Dec 13, 2005
Wiki-Solutions and Teaching
Over on H-Africa there is yet another discussion of the Wikipedia going on.
Notably, however, this one isn't a grump-fest about the (well established) failings of the Wikipedia. Rather, it is an unusually constructive discussion about how Africanists can help improve the Africa-related material available and thus utilize the popularity of the Wikipedia to help get accurate African info into the hands of students and lay-readers.
More so, there is also an interesting discussion of how faculty can assign students the task of researching and writing/rewriting entries, as well. Timothy Burke has previously made some very smart suggestions here on Cliopatria about how to use the Wikipedia as a teaching tool. Having students actually contribute (under a suitable degree of supervision, of course) strikes me as a very good idea.
Notably, however, this one isn't a grump-fest about the (well established) failings of the Wikipedia. Rather, it is an unusually constructive discussion about how Africanists can help improve the Africa-related material available and thus utilize the popularity of the Wikipedia to help get accurate African info into the hands of students and lay-readers.
More so, there is also an interesting discussion of how faculty can assign students the task of researching and writing/rewriting entries, as well. Timothy Burke has previously made some very smart suggestions here on Cliopatria about how to use the Wikipedia as a teaching tool. Having students actually contribute (under a suitable degree of supervision, of course) strikes me as a very good idea.