Should Wikipedia be forbidden in Students' Social Studies research?

  I believe that students should be able to have access to Wikipedia but not as a element of a research assignment.  Wikipedia is a web 2.0 authoring site that allows users to contribute their own ideas and facts about a topic.  As any scientific oriented researcher or coach can attest to,  the best results and data are those that can be specifically quantified and objective in nature.  Wikipedia results must be verified and accurate or they are removed but are still more qualitative and subjective by nature.  Also, because the site is structured to be user modified, it is ever changing.  What the student records as evidence for their research today could be removed tomorrow because it is inaccurate.  So the problem is rooted in legitimacy and bias.  While I am well aware that even quantitative data can be biased, it is more legitimate because it is obtained through observation and procedure rather than perception.  So why is Wikipedia important to students social studies skills?  It offers an avenue for students to link to many different online resources that can enrich their understanding of an event, person, place, or culture.  The links allow students access to multiple view points on the same topics so that they may draw their own conclusions and perceptions about the events of history.  It can also offer serve as a forum for student idea sharing.  But, I would argue that there are better places for idea sharing such as blogs, social networks, and actual online forums.  Research is about finding numerous unquestionable facts (the what answers) and placing them together to form your own opinions and perceptions (the why answers).  So it makes little sense to use various perceptions (why answers) as factual research data (what answers).  

COACH BALL

Hello everyone! My name is Dustin Ball @hhsballcoach, 8th grade Physical Science teacher at Haleyville Middle School @HMSLions and coach at Haleyville High School. I am a hometown product that is very proud to be beginning my sixth year at my Alma Mater. I have a bachelor of science degree in biology from The University of Alabama and am currently working towards my masters degree in general science education at The University of West Alabama. Currently I am gearing up for another season on the gridiron at HHS, among my many other duties!! After football season ends I will wind down the rest of the year by enjoying a full schedule of coaching basketball, boys and girls golf, and teaching 5 classes a day.. while also mixing in a few vacations and duck hunting adventures!! Thank God for personal days!! I intend to use this blog as a way of answering questions and posting relevant information for classmates, students, parents, coworkers, and community members. So if anyone has any questions or ideas for the upcoming school year please don’t hesitate to contact me through email, twitter, or this blog. I will be happy to answer any questions and look forward to a great year!

COACH BALL