Wikipedia Reflection

We have addressed the changing times and the fact that students today are technology users, so consequently a great deal of our/their time researching is spent online, but even with the conveniences of “Google-ing” your assignment topic, comes the inconvenience of having to sift through websites and decide if the information is based more on opinion instead of fact and whether the trustworthiness of a website is creditable and information can be validated. We should not lose site of the websites that have done their homework and carry with their presentation validation and credibility. I believe it is our duty as teachers to teach students how to evaluate websites, the same way we teach them to search for knowledgeable speakers for a presentation, so the student then has the tools so they can make an educated decision whether to use a particular website.
When I do research, I make sure to look for a site that has updated links on the subject matter I am searching and also is a website with a reputable reputation. When the site is cleared in my mind, I then feel safe to move forward on my project because the more reliable the source, the more reliable my research paper. When I am telling my students about Wikipedia, I will guide them to make their own decision, after going over what makes a website useful for research and I would also make them aware about the debate regarding Wikipedia, that it often covers too much, so to read carefully, check data before using. I won’t tell my students to not look at Wikipedia that would not allow them to grow as a critical reader and is not that what I am trying to accomplish?
One site that has been the subject of differences of opinion regarding its value has been “Wikipedia,” but, why? Well for one, Wikipedia, unlike most encyclopedias; doesn’t have an actual screening process, and is composed of collaborated posts on the particular subject discussed. Even the creator of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales, expresses for college students to not rely on his site as a creditable source. (Young, Jeffrey R, 2006) Another reason is Wikipedia doesn’t supply information on where the subject of the articles posted data was obtained. This being the case, how can you be so sure the information is truly fact or the opinion? I will instruct my students not to reject Wikipedia, but I will be clear that it is not the most reliable of sites or a useful tool for research but perhaps just an appetizer to completely researched project.
Personally I use Wikipedia for personal searches, but I have never really used it in any educational research other then pictures, or a quick “overview” of a topic. I will be having an internet policy in my classroom, I will allow a wide variety of resources but I will expect all to be sited. Wikipedia is not “evil” but it is a website that gives me a learning opportunity, and that is; the internet can be valuable to all who use it, as long as they respect the tools that bring them to their final project.