Last Tuesday, Director of Programs LiAnna Davis and I visited the University of California, San Diego. We spoke with librarians and faculty about how they can bring their work to Wikipedia. When students contribute to Wikipedia as part of a class assignment, everybody benefits. Students bring the power of their libraries to Wikipedia by adding peer-reviewed, … Continued
Today is Ada Lovelace Day, an initiative that honors the contributions of Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer, and encourages women to participate in STEM fields. Wiki Ed’s Wikipedia Year of Science initiative’s goal is to improve coverage of science topics, especially women scientists. To connect these two initiatives this year, Wiki Ed is supporting … Continued
Last week, Executive Director Frank Schulenburg and I visited the University of Mississippi, hosted by Dr. Robert Cummings (also a Wiki Ed board member) and the Department of Writing and Rhetoric. We presented to faculty at a luncheon about why Wikipedia matters to students and instructors alike. Frank recalled growing up without access to printed … Continued
When students study a new topic, they often turn to a search engine to get a better understanding of the topic. Those search results take them to Wikipedia, where (hopefully) they find a comprehensive and understandable summary. As they begin to understand the concept, they scroll to the bottom to find sources for further reading. … Continued
When a person think about genetics, she’s often interested in how the study of genes applies to her, her family, or her community. From whom did she inherit a particular trait? Did a genetic mutation lead to her grandmother’s medical condition? How does her genetic makeup inform her ancestry? People looking for better context for … Continued
We started the Year of Science because we see Wikipedia as a vehicle for science outreach to the public. Scientists often do contribute to Wikipedia. It’s a way to bring knowledge about their field to the public. But many don’t have the time to edit as much as they’d like. That’s why instructors consider writing … Continued
When the world searches for knowledge, it often ends up on Wikipedia. For college and university students, learning how to think critically about the information they find is a crucial skill. But what if they could have a hand in improving the information the public finds when it searches for the knowledge these students are … Continued
This weekend, Outreach Manager Samantha Erickson and I will attend the American Society of Plant Biologists’ annual meeting in Austin, Texas. As a part of Wiki Ed’s partnership with ASPB, we will be on hand to help plant scientists to incorporate Wikipedia into their classroom assignments. Instructors can empower students to make an impact on the … Continued
Astronomy is a perfect topic for students and experts to improve during the Wikipedia Year of Science. One of our key interests is making science more accessible to the public. Astronomy students can translate dense, jargon-filled articles into something relatable to, say, parents explaining telescopes to children, or amateur scientists discovering the stars. That’s why … Continued