With the sheer volume of information now available on the internet, having trustworthy, accurate digital resources is more important than ever. The general public no longer only turns to publishers, subject matter experts, or even news outlets for most of their information; they also look to Wikipedia. But Wikipedia is edited by volunteers, with varying interests, educational contexts, and access to academic publications. The site still lacks detailed and accurate articles about all topics, in all languages, and many articles are inaccurate, misrepresented, or missing altogether.

That's why Wiki Education, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving Wikipedia's quality, equity, and reach, is working to amplify the impact of courses, libraries, and student research. By joining one of Wiki Education's programs, you can help add reliable, accessible academic information to the worlds largest free encyclopedia. Any instructor, librarian or staff member may participate by assigning students to edit Wikipedia's content, learning how to contribute to Wikipedia themselves, or providing Wikipedia volunteers with remote access to scholarship related to your field.

During this workshop, we will discuss content gaps on Wikipedia, and we will encourage attendees to join our initiatives to close these gaps and make information more accessible and comprehensible to the public. Wiki Education staff will share: assignment templates for student research projects; learning benefits for students and scholars; and details about Wiki Education's suite of tools, trainings, and Wikipedia expertise available to program participants. We will also talk about Wikipedia instructional initiatives at MIT, and support for getting involved in editing Wikipedia at MIT and in the Boston area.

The workshop will be held in 14N-132, located in building 14 near Lewis Music Library. A map to building 14 on the MIT campus is here: http://whereis.mit.edu/?go=14

Presenters: Samantha Weald & Ian Ramjohn, Wiki Education