Under the hood: How understanding Wikipedia’s internal structure and community can teach media literacy

[ UUID ] 2a7ef934-cf44-42bc-8018-60a0d926dc43

[ Session Name ] Under the hood: How understanding Wikipedia’s internal structure and community can teach media literacy [ Primary Space ] Web Literacy [ Secondary Space ] Openness

[ Submitter's Name ] John Lubbock [ Submitter's Affiliated Organisation ] Wikimedia UK

[ Other Facilitator 1's Name ] Stuart Prior [ Other Facilitator 1's GitHub ] battleofalma

[ Other Facilitator 2's Name ] Delphine Dallison

What will happen in your session?

Everybody uses Wikipedia but not everyone understands how it works. Participants in our session will be given an introduction to the sometimes complex internal processes of Wikipedia and how understanding them allows us to critique sources, understand context and analyse information.

We will give people a deeper understanding of the ‘back end’ of Wikipedia, such as how disputes are resolved, and who decides what belongs on the 5th most visited website on the internet.

What is the goal or outcome of your session?

A good understanding of how a website everyone uses actually works, and why it works.

That participants will learn to take a more critical view of the information they encounter online and to interrogate the source of the information.

Participants will learn the skills to assess Wikipedia articles and to proactively improve the information published on the online encyclopaedia. They will gain a deeper understanding of the structure of Wikipedia and its sister sites

Time needed

90 mins