Wikipedia

Wikipedia is a free, online encyclopedia built collaboratively with users all around the world.

When searching in Wikipedia for Music, I am bombarded by many different resources. To say the least, there is a mass of information on my subject area. Naming many different topics within the music subject within the search is easy. On the first page of 20 results out of 365,874, Rock Music, Popular Music, Country Music, Composer, Electronic Music, Classical Music, Folk Music, Singing, Dance Music, Hip Hop, Alternative Rock, Contemporary Christian and Record Producer are available!

This would definitely be a resource I would encourage students to make use of. Many arguments have been made for using Wikipedia as a valued source of information as anybody is allowed to give their input to pages, however the guidelines for doing so are quite strict.

Allowing students to find their own information can sometimes be a scary task. Teachers are never really safe in knowing where the learners are looking for their information and whether the sites are safe and reliable.  I believe if Wikipedia was available to students, the information found can almost certainly be both safe and reliable, as the information is presented in a professional and organised way.

As the website is available on the internet, open to the general public, the students are able to use this site in schools, libraries, at home on computers as long as they are connected to the internet. Students in lower primary would probably have some difficulty in searching for relevant information, but upper primary students would find this resource very useful for class projects etc.

The teacher could plan activities using the program. They could also preview the information that students are required to search for to ensure it is relevant, safe and appropriately worded. In doing this, the teacher knows exactly what the students will be looking at, and how the students will be able to use the information in projects and class tasks.

When used responsibly I think Wikipedia can be a fantastic ICT tool.

Regards,
Toni