Whitney Lew James is an associate teaching professor in the University Writing Program at the University of Notre Dame. Dr. James has incorporated the Wikipedia assignment into her courses since 2024.
In the age of AI, has the Wikipedia assignment played a role in how you think about teaching research, source evaluation, and writing? If so, how?
I integrated the Wikipedia assignment into my course as the main research project just as genAI chatbots were becoming ubiquitous, and this was a very happy coincidence. From the beginning, Wikipedia drew me in because it helps students develop information literacy and practice collaborative writing. This has been strongly reinforced as genAI use spreads and increases. The Wikipedia assignment is an invaluable learning experience for students because it gives them real world experience collaborating with others and sharing their research with the public.
In the context of AI, how does the Wikipedia assignment compare to a traditional assignment?
I used the Wikipedia assignment as a replacement for a literature review-style essay because both emphasize research synthesis over explicit argumentation. As a form of public writing, Wikipedia assignments are much more relevant to students. The responsibility of accurately sharing information with the public makes this both a higher stakes and more rewarding assignment than a traditional research assignment that is produced only for professors. Because the Wikipedia community demands human-generated content, students are more likely to take this seriously, rather than a traditional assignment whose rules and expectations are only established and enforced by the instructor.
Were there any moments this term where student work was flagged as potential AI text, and it became a learning opportunity?
As an instructor, I’ve learned a lot about students’ understanding of what “using genAI” is through the flagging. I teach first-year students and they often have an unclear idea of what constitutes using genAI in writing and sometimes very different ideas than I do. Being able to have conversations with students about how they are and are not to use genAI helps me learn about how genAI is being used and discussed in their other courses, disciplines, and the wider world. I would say I’ve learned just as much as students have through this process.
Did you notice any shift in how your students thought about knowledge production and AI throughout the project?
I pair the Wikipedia assignment with library sessions focused on the concept of research as a conversation. Together, these help students understand that research is an ongoing process that incorporates multiple viewpoints, rather than a task to be completed once to find sources that support your existing viewpoint. The emphasis on citation on Wikipedia also helps students understand the value of knowing where your information is coming from. When other Wikipedians flag their sources as low quality, they learn how seriously they need to examine their sources, which can be really difficult given the ever-expanding media landscape.
What advice would you give to a professor incorporating a Wikipedia assignment for the first time?
Go for it! Don’t be afraid. Learn with your students. In terms of genAI and Wikipedia, take the time to talk to your students about what genAI is and why it is not used on Wikipedia. Be clear about how the genAI detectors work, why they are being used by Wiki Education, and how you will respond to text being flagged. There is so much anxiety and confusion about genAI and genAI detectors, so it is important to not let this erode trust between instructors and students.
Learn more about how Wiki Education handles generative AI usage, why verifiability remains a top concern, and what we’re doing moving forward in this recent blog post.
Interested in incorporating a Wikipedia assignment into your course? Visit teach.wikiedu.org to learn more about the free resources, digital tools, and staff support that Wiki Education offers to postsecondary instructors in the United States and Canada.
Want to learn more about AI and Wikipedia? Our next edition of our Speaker Series is themed around just that, and will feature Dr. James as a panelist! Save the date: Wednesday, September 2, at 10 am Pacific / 1 pm Eastern. Sign up to be notified about this webinar and future Speaker Series events at www.wikiedu.org/speaker-series
