These scientists are improving the public’s knowledge of science
When members of the public read of a new astronomical discovery, learn about a unique endangered animal, fact-check claims about climate change, or educate themselves about an illness, Wikipedia is often their first stop. The encyclopedia that anyone can edit provides a wealth of information on a wide range of topic areas, but also presents many opportunities … Continued
How chemistry students can benefit the world right now
Dr. Irene Chen gave her chemistry students a unique opportunity to practice science communication. She incorporated a Wikipedia writing assignment into her course at UC Santa Barbara this last fall. The course discussed major breakthroughs in nucleic acids research – information that students then channeled into relevant Wikipedia articles where details were missing. Eight students added a … Continued
When students become experts and experts become students
Now that Wiki Education is regularly supporting around 400 Wikipedia assignments each term, it would be easy for us to simply leave well enough alone. Term after term, the vast majority of instructors (over 90%) indicate that they will run another Wikipedia assignment with many of those making it a mainstay of their pedagogical repertoire. … Continued
Teaching students how to communicate science
Thais Morata and Erin Haynes at the University of Cincinnati recognize the importance of students having robust science communication skills. So last Fall 2018, they incorporated a Wikipedia writing assignment into their course where students could expand Wikipedia pages about science topics that were interesting to them. The course, Communicating Your Science, “will enable students in … Continued
Students write 50 Wikipedia biographies of women in STEM in less than a year
In Fall 2018, Dr Rebecca Barnes of Colorado College began asking her environmental science students to write Wikipedia pages for women scientists. In response, her students have risen to the occasion, producing a total of 52 new biographies for women in a wide variety of STEM fields since then. “I am excited for my students … Continued
Make sure every woman in science has a Wikipedia bio
When young women see women in STEM succeed and thrive, they feel empowered to follow their passions into those careers as well. The gender imbalance of STEM fields is not only a daunting, self-reinforcing cycle, but also a barrier to new scientific discovery (diversity and inclusion make a difference!). It’s something that must be corrected … Continued
Wikipedia offers a solution for teaching critical media literacy
“I call my senators, I vote, I donate to the ACLU, and now, I edit Wikipedia.” Students lack the critical media skills they need to navigate our increasingly digital society. That’s what Stanford Graduate School of Education determined in their 2016 study of media literacy in youth. Participating students were unable to identify credible sources … Continued
Information science students participate in Wikipedia’s living archive
As we go about our daily lives we create and consume things of archival interest. Some items are meant to be kept and revisited many times over, such as websites, books, film, and music. Items like email, letters, and work documents, may be kept for sentimental or reference reasons. And others may be ephemera intended … Continued
Experimenting with Wikipedia as a woman in STEM
Chelsea Sutcliffe is a post-doctoral research fellow in earth sciences at the University of Toronto. She completed our recent professional development course in order to improve Wikipedia’s representation of women in STEM. Here she shares her biggest take-aways. Late last year an email was sent around to the members of an academic organization I am affiliated with, … Continued
Why this professor will “never go back to term papers”
It’s not every day that a student takes the time to officially thank their professor for a great project. But that’s what Madeleine Hardt, Dr. Jennifer Glass’ student at Georgia Institute of Technology, did after learning how to write Wikipedia articles as a class assignment. The thank you came in the form of a certificate of appreciation … Continued