Earlier this month, Wiki Education joined political scientists at the American Political Science Association’s (APSA) annual meeting here in San Francisco. Outreach Manager Samantha Weald and I spent the week discussing the massive gap between what experts know and what the public understands about political science. So many experts research important, interesting topics about governments and political behavior, yet the information can be difficult to understand if you haven’t spent a career devoted to it. That’s where Wikipedia comes in.
Wikipedia often provides a fast, simple way for curious people to enhance their understanding of the world. Since hundreds of millions of people access the website every month, Wiki Education believes it’s critical that the content reflects the current available research about political theory. We have already proven that students can bridge the gap and add the information they’re studying to Wikipedia, amplifying the impact of their education. Now we invite more political science instructors to make this a priority and join our Classroom Program.
Thanks to our partnership with the Midwest Political Science Association, we already created an editing guide for students on how to edit political science articles on Wikipedia. Students using that guide and the suite of tools we offer to instructors teaching with Wikipedia can join thousands of students who have improved Wikipedia’s articles like Arab Spring, warlords, constitutional patriotism, and vaccination policies.
If you’re interested in joining our initiative to bring better political science to the public and engage students in a meaningful assignment, email contact@wikiedu.org.
