearer understanding of patrolling workflows, tools, and the many small but meaningful ways to participate in this work on English Wikipedia.
What you’ll learn
By the time you complete this course, you’ll be able to:
- Understand patrolling as a broad practice of quality control, care, and community support on Wikipedia.
- Identify common patrolling workflows and the tools that support them.
- Apply judgment when deciding how to respond to common patrolling situations.
- Complete a small on-wiki patrolling action and reflect on your next steps.
Course outline
Module 0: Introduction | 15 minutes
Module 1: Wikipedia patrolling basics | 45 minutes
Module 2: Patrolling tools and workflows | 1.5 hours
Module 3: Patrolling in action | 1 hour
Design and authorship
This course was co-authored by Bridgit Kurgat, Euphemia Uwandu, Giovanna Fontenelle, Sam Walton, Chinonso Chidi, Rae Adimer, and Melissa Guadalupe Huertas.
The instructional strategy and course design were developed by Melissa Guadalupe Huertas and Anamaría Espinoza.
Requirements
This course is intended for learners who already have some experience editing English Wikipedia and who are familiar with its core policies, community practices, and editing environment.
It is especially suitable for editors who want to deepen their participation through patrolling-related work. If you are completely new to Wikipedia, you may want to begin with a more introductory course first and return to this at a later time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this course grant official patrolling rights?
No. Completing the course does not grant official user rights on Wikipedia. It is a learning experience designed to help participants understand the practice and develop confidence.
How much time should I plan for the course?
You should plan for approximately 4–6 hours over 3 weeks, including the synchronous welcome and wrap-up sessions.
What web browser should I use?
The WikiLearn platform works best with current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari.