I am Surprised... Your thoughts?
In this module, there was a link to wikipedia for more information on netiquette. I was surprised to see this curriculum use wikipedia, since we are continually discouraging students from using it for reliable information.
Any thoughts?
Calvin,
I use Wikipedia in a similar way. There are times that students have no idea of a concept. Wikipedia might give them a starting point to frame their thoughts, and then they need to get more empirical resources to cite in a paper.
Herbert Brown III
I teach an intro to computer course and I have found that the info in Wikipedia has been useful for the students to gain information on a number of topics. It seems to be easier for them to understand, and they do not seem to be as intimidated by it as they do some of the other media.
I have used it on many occasions as a jumping off point and if I find that I need to make a correction I just take it in stride. I cover the materials that I need to in the course, and if I can use a Wiki to stimulate their interest and get them to look up information on their own, so much the better. I will work on changing their sources after I have gotten them interested.
Kevin,
Good example, thank you for sharing it. Just as we used to have to carefully look at printed content for accuracy we now have to do the same online. It reminds me of the stuff that is advertised on TV. By no means does having a product advertised on TV make it of high quality even if it does "slice and dice" at the speed of sound. Our students need to learn how to sort through and fine sources of value and quality so they know they are getting content that has merit.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
In truth, I was a bit surprised. However, it is true that Wikipedia has been studied and is roughly as accurate as Britannica. (Not that this is, by itself, a commendation.) Many pages are poorly structured, but while I do tell my students that using it as a source isn't "university level," I do occasionally point my students to particular pages, or tell them that starting at Wikipedia is fine, that many of its sources are scholarly. Just follow the links to sources they often can use.
Amanda,
Very good. This seems like a very efficient approach. Thanks for sharing your insight.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
I notice that also! I do post something like this in my classroom, but I avoid using Wikipedia as a model. Too much explaining on why it can or cannot be good.
Barbara,
At this point I believe it is becoming more common in the informal 'discussion' usages. To my knowledge, no institutions have approved it as an authoritative informational source for academic purposes. Nevertheless, I have seen it reference in discussion postings and accepted as a statement of general cultural opinion.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Barbara,
Good idea. I believe it is very appropriate for an institution to make it clear what parameters define an acceptable authoritative source for specific academic purposes.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
I am disappointed to see that the use of Wikipedia is becoming more common since they supposedly put some type of control into place. Does anyone know about that?
I am surprised also, since this site can be edited by anyone. Perhaps AIU should make a blanket statement regarding the use of Wikipedia. I discourage my students from using it.
Leah,
This is a perfect example of Wikipedia being useful as an informal reference point for the classroom. Nice work.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Hi Leah,
I direct my students to the references also. As with any website we encounter, it is our responsibility to evaluate whether the site is likely a reliable source of information or not.
Eugenia
I tell students not to use wikipedia as a citable source. However there are some great references listed there under each topic that students can explore for more information that may be reputable. It can be a good starting point as long as they use it as a jumping point to these other references.
Dr. Gilbertson,
I believe the current standard by most of academe is that students should use only authoritative sources for substantive collegiate papers, etc. I believe most postsecondary instructors do not let students in class use it as a reference for papers. My indication that "Wikipedia seems to be changing status" is an observation of a trend where less formal class interactions (e.g. discussions about netiquette, opinion oriented questions, etc.) seem to be making use of this 'social media' in some areas of the classroom. The online revolution continues to change higher education.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Gee this is good to hear that Wikipedia is changing it's status. I did not let my students in class use it as a reference.
Dale,
Yes, most of academe is in agreement (at this time) that students should use only authoritative sources for substantive collegiate papers, etc. However, Wikipedia seems to be changing status (like online instruction itself) in academic circles as a usable/unofficial source for identifying limited contemporary social issues/trends.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
