Lessons from the Classroom
Last winter and spring I had my students write Wikipedia articles and then monitor those articles to see what edits other people made. The point was to give them a firmer appreciation of how this online resource works, so that they would understand its strengths and limitations. The Wikipedia projects were of varying quality, but I wasn’t unhappy with them. The student feedback at the end of the semester also showed that most of them learned the lesson, though a few were excited to be exposed to this resource for the first time. To be sure, the latter kind of comment made me feel dirty, though I’m sure the students would have found Wikipedia sometime, at the very latest through Google searches, which is how I discovered it some years ago.
As much as I liked the Wikipedia experiment, I have decided not to repeat it this semester. For one thing, the process of helping 100 or more students find a suitable topic that has not already been done in Wikipedia is enormously time-consuming. So is teaching students how to use Wikipedia’s relatively uncomplicated markup. Contrary to the stereotype about the youngest generation of university students being internet savvy, many of them only know how to use the internet in highly specific ways. (If you can read German, see Jan Hodel’s comments on this issue here and here.) I did not have much time for technical details in class, so I had a lot of one-on-one student meetings in the computer lab. This circumstance does not mean that Wikipedia projects are not worth doing, but it is a significant factor to consider for the kind of large survey course that I have been teaching.
More to the point, however, the Wikipedia project and especially the group electronic scrapbook project I had students do revealed a more traditional weakness: too many students did not know how to do basic research using the library’s catalog, reference desk, and databases. Indeed, they did not know how to use Google very well either. Furthermore, most students did not know how to evaluate the potential usefulness of books they found. They seem to have just assumed that a book was a book. The idea of examining the bibliography, for example, never occurred to many of them, even though I discussed the issue in the directions as well as in class. I thought that this kind of need was supposed to be filled in required English classes, but if that is happening, it is inadequate, because most of my students last semester were not freshman.
Hence, this semester I have decided to incorporate research skills into my course. A research paper is out of the question with so many students involved. Moreover, a research paper can become a distraction, since students are often most concerned simply with producing enough text. At the same time, I want to do something that gives students some choice, as most students really appreciated that aspect of the course last semester. Hence, I have decided to have students choose a research topic, develop a bibliography and write a short bibliographical essay to go with it. If you are interested in learning more, see the current version of my directions for the bibliography project on one of my course websites.
I plan to devote some time to research issues in class and on a forum on Blackboard, to which George Mason recently switched from WebCT. Finally, I expect to talk to some students during office hours. Instead of giving technical lessons for Wikipedia markup, however, we will be able to talk research methods and history. Students also need to improve their electronic literacy, but I have to pick my battles.
Finally, some notes about plagiarism: An unusually high number of students thought they could get away with copying and pasting text for their online scrapbook projects. I instructed them about the university’s honor system, but it seems much additional work is necessary in this area, should I ever do electronic assignments again. Interestingly, though, I did not find such copying in the Wikipedia projects. Perhaps students understood that others would be reading that work? Some students actually commented to me on how good it felt to do a homework assignment that they knew others would be reading. Be that as it may, it is possible that this semester’s bibliography project will reduce plagiarism opportunities and temptations, since it will not be as readily available on the open market.
Stoneman’s Corner
- Book Review: GDR and Consumption January 13, 2013
- Teaching Notes: Synthesis and Process September 29, 2012
- Hist 499-005: Gender and Class in Modern Europe August 18, 2012
- Reflections after Class July 3, 2012
- Requiring Students to Use Chicago Style (or Turabian or Whatever) June 14, 2012
- Military History Conference May 13, 2012
- Syllabus for Hist 606: Themes in European History II May 3, 2012
- Command Culture by Jörg Muth April 28, 2012
- Who Should Groener’s Schlieffen Plan Matter To? March 18, 2012
- Hist 499-003: Gender and Class in Modern Europe (Required Books) March 7, 2012
If I was back in college or grad school, I’d love to enroll in your course, Mark. =)
Wikipedia is my main source for miscellaneous, general information. I don’t usually rely on it as THE source, but simply the first source to get a general framework on a topic.
This kind of innovative, thoughtful and truly up-to-date approach toward teaching is bound to help these kids in ways they might not yet realize. You’re showing them knowledge and creation are rewarding. I don’t know how often students get that opportunity.
I’m so glad to hear your report on how it went. Given the breadth of topics on Wikipedia, I’m not surprised at the challenge you faced.
I teach a course on information literacy, and the students produce annotated bibliographies. I plan to have students put their bibliographies on their own blogs on the open web. Whether they choose to use their full names or not is up to them, but it could be the basis for an instant writing sample available to prospective employers, or a great way for them to become introduced to digital identity management, since using their real name could cause the results to appear higher in a Google search.
My concern is that I’ll be spending a lot of time showing them how to use the tools, even though they’re relatively simple.
I do discuss plagiarism repeatedly in my course: once as an introduction, and then as the topic comes up. I find it fascinating that the Wikipedia assignment produced less plagiarism than other course work!
Finally, if you haven’t already, see if one of the librarians there would be willing to create a session for you on research methods, plagiarism, etc.
Hi Mark
I made some similar finding during my last class in spring.
a) i tried do integrate working on a campus wiki in the regular sessions, but the students do not bring own laptops along and the school computer are in a bad shape. So I spent most of the time trouble shooting computer problems. If the computer worked, I had to explain the markup of the t-wiki we used – and the purpose of using a wiki at all (against just sticking with the learn management system they know, where they can get and put documents and other files).
b) I once made a try to let them find out, when a topic in Wikipedia was created, when the last change had been made and who did it. about three out of twenty already knew the underpinnings of Wikipedia and seemed kind of bored, because this actions belonged to their daily routine. Another three seemed like knowing, but not caring, and the rest looked like being confronted with a new dimension of net knowledge.
c) all of them had basic research skills, but almost all of them were incapable of getting to valuable scientific resources (but, I must admit, in our teacher college system scientific research is not a main asset).
So what do the students know about digital media – especially about its usage for scientific purposes? And who should theach it to them? Those questions need to be answered. I think your approach shows the way.
May I compliment you and the other instructors who have commented thus far? To be frank, I am certain, had I had an iMac, the internet and someone like you as an instructor, my mind would have been developed more to it’s potential.
How wonderful to have people who really care, out there teaching the children of our future. My hat is off to you and your colleagues.
Lastly, this time of year always makes me feel so nostalgic. The smell of the schoolroom, ink, pencil shavings and watching the second hand of the clock, is sorely missed.
I really like the Wikipedia idea, but can see how that would make extra work for you. It sounds like you’re coming up with great ways to teach these kids how to research and how to appreciate it as well. My hat goes off to you!