08-08, 11:30–11:55 (Poland), Warsaw (20+24)(interpretation)
Language: English
We examine teachers' experiences using Wikipedia as a teaching tool in higher education worldwide. While no gender or age bias was found, there's evidence of a global digital divide, with English-speaking regions more active. Most instructors integrate Wikipedia into assignments, using tools and materials developed by the Wikimedia Community, reporting positive teaching experiences but noting time-consuming nature of this activity. The COVID-19 pandemic saw a seamless transition to distance learning using digital assignments.
Since its inception in 2001, educators have experimented with incorporating Wikipedia into higher education, primarily by assigning tasks to students for contribution. The literature on this practice has burgeoned since the mid-2000s, generally portraying it in a positive light. Numerous studies have outlined best practices, emphasizing their benefits for students and society, while criticisms remain scarce. However, the field remains relatively under-researched and lacks comprehensive understanding. Particularly, there's a shortage of studies systematically examining instructors' teaching experiences.
This research delves into Wikipedia's use as a pedagogical tool in higher education, where students engage with Wikipedia or its sister projects through academic assignments. It centers on teachers' experiences and motivations in utilizing Wikipedia, investigating whether they persist in using it after initial attempts. By analyzing a dataset derived from a questionnaire surveying 222 instructors, including those who discontinued engagement with this framework, we aim to unravel educators' inclinations toward integrating Wikipedia into their academic curricula. Key inquiries addressed include the design of courses and Wiki assignments, teaching experiences, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on teaching practices with Wikipedia. A follow-up survey involving 52 educators further illuminates how the pandemic influenced teaching dynamics.
Findings reveal no discernible gender or age bias among educators employing Wikipedia, yet disparities in engagement across global regions suggest a digital divide. Most instructors incorporate Wikipedia into assignments, citing heightened motivation and achievement of learning goals, albeit acknowledging its time-intensive nature. The most common request for a missing support tool was for video tutorials. Notably, the pandemic facilitated a seamless shift to digital assignments, indicating the suitability of Wikipedia for remote learning contexts.
The insights gleaned from this research aim to inform educators and researchers in embracing Open Educational Practices, advocating for the incorporation of Wikipedia and its sister projects into academic curricula.
Session recording: https://youtu.be/E6YnrJs8cYs?list=PLhV3K_DS5YfJ9Wvo43XRDbCC2dfhdS7BG&t=5997
Our session directly relates to the event theme of "Collaboration of the Open" by showcasing the collaborative nature of utilizing Wikipedia as a teaching tool in higher education. Wikipedia operates on the principle of open collaboration, where individuals from around the world contribute their knowledge to create a vast repository of information. In the context of education, instructors collaborate with their students to engage with Wikipedia through academic assignments, fostering collaborative learning environments. Additionally, our research explores the collaboration between educators and the Wikimedia community, as instructors often utilize support tools and materials developed collaboratively by the community. By shedding light on the collaborative aspects of integrating Wikipedia into academic curricula, our session underscores the potential of open collaboration in education.
What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?* –Everyone can participate in this session
How do you plan to deliver this session?* –Onsite in Katowice
What other themes or topics does your session fit into? Please choose from the list of tags below. –Collaboration, Capacity building
Piotr Konieczny is an Associate Professor at the Department of Media & Social informatics, Hanyang University. He has received his PhD degree from the University of Pittsburgh. He is interested in the sociology of the Internet and social movements, in particular in topics such as wikis – their impact on individuals and organizations; decision making processes and organizational structure of Wikipedia; patterns of behavior among Wikipedia contributors; relation between wikis and social movements; free culture movement; and teaching with new media.
Dr. Shani Evenstein Sigalov is an educator, lecturer, researcher and Open Knowledge advocate, interested in the intersection between Education, Technology, Innovation and Openness.
Her PhD focused on the Semantic Web, specifically Wikidata, as a learning platform. Her Postdoctoral research includes exploring GenAI's impact on knowledge consumption and production; Linked Open Data and its connection to Digital Humanities; Critical Ignoring; and Self-Regulated Learning.
As of 2019, she serves on the Wikimedia Foundation's Board of Trustees.