Don’t Cite it, Write it! Engaged Student Learning and the Wikipedia Assignment

This presentation will be interactive and cover practical application of utilizing Wikipedia in the classroom.

This interactive presentation will cover the following: 1. To share major findings of the research, including attitude transformation towards Wikipedia and larger skills development. 2. To share lessons from teaching with Wikipedia, particularly how students want to make a difference and channel their excitement into their commons projects. 3. To discuss how we can apply these learned practices in our classrooms.  A brief overview of the recent evidence suggesting why these techniques might be the most effective at encouraging commons based learning and engagement will also provided.​

Background: In Fall of 2016, Zach McDowell conducted a mixed methods study that assessed these students’ information literacy and research skills, alongside surveys of attitudes toward the assignment and toward Wikipedia, and reflections on their experience. Preliminary data suggests that students were more satisfied, thought they were better for learning digital literacy, critical thinking, learning to write for the general public, and learning about reliability of online sources, and thought that the Wikipedia based assignments were more valuable than traditional assignments. Furthermore, more than 90 percent of student respondents noted that they were “proud” of their work, despite respondents having a mixed initial reaction to hearing they would be using Wikipedia in the classroom.

Registration is preferred but not required.