Getting Started

Wikimedia-Guided & WikiEducation Supported

Wikipedia is the only nonprofit-driven project listed in the top one-hundred most-used websites, according to Alexa Internet Statistics.^1,2 Governed by the Wikimedia Foundation, Wikipedia is just one of the many projects the organization has created. The mission of all Wikimedia-run projects is to increase freely available information. Yet, since Wikipedia is grouped in with other popular for-profit companies such as Google and Amazon, it is often distrusted.³ Not to mention the overbearing idea of just how a freely editable encyclopedia can be trusted if the sum of all human knowledge is being guided by the general public. In fact, there are a variety of different measures taken to keep information on Wikipedia both neutral and well-sourced, something the Wikimedia Foundation has molded into its’ technology and curated into community guidelines to combat these concerns. The WikiEducation Foundation uses this framework to guide the creation of teaching tools and resources for higher education instructors and students.

Curious to find out more about course structure, guidance, flexibility, and how to sign up? Find out below.

¹_{“The Top 500 Sites on the Web”}

²_{Konieczny, “Teaching with Wikipedia,” 18.}

³_{Ibid., 18.}

Instructor FAQs

Who supports Wikipedia in the classroom?

The WikiEducation Foundation supports higher education courses by providing instructional design consultations, assignment management software, tutorials on how to edit, learn, and use Wikipedia, and staff guidance throughout the process. For more information, please visit their FAQ page for instructors and students!

How do I get started?

The WikiEducation Foundation accepts applications to join their program on a quarterly basis. For a simple application form and the deadline for next quarter, please navigate to the bottom of the Teach With Wikipedia page.

Is there a specific course page or module where the Wikipedia course lives?

Yes, WikiEducation's online dashboard is where students go to complete work based on a week by week assignment timeline.

How long do courses typically last?

A typical Wikipedia project, where students can either create or edit existing articles, lasts from six to twelve weeks depending on the course's setup. Courses aimed at translating existing Wikipedia articles or adding new media lasts one to five weeks. For a complete breakdown of courses, please navigate to the “overview of potential assignments" section on the Teach with Wikipedia page.

Are the courses standardized or can I modify them based on specific course content?

Courses have some standardized content with suggested Wikipedia training modules for that week. However, the dashboard is editable, so you may move these trainings (as well as select from different ones) and include specific directions related to your course content.

Is there someone who will directly support me and my students throughout the course?

Yes, every course is assigned a WikiEd expert to assist in monitoring your student’s progress and address any problems that come up along the way. You can find your expert on the rightmost side of your dashboard home page, under “Details.”