Wiki Movimento Brasil (WMB) launched WikiConecta, a free remote course aimed at empowering university professors to use Wikipedia and other Wikimedia platforms as a pedagogical tool in university extension.
Amanda Jurno, WMB’s Manager of Education and Scientific Outreach, explains that the course was designed for educators from all disciplines and undergraduate courses to use Wikimedia platforms in the classroom, in extension projects, and as allies in scientific dissemination.
“WikiConecta is ideal for educators from all disciplines and undergraduate courses who want to innovate in their approaches to teaching, research, and extension. The course is designed to be flexible and accessible, allowing participants to adapt learning to their needs and interests,” details Amanda. Amanda also emphasized that using Wikimedia projects as pedagogical resources enriches the students’ learning experience and contributes to a more dynamic and participative teaching.
“Students contribute to the production of high-quality, free knowledge while developing important skills for their professional development such as media literacy, information literacy, computational skills, source-based writing, academic referencing, and peer review,” she explains.
The course covers a variety of topics, including an introduction to Wikimedia projects and the practical application of these tools with students. WikiConecta is divided into six modules, each of which includes a series of units and activities. The modules are independent and can be completed in any order, except for the first one which provides introductory content.
Developed over several months of research and work, the project involved the participation of various professionals and volunteers committed to open knowledge, as well as educators who already use Wikimedia projects as an educational tool.
To participate, simply access the WikiConecta page on Wikiversity, create an account, and enroll in the course. In the end, participants should be able to generate activity ideas to develop with their students in teaching, research, and extension, as well as edit the four Wikimedia projects covered in the course. Additionally, they will be equipped to create their own wiki-education programs, find more advanced information about Wikimedia Projects, and even request funding to develop their programs.
By participating in this course, the educator will become part of a growing academic community, with various professionals sharing their experiences and best practices in using Wikimedia projects. Furthermore, they will be contributing to a large movement in favor of open knowledge and contributing to the equity of knowledge and the production of high-quality content on the internet in Portuguese.
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