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I teach my students that they can use Wikipedia as a starting point. Yes, 
information can be changed by anyone. However, many wikipedia articles contain 
citations for their information, so students can branch out from Wikipedia to more 
authoritative sources that someone else has already gathered, and perhaps from 
there they can find other citations with more information. Why reinvent the wheel? 
Yes, we'd like students to be able to do their own research, but I've used the 
References section of a peer-reviewed article before to find new sources for my 
research, so it seems hypocritical to condemn them for doing a similar thing, 
especially when their teacher has given them a very limited amount of time and 
requires a lot of information from them.
 
I think the point is not to teach them that Wikipedia is an authoritative  or 
reliable source, but to accept it for what it is and make use of the good things 
while being aware of the bad. I've never met a student that thinks Wikipedia is 
reliable or correct; they know better. But they're excited to find a way it can be 
useful to them.
 
 
Sarah Loch
Library Media Specialist
Carl Albert Middle School
Midwest City, OK
sloch@mid-del.net
See what I'm reading now:
http://www.shelfari.com/salamanders_scribe/shelf#firstBook=0&list=6&sort=dateadded


>>> Bob Hicks <bob.hicks@USD470.COM> 10/1/2009 7:46 AM >>>
My response is why bother either using Wikipedia and teaching students  
to use it.

1. There are numerous other sources--websites and databases that have  
similar information and much more reliable and peer reviewed.

2. The information on Wikipedia is notoriously inaccurate and  
unreliable--anyone can change the text and information--I've purposely  
done it.

3.  Unless I am mistaken, I understand most colleges and universities  
do NOT accept or allow Wikipedia as a cited source.  Thus, one is  
training students to use and rely on a source they are not going to be  
able to use.

Bob Hicks
Arkansas City High School Library
Arkansas City, KS 67005
bob.hicks@usd470.com
On Sep 30, 2009, at 4:33 PM, Kathy Fester wrote:

> I'm going to be the one who is contrary on this topic! Students (and  
> teachers and administrators) all use Wikipedia and they will  
> continue to do us. Most of us do, as well.  So we need to teach them  
> how to use it effectively and finding authority. There are some  
> valuable resources through Wikipedia and good ways to use it to take  
> advantage of some of the recent research.  And there are specific  
> things to be aware of. Have a look at my PowerPoint I've given to  
> staff: "WikipediaWise." There is no commentary, but seems to be  
> fairy intuitive--just take time going through the presentation as  
> different areas are highlighted bit by bit.  I'd welcome any  
> responses!
>
>
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> Kathy Fester
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> The June Shelton School & Evaluation Center
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> "...to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas  
> and information."  Information Power, 1998
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