Student says “more universities need to participate” in editing Wikipedia
When Jay Rowland heard he would be adding content to Wikipedia as a class assignment, he was excited for what he would learn. “I thought that it would be good to learn how to edit Wikipedia articles,” says Jay. Wikipedia is a resource that students use all the time, but often without the robust digital … Continued
Changing students and the world: why instructors continue to teach with Wikipedia
Term after term, virtually all of the instructors who participate in our Classroom Program (between 97 and 99%) indicate that they will run another Wikipedia assignment in the near future. While we’re happy to report this success year after year, a far more interesting story is why so many instructors adopt the Wikipedia assignment as a main-stay … Continued
An assignment that inspires students beyond the classroom
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
Natural-born Wikipedian got her start in a Wiki Education-supported course
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
Finding agency and building confidence through a Wikipedia assignment
Looking through posts by guest contributors on our blog, one might notice a few patterns. Many professors reflect on their Wikipedia assignment somewhat in awe of what it has inspired in their students. In general, they find that students feel invested in the process of learning about Wikipedia and excited by the opportunity to present their work … Continued
What happens when you reach out to Wiki Education?
We know that shaking up your curriculum can be pretty daunting. So we wanted to demystify some of what happens when you start a conversation with us about teaching with Wikipedia. To answer a very common question first: Yes, all of the following is provided for free. We don’t even have services you could pay … Continued
How Geobiology came to Wikipedia
We hear many stories of scientists visiting Wikipedia, only to find that knowledge related to their field is missing. A chemist may find certain compounds don’t have an article; a zoologist is likely to find a species of bird isn’t well described. That’s one of the things that inspired us to focus so much energy … Continued
Emerson performing arts students expand Wikipedia’s coverage of playwrights
Every empty Wikipedia article tells a story. When the public turns to Wikipedia for knowledge and nothing comes back, it tells us something about knowledge, culture, and science. Who tells those stories? Who gets a starring role? At Emerson College, 50 students in Dr. Magda Romanska’s World Drama class tackled both stories. Looking at the … Continued
Compiling a bibliography is “fun,” and other things student Wikipedians say
Here’s some student feedback you don’t see every day: “The most fun part about this project is how it forced me to study more and read more science articles.” That’s real student feedback given to Dr. Elizabeth Van Volkenburgh, whose Plant Physiology and Development course at the University of Washington-Seattle asked students to contribute knowledge … Continued
A new wave of Wikipedia scholarship
Ruqin Ren had always seen Wikipedia as a great starting point for her homework. She knew it was popular, and innovative, but had never paid it much thought. It wasn’t until 2012 — after she’d earned her BA degree in Beijing and began her master’s degree at Georgetown University — that she had good reason … Continued