Clipmarks | missmartini's 'wikipedia' clips

Wikipedia & the classroom

Wed, 07 May 2008 18:27:02 GMT

clipped by: missmartini
clipper's remarks: The on-going debate about the use of Wikipedia in the classroom via http://weblogs.elearning.ubc.ca/brian/archives/045541.php. It is very interesting. We are changing how we talk about wikipedia with the students here. We know it is out there and we know students use it. It is much better to understand how it works than to dismiss it all together.

Clip Source: en.wikipedia.org

User:Jbmurray/Madness

Was introducing Wikipedia to the classroom an act of madness leading only to mayhem if not murder?

Reflections on the use of Wikipedia in the University of British Columbia's course SPAN312, "Murder, Madness, and Mayhem: Latin American Literature in Translation," Spring 2008.

[edit] Wikipedia: unloved but ubiquitous in academia

Still, everybody uses it, in one way or another, even if they might want not to admit to the fact. Above all, our students use it, openly or otherwise (as they are often explicitly told not to cite wikipedia article in term papers), but without necessarily knowing how it works. They are told that wikipedia is bad, but they are not often told why; and of course, they find it an incredibly useful resource.

Tags: wikipedia, classroom, education, teaching, tools

How the Wikipedia scanner works

Mon, 05 May 2008 19:52:19 GMT

clipped by: missmartini
clipper's remarks: We have to teach kids how to properly use Wikipedia. Some teachers do not mind it's use while other's describe it as "the devil." I am slowly moving on the side where it is ok to use as a reference point but not as a source to cite. As one of our history teachers said, "You would not cite World Book, so why would you cite Wikipedia." Exactly! But I do think it is a pretty good resource.
There have been tales of how people and companies are creating their own entries and this Wikipedia Scanner helps to assure that those individuals do not create their own biased entries. It's good to see that something is in place so hopefully Wikipedia does not turn into another marketing tool like MySpace and Facebook and Google.

Clip Source: computer.howstuffworks.com

How the Wikipedia Scanner Works

by Jacob Silverman

Image courtesy Jake Appelbaum/Virgil Griffith
Virgil Griffith created the Wikipedia Scanner to catch companies and organizations who were editing Wikipedia articles to their own benefit.

In this article, we'll take a close look at how the WikiScanner works, look at some particularly controversial or simply bizarre examples of anonymous editing and consider some of the reactions to the WikiScanner. We'll also show you how you can use the WikiScanner to see what some organizations and companies may be up to on Wikipedia.

Tags: wikipedia, scanner, howitworks, education, interesting

Making a comeback - the expert!

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:12:54 GMT

clipped by: missmartini
clipper's remarks: It was bound to happen. Thank goodness it's sooner rather than later because there truly is a lot of crap out there and I am one adding to the mix. However, I do like reading and finding expert ideas and thoughts and writing.

Clip Source: www.newsweek.com

Revenge of the Experts

The individual user has been king on the Internet, but the pendulum seems to be swinging back toward edited information vetted by professionals.

By any name, the current incarnation of the Internet is known for giving power to the people. Sites like YouTube and Wikipedia collect the creations of unpaid amateurs while kicking pros to the curb—or at least deflating their stature to that of the ordinary Netizen. But now some of the same entrepreneurs that funded the user-generated revolution are paying professionals to edit and produce online content.

In short, the expert is back. The revival comes amid mounting demand for a more reliable, bankable Web. "People are beginning to recognize that the world is too dangerous a place for faulty information," says Charlotte Beal, a consumer strategist for the Minneapolis-based research firm Iconoculture. Beal adds that choice fatigue and fear of bad advice are creating a "perfect storm of demand for expert information."

Tags: expertise, expert, web

Islam & Wikipedia entry

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:41:46 GMT

clipped by: missmartini
clipper's remarks: I think I would like to use this for my class. We discuss wikipedia and how to use it as a resource for their middle school papers. We also try to discuss ethical issues and this looks like a short article that could get them thinking about these issues.

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

Wikipedia Islam Entry Is Criticized

An article about the Prophet Muhammad in the English-language Wikipedia has become the subject of an online protest in the last few weeks because of its representations of Muhammad, taken from medieval manuscripts.

Tags: education, viewpoints, wikipedia, religions, islam

Print vs. Online Sources - editorial piece

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:13:36 GMT

clipped by: missmartini
clipper's remarks: This is an interesting editorial on online sources (e.g. Wikipedia) versus print sources. As a librarian, I am slowly changing my mind about the validity of the information in Wikipedia. I do not agree with Magnus Linklater's idea that Wikipedia is the first and possibly only place to find information. I still feel that print sources are valid and that they should be a part of research. I do not know any thing about the UK's education system so I cannot comment on that. But I do know that education curriculum needs to change. Research, writing, peer-reviewing -- all of these things are changing with the "read/write" web and as an educator/instructor we need to prepare students for these changes.

Clip Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Reference books? Give me Wikipedia

The sniffy critics of the internet think we should be traipsing down to the library to do our research

Today it is the University of Google that stands accused of purveying the new socialism by offering equality of information to everyone. Modern students, say the critics, are being handed unlimited supplies of dubious facts from online sources such as Wikipedia, without the means of distinguishing between the good and the bad. Because they no longer have to sift through books and carry out their own research, the students' sense of curiosity has been blunted. The internet provides “white bread for the mind” and it is breeding a generation of dullards.

Tags: education, wikipedia, print sources, libraries, research, opinion, timesuk

Knol - Google's Wikipedia

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 18:33:44 GMT

clipped by: missmartini
clipper's remarks: I like how Google is calling their wiki "knol." It's just a wiki. Why can't they just say it's a wiki and that they are trying to create their own "wikipedia." Nice but isn't it a little too late?

Clip Source: googleblog.blogspot.com

Earlier this week, we started inviting a selected group of people to try a new, free tool that we are calling "knol", which stands for a unit of knowledge. Our goal is to encourage people who know a particular subject to write an authoritative article about it. The tool is still in development and this is just the first phase of testing. For now, using it is by invitation only. But we wanted to share with everyone the basic premises and goals behind this project.

NYT & Mitt's Record - movement back to responsible reporting

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:19:01 GMT

clipped by: missmartini
clipper's remarks: I still feel there needs to be a movement in American Journalism towards more objective reporting. But this is interesting overview of NYT's reporting on Mitt Romney. But it's the same old news isn't it? No real information unless we choose to dig it up ourselves...

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

NYTimes Fails To Examine Mitt's Record

One of the most basic responsibilities of newspaper reporting--especially political reporting--is providing citizens information they can use to make responsible decisions. If they cannot get this from one of the best newspapers in the world, what news outlet should they go to to find it? Wikipedia and unpaid media outlets can pull together disparate information, but we depend upon reporters to unearth it in the first place.

Tags: nyt, editorial, mitt_romney, election, journalism