Wikipedia is good for Education
Wikipedia is a well known free online encyclopedia that can be edited by anyone, at anytime by the click of the edit tab. Anyone with internet access can edit articles and register anonymously to write new articles. Because Wikis are collaborative ongoing open ended projects many article contain errors. Wikipedia admits to bias and misinformation in some articles, (visit: Reliability of Wikipedia).
Regardless of Wikipedia’s short comings its database and technology provides educators multiple learning platforms. Educators can instruct students to create their own wiki: a locally developed web space using a ‘wikified’ website that allows quick and easy editing. In addition to using Wikipedia as a reference and teaching tool, educators can download other free wiki server programs from Wikifarm and instruct students to develop content for a local ‘wikified’ website. Educators may also select to use Wikispaces a free wiki host that provide community wiki spaces, visual page editing, and discussion areas.
Wiki projects enable students to learn how to use technology tools as they learn to express written ideas, share knowledge, and resolve problems. Collaborative learning take place as students share responsibilities developing the content of their website. Students interact as they contribute information and knowledge to their wiki project. The shared knowledge of the group is expressed in articles, postings, and documents they create.
Wiki programs compel students to develop critical thinking as they track articles, evaluate changes, and debate content issues. The students actively attempt to discern factual information from false information as they check sources and evaluate whether the information is truthful. Students can learn to debate issues in a non-confrontational manner as they seek to arrive at consensus on contentious issues.
Educators using wiki programs also engage students in learning technology. Using Wikipedia or other wiki projects allow students to gain practical knowledge as they use wiki features to; create links to relevant articles or set printable versions of their work. Students learn to use hyperlinks to link words and phrases to their articles. Students gain hyperlink knowledge: how to appropriately use links in articles and documents. Wiki technology promotes learning ‘tech knowledge’ by permitting students to edit text, hyperlinks, images, tables, citations, and interactive technologies (e.g., games). Wikis help students learn; website design, how to develop and change web content, how to organize and store web information, and how to establish web based protocols.
Wikipedia and wiki projects are cost effective and training is short. Wikis are invaluable teaching and learning resources for the educational community. However keep in mind this caveat: facilitators of the learning process must use foresight when using wiki resources to facilitate learning. Protocols that enhance course management will need to be established. Educators will need mechanisms that; track work, regulate and index pages, and enable educators to evaluate an individual student’s contribution. In order to minimize disorder and adhere to course goals educators will need to implement; categories, topics, and other prompts that direct students toward orderly participation and adherence to learning objectives.
