After being told to not use Wikipedia for any sort of information growing up, I didn’t know what to think when becoming a Wikipedian was one of the assignments. I now sort of understand the appeal of it.
Looking for references and constantly updating pages with pictures and better sentences is a bit exciting (in a way that is different from writing a paper for a course) and it is a reminder that the world around us is always changing, always updating in its own sort of way.
At first (without the modules), working with Wikipedia seemed daunting and intimidating. Wikipedia has its own code-ish thing? It was a bit overwhelming. However, after going through the training modules, the process of working with Wikipedia has become a lot easier. I was able to learn all sorts of tips and tricks such as editing in sandbox. I learned the importance of copyright, open access, and accessibility.
All in all, Wikipedia is its own community (I mean, the Teahouse? That’s kind of cool.) and one that will constantly require contributions and improvements, which I happily provide during my past time. You’ve convinced me.
Applied Plant Ecology Winter 2020 