Social Studies Research in the Age of Wikipedia: How Do Secondary School Teachers Guide Students?

• In Event: 75.061 - Roundtable Session 34
  In Roundtable Session: 75.061-8 - Online Teaching and Learning SIG Roundtable Session 2

Abstract

Although today’s students are using online resources for school research at an increasing rate, studies show that they come to college ill-prepared to use these resources appropriately. Several organizations provide standards on how students should be taught to locate, analyze, and synthesize online information, but they do not specify if or when crowd-sourced materials (e.g., Wikipedia) and other non-refereed sources (e.g., blogs, organization websites) are appropriate to use. As use of online sources expands, teachers will need more specific guidelines to help students learn appropriate online research skills. This study interviewed and surveyed social studies teachers in two northeastern school districts to discover teachers’ current and needed practices in teaching student appropriate use of online resources.

Authors

• Demetrius C Roberts, Chester County Intermediate Unit

• Margaret D. Roblyer, Nova Southeastern University