Digital Skills Festival: Wikimedia in Scotland event

“Historically, knowledge has been concentrated in the hands of the few. Marginalized groups’ histories and perspectives have been excluded by structures of power and privilege. Wikipedia revolutionizes this model, as the world’s largest, free, collaboratively-sourced encyclopedia.” (Wikimedia 2020)

This presentation and end of year CELEBRATION event discusses the efforts of the Wikimedia residency at the University of Edinburgh; highlighting its efforts working with Wikipedia both as an ally in its mission to disseminate verifiable open knowledge and an important tool in its information literacy and digital skills strategy.

During the pandemic, a time when many have felt disconnected and powerless, this presentation will showcase stories of student empowerment; providing exemplars of how staff and students at the University of Edinburgh have engaged with, and been motivated by, researching and publishing their scholarship online in a real-world application of their teaching and learning.

During the event there will be THREE lightning talk presentations followed by a brief Q&A.

Line-up of speakers

Welcome : presented by Ewan McAndrew, Wikimedian in Residence at University of Edinburgh, and Lorna Campbell, OER Service at University of Edinburgh.

1. Case Study 1: Reproductive Biology BSc undergraduate course programme - Dr. Agnes Stefansdottir , University of Edinburgh, introduces the Wikipedia group project where Honours students learn important digital research skills and are motivated to communicate their scholarship to improve global understanding of reproductive health topics.
2. Case Study 2: History of Art undergraduate course programme - Dr. Glaire Anderson and student Sophia Klebnikov introduce the 'Art in the Age of the Great Caliphs' Wikipedia project where students evaluate and improve topic coverage of Islamic art and science on Wikipedia.
3. Case Study 3: Global Health Challenges Pg Online programme - Dr. Evelyn Balsells, University of Edinburgh, introduces the online group assignment where Masters students evaluate and improve topic coverage of natural and manmade disasters

FINAL Q&A

This session will be held online via Zoom. The event link and passcode will be sent to those registered before the session start time.

Please note that you must not share the link/password for this session.