Name
Embrace Wikipedia-editing as a teaching & learning tool to promote deep learning and information literacy
Date & Time
Monday, June 10, 2019, 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Amin Azzam
Description
At the end of 2015, Wikipedia's medical content was made up of more than 155,000 articles across more than 285 languages, and supported by more than 1.4 million references1-2. Published reports have confirmed that medical entries on Wikipedia can lack reliable sources and have gaps in content1-2. At least 94% of medical students use Wikipedia as an information source3, yet we do not broadly train them to use this popular resource critically or contribute to its overall value. Instead of fighting student and public use of Wikipedia, health professional educators can be more effective by embracing Wikipedia-editing as a teaching strategy4-5. Creating Wikipedia-editing assignments in health professional schools ensures patients read higher-quality online information, enhances students' literature-searching and writing skills, and provides large social good6. In 2017, at least 10 health professional schools in 5 countries created Wikipedia-editing assignments across 6 different health professions. In 2017 in the US alone, 132 medical students across 4 medical schools made 3,866 edits to 86 Wikipedia pages, adding 168,200 words and 28 images to pages viewed over 3 million times. Additionally, in 2017 one US pharmacy school had 116 pharmacy students make 1,310 edits to 31 Wikipedia pages, adding 47,600 words and 1 image to pages viewed 517,000 times. Through this focus session we will debate the pros & cons, and barriers & solutions to joining this movement.
 
Session Objectives:
  1. Describe Wikipedia as a health-information source for patients, providers and health educators.
  2. Describe the larger WP "ecosystem" including Wikiprojects, Translators Without Borders, and offline Wikipedia.
  3. Learn how researching, writing and editing Wikipedia can be a scholarly project in health professional courses.
  4. Digest prior university experiences with health professional students creating and improving health-information on Wikipedia.
  5. Debate the pros & cons of creating Wikipedia-editing assignments.
  6. Discuss barriers and solutions to local implementation of Wikipedia-editing assignments.
  7. Identify personal next steps in exploring or advancing Wikipedia-editing as a local teaching & learning tool to promote deep learning and information literacy. 
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Location Name
Mill Mountain
Full Address
The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center
110 Shenandoah Ave NW
Roanoke, VA 24016
United States
Session Type
Workshop