WikiWomen Erasmus+/Schools toolkit/Wikipedia editing basics
Lesson 3: Editing basics
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Lesson Outcome
- Understand the fundamental editing basics on Wikipedia
- Create an account, navigating user pages and sandboxes.
- Know the differences between mainspace and draft articles.
- How to participate in respectful communication through "Talk" page discussions.
- Lesson Duration: 40 minutes —
Introduction (10 minutes)
- Welcome and Recap: Briefly review the previous lesson's key points about Wikipedia and its significance.
- Class Discussion Prompt: Why is collaborative editing important? How can respectful communication enhance collaboration on platforms like Wikipedia?
Editing Basics Slide Presentation (10 minutes) Slide Deck: Present a slide deck on editing basics, covering topics like creating a Wikipedia account, finding and editing user pages, and understanding the sandbox.
- Finding and editing user pages
- Sandbox
Individual Tasks (15 minutes)
- Activity 1: Account Creation (5 minutes): Guide students through the process of creating a Wikipedia account. Ensure they understand the importance of choosing a username and password.
- Activity 2: User Page and Sandbox (10 minutes): Instruct students to find and edit their user pages. Then, guide them in creating a test edit in their sandbox. Encourage creativity in their sandbox edits.
- Further user page, sandbox edits and talk page practice can be done as part of homework assignments.
Understanding Mainspace and Draft Articles (5 minutes)
- Explain the differences between mainspace articles (live articles visible to the public) and draft articles (works in progress) or the sandbox (a personal testing space).
- Class Discussion Prompt: Why do you think there are separate spaces for draft articles and live articles? How might this benefit the editing process?
Introduction to the "Talk" Page (3 minutes)
- Explain the concept of the "Talk" page, where editors discuss changes and improvements to articles.
- Class Discussion Prompt: Why is it important to have a designated space for discussing article changes? How can it help maintain the quality of Wikipedia articles?
Group Activity: Mock "Talk" Page Discussion (10 minutes)
- Divide students into small groups.
- Provide a sample article and assign each group a specific improvement task (e.g., adding citations, rewriting a section).
- Instruct groups to discuss their proposed changes on a mock "Talk" page.
- Group Activity Prompt: Discuss and agree on the changes you would make to improve the assigned section. Practise respectful communication during the discussion.
Conclusion and Homework Assignment (2 minutes)
- Emphasise the importance of respectful communication in collaborative editing.
- Assign homework: Each student should make one substantive edit to their sandbox and participate in a real "Talk" page discussion on a Wikipedia article of interest. They should reflect on their experience for discussion in the next class.
- Discussion Topic can be set by the instructor.
Notes for the Facilitator:
- Encourage active participation and hands-on practice during individual tasks.
- The group activity provides a practical understanding of collaborative editing and communication on Wikipedia.
- Remind students to respect the guidelines and rules of Wikipedia while editing and discussing articles.
- Resource needed: Sign in page for the Students to Write down their usernames.