Wikipedia Campus Ambassadors: Embedding Librarians in Courses

Using Wikipedia

CSI Library Faculty Professional Development Day Mark Aaron PolgerJanuary 25, 2012

Agenda

• Campus Ambassador?• Final Research Project• Process• Assessment• Conclusion

Wikipedia Campus Ambassador?

• Was asked to be a Wikipedia Campus Ambassador for COM 232

• Campus ambassadors are volunteers who would work with instructors to incorporate Wikipedia into academic research.

• Campus ambassadors teach students how to write articles on Wikipedia.

• They support both students and instructors during the course of the semester.

COM 232 on Wikipedia

• Course syllabus and all course materials on Wikipedia

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Ambassadors/Courses/History_of_Design_and_Digital_Media_(Michael_Mandiberg)

• Similar to Blackboard• Students and Ambassadors used talk pages,

sandbox to interact with each other

COM 232 Final Research Project

• Select a designer on Wikipedia whose article is a “stub” (short, brief, incomplete article)

• Conduct academic research to improve the article

• Final research paper is an academic-level Wikipedia article with proper grammar, citations, and structured according to traditional research papers.

Process• Registered for a Wikipedia account

• Attended Campus Ambassador Training in Manhattan

• Over 2 months, I spent 5 hours with Prof. Mandiberg’s COM 232 class– Integrated Library instruction into the class.– Visited class and discussed Wikis, citing references, etc.– Provided hands-on opportunities in the Library Learning

Lab and on the main floor of the Library.

• Provided email and telephone support.

• In November, I met individually with each student for 45 minute consultations.

• Professor Mandiberg handed out the questionnaires on the last day of class.

• 22 students completed a questionnaire• 87% reported that the presence of the librarian made

a significant impact on their research experience.• 10% reported that the presence of the librarian made

some impact on their research experience.• 3% reported that the presence of the librarian did

not make an impact on their research experience

Assessment

Conclusion

• First time embedding in a class

• Became more acquainted with the students and instructor

• More hands-on time (less rushing)

• Wikipedia could be a good starting tool

• Reflected on my own views of Wikipedia