I’m pleased to announce that Wiki Education has signed a partnership with the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM). AWM encourages women and girls to study and have active careers in mathematical fields. They promote equal opportunity and treatment of women in math. That mission has significant overlap with our own. In Wiki Education’s effort … Continued
This week, I’ll join members of the National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA) at the annual conference in Montreal, Quebec. In December 2014, the National Women’s Studies Association and Wiki Education began a partnership to improve Wikipedia’s underrepresentation of topics related to women and women’s studies. Instructors assign students to expand or create articles related to … Continued
This fall, the Wiki Education Foundation is working with nearly 250 instructors in our Classroom Program at more than 160 colleges and universities. That’s a lot of classes and students engaging with Wikipedia, but some of our instructors don’t think it’s enough. In fact, we often hear this sentiment: With an assignment that provides a … Continued
Last Tuesday, Director of Programs LiAnna Davis and I visited the University of California, San Diego. We spoke with librarians and faculty about how they can bring their work to Wikipedia. When students contribute to Wikipedia as part of a class assignment, everybody benefits. Students bring the power of their libraries to Wikipedia by adding peer-reviewed, … Continued
Today is Ada Lovelace Day, an initiative that honors the contributions of Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer, and encourages women to participate in STEM fields. Wiki Ed’s Wikipedia Year of Science initiative’s goal is to improve coverage of science topics, especially women scientists. To connect these two initiatives this year, Wiki Ed is supporting … Continued
Last week, Executive Director Frank Schulenburg and I visited the University of Mississippi, hosted by Dr. Robert Cummings (also a Wiki Ed board member) and the Department of Writing and Rhetoric. We presented to faculty at a luncheon about why Wikipedia matters to students and instructors alike. Frank recalled growing up without access to printed … Continued
When students study a new topic, they often turn to a search engine to get a better understanding of the topic. Those search results take them to Wikipedia, where (hopefully) they find a comprehensive and understandable summary. As they begin to understand the concept, they scroll to the bottom to find sources for further reading. … Continued
When a person think about genetics, she’s often interested in how the study of genes applies to her, her family, or her community. From whom did she inherit a particular trait? Did a genetic mutation lead to her grandmother’s medical condition? How does her genetic makeup inform her ancestry? People looking for better context for … Continued
We started the Year of Science because we see Wikipedia as a vehicle for science outreach to the public. Scientists often do contribute to Wikipedia. It’s a way to bring knowledge about their field to the public. But many don’t have the time to edit as much as they’d like. That’s why instructors consider writing … Continued
