Apparently, there are schools or teachers that are “forbidding” students from using Wikipedia for researching homework assignments. Why they would do this is beyond me.
Seth Godin brings up a good point: the way we find facts and information has fundamentally changed. Certainly there is value in learning how to do old-school style research. For example, in law school, there have been times when I’ve needed to turn to those curious bound volumes we call “books” in order to find original sources. Not everything has been cataloged in Lexis/Nexis.
But Godin’s point is valid: synthesizing ideas is a critical skill; finding the facts is a small step on that way. So what if students use Wikipedia to do it?
I suspect the ban is based on a fear of relying on inaccurate or questionable data. Especially when it comes to controversial subjects and given some of the scandals surrounding the “credentials” of some Wikipedia contributors, there may be valid reasons for that.
However, I think that represents another opportunity squandered. Learning to synthesize new ideas out of facts is one aspect of a broader skill that is essential in the world today: critical thinking. Instead of “banning” use of Wikipedia, research projects could actually utilize Wikipedia, and teach students skills about evaluating bias (who is the source of the article), accuracy (where is the data in Wikipedia cited to?), and fact checking (if an essential fact comes from one questionable source, wouldn’t it be a good idea to get confirmation). Instead of banning great resources like Wikipedia, a teacher could embrace students using it, and teach how to use it as a proper and valuable tool.
In 8th grade shop I learned how to use a table saw. Table saws do have the potential for danger, but when taught how to use them properly, they sure are incredibly useful tools.