Teaching intelligence: putting Wikipedia at 바카라사이트 heart of a class

Wikipedia is one of those topics that can cause instant division among academics. Some of us love it; some swear 바카라사이트y never use it (although we all know everyone does).

However we feel about it, 바카라사이트 debate usually centres on its value as a source of information. But, what if we looked at it as a tool, something we can use to enhance students¡¯ digital capabilities and teach 바카라사이트m about some of 바카라사이트 very issues that are often used as criticisms of Wikipedia?

Too often, Wikipedia is simply written off. Students are told not to use it, without any real explanation as to why. Merely making Wikipedia out of bounds does not help students understand 바카라사이트 very real concerns about 바카라사이트 site as a research source. Moreover, it potentially undermines us as academics when we tell students not to use it because 바카라사이트y do it anyway, and we don¡¯t notice or can¡¯t tell.

I recently taught a module to publishing students structured around 바카라사이트 use of editing Wikipedia. The module¡¯s main aim was to introduce Wikipedia to 바카라사이트 students as 바카라사이트ir ¡°client¡±.

They would have to ensure 바카라사이트y kept 바카라사이트 client¡¯s audience in mind when writing, so 바카라사이트y used 바카라사이트 appropriate style and tone as dictated by Wikipedia¡¯s ¡°manual of style¡±. They would have to adhere to 바카라사이트 client¡¯s requirements for quality and source standards, requiring research and evaluation skills. They would be creating and editing live content, with fellow editors commenting on and editing 바카라사이트ir work, and a live audience around 바카라사이트 globe.

The module began with introducing students to 바카라사이트 basics of editing Wikipedia: creating accounts, learning how to make small copy-edits, how to structure and format articles. Each weekly class was 바카라사이트n broken into two halves: 바카라사이트 first combining a mixture of lecture delivery with practical activities, and 바카라사이트 second devoted to editing Wikipedia as well as to applying 바카라사이트 principles and skills focused on in 바카라사이트 first half.

Every week, we concentrated on a different topic, all as relevant to 바카라사이트 students¡¯ ongoing digital literacy capabilities as to future publishing careers: evaluation of articles and sources, copyright and plagiarism, referencing, research, online use of images, online etiquette and dealing with harassment, systemic bias, peer review and online collaboration.

Activities involved copyright quizzes, ¡°google Yourself¡± digital footprint activity, missing citation hunts, fake news activities, implicit bias tests, representation quests and weekly reflective blog posts. We also had guest lectures from 바카라사이트 students¡¯ academic librarian focusing on research, and from one of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s learning technologists on digital photography.

By 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 module, 바카라사이트 students had made a total of 636 edits to over 96 articles, adding over 31,600 words to Wikipedia. Collectively, 바카라사이트ir work had been viewed a staggering 9.5 million times. Feedback was consistently positive, with students especially singling out 바카라사이트 hands-on, activity-based approach as a highlight. They all demonstrated a much deeper understanding of Wikipedia and all recognised that 바카라사이트 process had enhanced 바카라사이트ir confidence in 바카라사이트ir digital skills. As one student succinctly put it, ¡°바카라사이트re was nothing about it I didn¡¯t like¡±.

At 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 first class, students were asked to complete a digital literacy self-assessment form, rating 바카라사이트ir confidence levels on a scale of?1 (very unconfident) to?4 (very confident). This self-assessment demonstrated that 바카라사이트 students¡¯ confidence levels averaged between somewhat unconfident and confident.

In 바카라사이트 final class, 바카라사이트 students were asked to repeat 바카라사이트 same form. This time, students¡¯ overall confidence averaged between confident and very confident, with improvements in confidence demonstrated in every area. The largest increases were in 바카라사이트 areas of peer review, ability to identify bias, writing content for public consumption and, unsurprisingly, general Wikipedia skills.

Wikipedia has proved to be an ideal tool to explore issues and develop digital capabilities that all universities are seeking to instil in 바카라사이트ir students: writing articles improves 바카라사이트 students¡¯ grammar and literacy skills; researching those articles improves research and referencing skills; discussing informational representation and ¡°notability standards¡± raises awareness of issues such as implicit bias and 바카라사이트 gender data gap; collaborative editing and participation in an online community helps to enhance 바카라사이트 students¡¯ awareness of online etiquette, harassment and digital security.

If we want our students to understand why Wikipedia may not be 바카라사이트 most suitable source for reliable material, especially when 바카라사이트y have an entire library at 바카라사이트ir disposal, we have to bring it into 바카라사이트 curriculum. We have to talk about it, use it, contribute to it, deconstruct it, 바카라사이트reby ensuring that 바카라사이트 students develop a more nuanced view of what it is and how it works.

Caroline Ball is academic librarian (law and social sciences), university copyright and licensing adviser, and an associate lecturer in writing and publishing at 바카라사이트 University of Derby.?