It’s rare that students return to a research paper or project after their work has been graded, and even more rare after their course has ended. That’s the power of a Wikipedia assignment. As instructors and students have recounted, when students learn how to evaluate and contribute to Wikipedia as an assignment, inspiration can reach … Continued
Elysia Webb first started editing Wikipedia as a graduate student at the University of Florida in January 2017. She improved the Wikipedia article about the Florida bonneted bat in Emily Sessa’s Wiki Education-supported course, Principles of Systematic Biology. A few months later, she reflected on our blog about the experience, writing, “The semester that I signed up for my Wikipedia … Continued
Many of the millions who visit Wikipedia every month are looking for information to understand their current political climate. They may be researching candidates or policies related to upcoming midterm elections. Or they may be looking to understand how our history has shaped present day affairs. Encyclopedias and other accessible knowledge resources (like newspapers) are vital … Continued
This spring, Wiki Education began working with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to bring freely licensed, well-researched information to a mass audience on Wikipedia. Several United Nations agencies have published text under an open license for the public’s benefit, and both UNESCO and Wiki Education recognize that this information could reach … Continued
“By writing for Wikipedia — writing in an objective, approachable way using credible sources and meeting the standards of the Wikipedia community — students in the sciences learn to collaborate in writing with a far-flung and purpose-driven community and to use their writing skills and access to scholarly sources to improve public access to science.” … Continued
Highlights Wiki Education was featured in the Chronicle of Higher Education this month, thanks to a great interview with the National Women’s Studies Association’s Allison Kimmich about our Classroom Program. It was an opportunity to show off the great work students have done and the impact of our partnership with NWSA. Courses through our NWSA … Continued
Wiki Education’s Visiting Scholars program connects experienced Wikipedians with academic institutions looking to expand the impact of their library collections. The Wikipedian is given remote access to these collections and then improves Wikipedia articles of interest to both parties. Brown University’s Center for Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage was drawn to the program for the opportunity to … Continued
Dr. Jackie Koerner is a Visiting Scholar partnered with San Francisco State University’s Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability. The Visiting Scholars program connects experienced Wikipedia editors, like Jackie, with access to academic sources. The partnering university thus expands the reach of their collections, and a Wikipedian is better equipped to continue spreading free knowledge. Jackie created … Continued
The Visiting Scholars program connects experienced Wikipedia editors with academic sources they’re looking for to improve their work and workflow. Wiki Education takes care to match these Wikipedians with academic institutions whose collections encompass a topic area of interest. These academic institutions then provide the Wikipedian with remote access to their sources, and expand the reach of … Continued
