Comments on: Albert Einstein and the policing of Wikipedia http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/ Weblog of Wesley Fryer Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:55:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Rob Sipes http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/comment-page-1/#comment-30595 Rob Sipes Wed, 07 Feb 2007 23:48:06 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/#comment-30595 This article and the desciption were very helpful in informing others of the process of wikipedia and the amount of trust that should be placed in it. I think that the examples were very helpful, but I am interested in trying it out with several other topics to see how common it is. I think that would be a beneficial exercise for students to practice critically analyzing information. I think that the most interesting aspect of the of the comments was the suggestion that students should write in wikipedia and the response that it would be useless because almost nothing is allowed to stay. While searching around for medical terms, I noticed that most of those I was looking at were asking for more information to be added. I don't know if they were locked or still public, but I believe that undergraduate students could add valuable information to domain specific topics and include references. The use of references improves the reliability of the information. This article and the desciption were very helpful in informing others of the process of wikipedia and the amount of trust that should be placed in it. I think that the examples were very helpful, but I am interested in trying it out with several other topics to see how common it is. I think that would be a beneficial exercise for students to practice critically analyzing information. I think that the most interesting aspect of the of the comments was the suggestion that students should write in wikipedia and the response that it would be useless because almost nothing is allowed to stay. While searching around for medical terms, I noticed that most of those I was looking at were asking for more information to be added. I don’t know if they were locked or still public, but I believe that undergraduate students could add valuable information to domain specific topics and include references. The use of references improves the reliability of the information.

]]> By: Gardner Campbell http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/comment-page-1/#comment-30583 Gardner Campbell Wed, 07 Feb 2007 08:38:03 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/#comment-30583 Wesley, Thoughtful, enjoyable post. Thanks. Have you seen Jon Udell's screencast on the "Heavy Metal Umlaut Band" entry in Wikipedia? (I think there's a link in the actual article, but if not, Google turns it up right away.) Well worth seeing. It's another fascinating demonstration of the way Wikipedia works because of (not in spite of) its policies of open access. Wesley,

Thoughtful, enjoyable post. Thanks. Have you seen Jon Udell’s screencast on the “Heavy Metal Umlaut Band” entry in Wikipedia? (I think there’s a link in the actual article, but if not, Google turns it up right away.) Well worth seeing. It’s another fascinating demonstration of the way Wikipedia works because of (not in spite of) its policies of open access.

]]> By: Wesley Fryer http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/comment-page-1/#comment-30569 Wesley Fryer Tue, 06 Feb 2007 04:49:46 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/#comment-30569 Doug and Miguel: Your points are well taken that an educational wiki is not going to "self-heal" as quickly as WikiPedia. That said, however, I think there is great potential benefit for educators to use wikis which require registration to edit and contribute. (Level 2 for Wikispaces wikis, for example.) I would never recommend that a K-12 teacher setup a public wiki that permits anonymous contributions. I agree the issue of time is a major obstacle to technology integration or any time of instructional change in the classroom. Doug and Miguel: Your points are well taken that an educational wiki is not going to “self-heal” as quickly as WikiPedia. That said, however, I think there is great potential benefit for educators to use wikis which require registration to edit and contribute. (Level 2 for Wikispaces wikis, for example.) I would never recommend that a K-12 teacher setup a public wiki that permits anonymous contributions. I agree the issue of time is a major obstacle to technology integration or any time of instructional change in the classroom.

]]> By: Karen http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/comment-page-1/#comment-30565 Karen Mon, 05 Feb 2007 23:26:47 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/#comment-30565 This was a fascinating article to read. I recently had a discussion with my media specialist who said (I'm paraphrasing) "Wikipedia is totally unreliable. Media Specialists don't like Wikipedia". At the time I didn't have data at my fingertips to counter her comments, so I let it go. But as a teacher who teaches with technology (I'm a reading and a computer teacher), I find her comment too general. I agree with you that there is value in Wikipedia as long as you realize there can be misinformation. My next unit with my computer class is to discuss the reliability and validity of what can be found on the internet. I will be using your examples :) Thanks! This was a fascinating article to read. I recently had a discussion with my media specialist who said (I’m paraphrasing) “Wikipedia is totally unreliable. Media Specialists don’t like Wikipedia”. At the time I didn’t have data at my fingertips to counter her comments, so I let it go. But as a teacher who teaches with technology (I’m a reading and a computer teacher), I find her comment too general. I agree with you that there is value in Wikipedia as long as you realize there can be misinformation. My next unit with my computer class is to discuss the reliability and validity of what can be found on the internet. I will be using your examples :) Thanks!

