Wiki's are Wicked...?

Bob Sprankles students in Room 208 don't think so...although they feel its reputation was recently tarnished. Their last podcast includes a special segment titled, "Wicked Wikipedia?"

A recent study by Nature.com confirms that Wikipedia does have inaccuracy and mistakes...however, the study further found that when looking at science, the same is true of Encyclopedia Britannica. And when compared side by side here's what they found:

... numerous errors in both encyclopaedias, but among 42 entries tested, the difference in accuracy was not particularly great: the average science entry in Wikipedia contained around four inaccuracies; Britannica, about three.

The debate regarding Wikipedia's worth points to a greater need, informational literacy!

Room 208's 3rd & 4th graders are becoming experts on informational literacy.

Mr. Sprankle's students remind us that Wikipedia is simply another resource for information...for me, it's my first stop.