The Wiki Education Foundation is a wholly independent non-profit organization. Donations off banners at the top of Wikipedia articles don’t go to us (only donations at wikiedu.org/donate do). We don’t charge our program participants for our services (although support is always appreciated!).
Instead, we rely on your enthusiasm to help us grow.
We know time is a scarce resource in academia. So we’re sharing five easy ways for busy instructors to help Wiki Ed grow, which will help us provide better tools, support, and ideas for the future.
1. Have a conversation.
One of the most powerful drivers for new courses is word of mouth recommendations from trusted colleagues. If you’ve taught with us, and you feel enthusiastic about the assignment, we’d love if you mentioned it to a colleague in your school. Talk honestly about your experiences, your challenges, and the outcomes you found most valuable. Then, follow up with an e-mail. You can link to our teaching resources, and there’s a contact form there to get if they’re interested. Of course, you can always send them an email, copied to a Wiki Ed staff member you work with or contact@wikiedu.org.
2. Post about us to an academic community.
Are you part of an academic community or mailing list? Writing up a paragraph or two about your experience (or your students’ experiences) and linking to our resources is a major boost. Let us know if you do, and we can help answer questions as they come up.
3. Write a blog post.
Do you have a blog, column, or a hankering to write for an academic association’s blog or journal? If you’re open to sharing ideas about pedagogy with others in your field, we’d love if you mentioned the benefits of the Wikipedia assignment, and the tools we offer. Let us know if you do, so we can help spread the word! We’d love to share your ideas on this blog, too. Get in touch with us: contact@wikiedu.org.
4. Share our resources and posts on social media.
Do you have a favorite Wiki Ed blog post, tool, or resource? Why not share it on Facebook or Twitter? (May we recommend a few? 15 years of Wikipedia and education, Why Wikipedia matters to women in science, 5 reasons a Wikipedia assignment is better than a term paper, and The slow, necessary death of the research paper are just some of our more recent favorites!)
5. Teach with us.
Some of you also may be teaching with Wikipedia, but haven’t connected to us. That means you’re potentially missing out on resources and tools that can improve your students’ experiences and learning outcomes. That includes free print and online teaching materials, online trainings and orientations, and a staff on hand to support the Wikipedia side of your assignment.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably already interested in what Wikipedia can do for your classroom. Maybe you’re interested, but haven’t been ready to make the leap. If that’s you, reach out! We’re still seeking instructors in higher ed in the US and Canada for fall term, and we’d be happy to start a conversation about building a course that fits your needs.
Interested in getting involved? Drop us a line: contact@wikiedu.org.