]]> By: Miguel Guhlin http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/comment-page-1/#comment-30563 Miguel Guhlin Mon, 05 Feb 2007 18:23:41 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/#comment-30563 I've also been amazed at the speed of editing on Wikipedia...but I have to ask, what is the speed of change in schools? Would a curriculum document on a wiki result in such prompt change in K-12 education? While some may point to Curriki as a worthwhile example, I suggest that the environment of K-12 schools does not lend itself to prompt editing. Teachers only have limited conference time to do anything...and often that time is occupied. Only those folks with the natural gaps in their work can take the time to contribute and update a wiki. I wonder if what needs to happen is to restructure the education day, get us away from bell schedules, etc. Argh. I’ve also been amazed at the speed of editing on Wikipedia…but I have to ask, what is the speed of change in schools? Would a curriculum document on a wiki result in such prompt change in K-12 education?

While some may point to Curriki as a worthwhile example, I suggest that the environment of K-12 schools does not lend itself to prompt editing. Teachers only have limited conference time to do anything…and often that time is occupied. Only those folks with the natural gaps in their work can take the time to contribute and update a wiki. I wonder if what needs to happen is to restructure the education day, get us away from bell schedules, etc.

Argh.

]]> By: Doug http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/comment-page-1/#comment-30561 Doug Mon, 05 Feb 2007 14:01:30 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/#comment-30561 "I strongly contend that learners of all ages should be encouraged to help CONSTRUCTIVELY write articles for WikiPedia. " "I think an extensive list of WikiPedia contributions would make a great addition to a student’s portfolio of work when applying for entry into a college, trade school, or new job." I think you are being overly optimistic. Wikipedia is a decent encyclopedia, and it is useful in the same way a regular encyclopedia is useful for (writing 5th grade reports, learning about trivial facts that we haven't memorized). I don't think you've tried seriously contributing to wikipedia yourself, or seen a younger student try to do so. The process is very political and very tightly controlled. Anything substantial you might try to contribute will most likely be deleted. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that, but it makes for a very bad environment to teach kids. It is just going to frustrate or bore them. If any students in your class vandalize a pages, the admins will block your whole school district as well. Ironically many school districts already block wikipedia and other web 2.0 sites. Blogs or more specialized wikis are a better choice to use with students. See various wikis at wikia and wikispaces, for example. Blogs are better than wikis to start with, because the students gets ownership and a chance at unfettered expression. “I strongly contend that learners of all ages should be encouraged to help CONSTRUCTIVELY write articles for WikiPedia. ”
“I think an extensive list of WikiPedia contributions would make a great addition to a student’s portfolio of work when applying for entry into a college, trade school, or new job.”

I think you are being overly optimistic. Wikipedia is a decent encyclopedia, and it is useful in the same way a regular encyclopedia is useful for (writing 5th grade reports, learning about trivial facts that we haven’t memorized).

I don’t think you’ve tried seriously contributing to wikipedia yourself, or seen a younger student try to do so. The process is very political and very tightly controlled. Anything substantial you might try to contribute will most likely be deleted. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with that, but it makes for a very bad environment to teach kids. It is just going to frustrate or bore them. If any students in your class vandalize a pages, the admins will block your whole school district as well. Ironically many school districts already block wikipedia and other web 2.0 sites.

Blogs or more specialized wikis are a better choice to use with students. See various wikis at wikia and wikispaces, for example. Blogs are better than wikis to start with, because the students gets ownership and a chance at unfettered expression.

]]> By: Patrick http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/comment-page-1/#comment-30559 Patrick Mon, 05 Feb 2007 11:52:56 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/#comment-30559 This is the article I have been searching for when told by people, "yeah, anyone can edit wikipedia. How can you trust that!" My comments back are usually so terse in nature, but now I can point them in this direction and provide them with definite examples. This belies the tremendous power of the read/write web and the belief that we are really just trying to find out the real deal when we search and contribute. Thanks again. This is the article I have been searching for when told by people, “yeah, anyone can edit wikipedia. How can you trust that!” My comments back are usually so terse in nature, but now I can point them in this direction and provide them with definite examples.

This belies the tremendous power of the read/write web and the belief that we are really just trying to find out the real deal when we search and contribute.

Thanks again.

]]> By: TonNet http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/comment-page-1/#comment-30558 TonNet Mon, 05 Feb 2007 11:07:37 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/#comment-30558 This article makes Wikipedia stronger and since you've placed screencasts, it also helps a lot people who are not familiar with this social treasurre, yet. This article makes Wikipedia stronger and since you’ve placed screencasts, it also helps a lot people who are not familiar with this social treasurre, yet.

]]> By: Drew Buddie http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/comment-page-1/#comment-30556 Drew Buddie Mon, 05 Feb 2007 07:33:48 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/02/04/albert-einstein-and-the-policing-of-wikipedia/#comment-30556 Wesley this is a fascinating article. Your explanation using examples is a terrific teaching aid especially as I am teaching Reliability, validity and bias at the moment! Wesley this is a fascinating article. Your explanation using examples is a terrific teaching aid especially as I am teaching Reliability, validity and bias at the moment!

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