[LM_NET] Should students use Wikipedia as a source?

[dougj <dougj@DOUG-JOHNSON.COM>]

Hi folks,

I apologize if I am repeating what others have said since I think I've
missed some of the posts in this thread.

Personally, I would ENCOURAGE Wikipedia use by students, at least the older
ones. I think it was David Weinberger in his new book _Everything is
Miscellaneous_ that argues that one of the advantages of Wikipedia is that
the biases of the authors are transparent. You can follow the discussion and
edits on controversial subjects and the really controversial entries will be
so marked. 

You know that the editors of print encyclopedias also have biases - it's
just not easy to dig them out.

If you are interested, I put my October Leading & Learning column -
"Wikipedia - Ban It or Boost It?" online at:

http://www.doug-johnson.com/dougwri/wiki.html

All the very best,

Doug


Doug Johnson
Director of Media and Technology
Mankato Area Public Schools
Box 8713, 1351 S Riverfront Dr.
Mankato MN 56001-8714
Phone: 507-387-7698 x 473
E-mail: dougj@doug-johnson.com
Web: www.doug-johnson.com
Blue Skunk Blog: http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/

You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. Mark
Twain

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