Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/West Chester University/History on the Web (Fall 2018)
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- Course name
- History on the Web
- Institution
- West Chester University
- Instructor
- Janneken Smucker
- Wikipedia Expert
- Elysia (Wiki Ed)
- Subject
- History
- Course dates
- 2018-08-28 00:00:00 UTC – 2018-12-21 23:59:59 UTC
- Approximate number of student editors
- 25
In an age when both professional historians and students of history can conduct much of their research remotely via the Internet and an abundance of historical resources are available digitally, it is imperative to develop skills to critically engage with, evaluate, and synthesize these resources. This is all the more important during our current era of fake news. This class teaches critical information literacy by providing instruction in searching and discovering information, evaluating material critically, and collecting and curating information. This course will develop your ability to gain the transferable skill of moving from information to knowledge.
Too often, we go to the easiest and quickest online history reference when conducting research, the one that ends up first in the search engine results. Often, this is Wikipedia. While Wikipedia articles can be a valuable starting place when we have the critical skills to evaluate an article’s content, too often we miss the wealth of historical resources available on the Internet.
Classroom time will concentrate on developing and sustaining a community of shared researchers, a key element in the critical evaluation of digital source materials. Beyond the classroom, you will work together and alone using Zotero, an open-source software tool for information literacy, annotation, and collaboration (developed by the Center for History and New Media at George Mason University). Through annotations, presentations, shared evaluations, and an introduction to digital history methodologies, you will develop the core skills of critical information literacy necessary for 21st-century graduates.
Timeline
Week 7
- Course meetings
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- Tuesday, 9 October 2018
- In class - Introduction to the Wikipedia assignment
Welcome to your Wikipedia assignment's course timeline. This page guides you through the steps you'll need to complete for your Wikipedia assignment, with links to training modules and your classmates' work spaces.
Your course has been assigned a Wikipedia Expert. You can reach them through the Get Help button at the top of this page.
Resources:
- Editing Wikipedia, pages 1–5
- Evaluating Wikipedia
- Assignment - Get started on Wikipedia
Create an account and join this course page, using the enrollment link your instructor sent you. (Because of Wikipedia's technical restraints, you may receive a message that you cannot create an account. To resolve this, please try again off campus or the next day.)
- Milestones
This week, everyone should have a Wikipedia account.
Week 8
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 16 October 2018
- In class - Discussion
Week 9
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 23 October 2018
- In class - Discussion
Week 10
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 30 October 2018
- Assignment - Start drafting your contributions
Reach out to your Wikipedia Expert if you have questions using the Get Help button at the top of this page.
Resource: Editing Wikipedia, pages 7–9
- Milestones
Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.
Week 11
Week 12
- Course meetings
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- Tuesday, 13 November 2018
- Assignment - Begin moving your work to Wikipedia
Now that you've improved your draft based on others' feedback, it's time to move your work live - to the "mainspace."
Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 13
Week 13
- Course meetings
-
- Tuesday, 27 November 2018
- Assignment - Continue improving your article
Exercise
Now's the time to revisit your text and refine your work. You may do more research and find missing information; rewrite the lead section to represent all major points; reorganize the text to communicate the information better; or add images and other media.
- Assignment - Polish your work
Continue to expand and improve your work, and format your article to match Wikipedia's tone and standards. Remember to contact your Wikipedia Expert at any time if you need further help!
Week 14
- Course meetings
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- Tuesday, 4 December 2018
- Assignment - Final article
It's the final week to develop your article.
- Read Editing Wikipedia page 15 to review a final check-list before completing your assignment.
- Don't forget that you can ask for help from your Wikipedia Expert at any time!
- Milestones
Everyone should have finished all of the work they'll do on Wikipedia, and be ready for grading.