Around 9 out of 10 of the editors on Wikipedia are male. What this means is that articles are shaped by one voice, and missing the diversity of content that different perspectives bring. Wikipedia articles on women are more likely to be missing than Wikipedia articles on men (compared to other encyclopedias). It’s natural: When … Continued
We’re very excited to have members of our staff in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this week! On November 5 and 6, Louisiana State University’s Communication Across the Curriculum (CxC) department and the Wiki Education Foundation are co-hosting “Wikipedia-Palooza,” a series of workshops focused exclusively on Wikipedia and education. Our participation is a part of our partnership … Continued
One of the most important lessons in education is that the work you submit must be your own. Wikipedia is no different, but some students seem to stumble into plagiarism when they embark on their course assignments. Finding good resources is a crucial step in most Wikipedia assignments. These resources serve as the backbone … Continued
As part of our commitment to improving the quality of the resources we offer to instructors and students, we’ve revised and updated seven of our classroom handouts. The new versions explain Wikipedia’s policies and procedures in a way student editors can understand. All of these handouts can be downloaded as single .pdf documents by clicking on the links to the right … Continued
We’re well into the fall term now, and student editors will be breaking out of sandboxes and into Wikipedia’s article namespace to edit and create articles. As they do so, many will want to add images or other illustrations to the articles they’re working on. One of the first issues instructors may encounter as students begin editing … Continued
Two pieces caught our attention this week, both focusing on using Wikipedia in the classroom, one from a student’s perspective and one from an instructor’s. Dariusz Jemielniak’s piece, “Wikipedia, a Professor’s Best Friend,” in the Chronicle of Higher Education, notes the American Sociological Association’s Wikipedia Initiative as a sign of “a closer collaboration between academia … Continued
1. Highlights The staff moved into our first office, half of a two-story historic 19th century officer’s home in The Presidio of San Francisco. We’re getting up to speed by adding new furniture daily and are excited to collaborate together in person. Two staff members have joined the Programs Department. Helaine Blumenthal is the new … Continued
“If you can’t communicate science,” Randy Olson wrote, “then you may as well not have done it.” Explaining research to the public is a challenge for many scientists. One way the Wiki Education Foundation’s Classroom Program can enhance class assignments is by encouraging students to consider science communication issues while conducting their research. Ariana Hall … Continued
