Wikipedia, the web-based collaborative encyclopedia, was created as an “open” project—a text to which everybody could contribute. There were no obvious barriers to the concept, but a problem quickly became clear—there were few female contributors. In this lesson, female and male students will collaborate to understand why this discrepancy exists and the importance of female voices [1] in our collective conversations.
Essential Questions
Objectives
Activities will help students:
Central Text
The central text for this lesson, from The New York Times, explores the possible reasons behind a low female contribution rate to Wikipedia—and why it hurts both the online resource and its users.
“Define Gender Gap? Look Up Wikipedia’s Contributor List” [2]
Part 1: Word Work
The central text introduces several words necessary to a discussion about gender identity in the context of communication and technology.
1. As a class, review the headline on The New York Times story. What do you know about Wikipedia? How do you think its entries are chosen, written and edited? Which types of people do you think are most involved in that process?
2. Quickly review the following words from the story listed on the board. (Note: Write the vocabulary words on the board.)
| intractable | collaborative | egalitarian | misogynists |
| expertise | diversity | chronological | skewed |
| disparity | nuanced | advocate | hacker |
| ideology | quotas | assert | amateur |
Individually, pick out the words for which you know the definitions. Which words would you have trouble defining?
3. Work together to create eight sentences, each using two of the listed words. Share the word definitions you know as the sentences are being written. After they are written, discuss whether you think each word was used correctly.
4. Now, read the New York Times story. After you’ve read it, revisit your sentences. Based on their context in the story, do you still think you used each word correctly? If not, rewrite until the correct meaning is communicated.
Part 2: Close and Critical Reading
The signature feature of Wikipedia—or any wiki project—is collaboration among its writers and users. This activity shows you how working together can result in deeper exploration of a topic.
1. Divide into female-male pairs. If there is an uneven distribution of sexes in the class, try to have more females per group. Distribute a copy of the text to each group.
2. Begin by having one partner read the first three paragraphs of the text aloud. Then, the other partner will paraphrase what has been read. If something has been misheard or misunderstood, discuss the passage until you’re sure you’ve both understood what it is communicating. Continue this process until you’ve read the entire text.
3. When you’ve read and feel you understand the story, take turns answering the following questions.
* What does Wikipedia see as an obstacle to its continued growth?
* Why is the lack of female contributors a concern?
* How and why have men become its main contributors?
* How does the lack of female contributors affect the current product?
* Why is it important to Wikipedia to mix up its list of contributors?
* What theories do experts have for why there are not more female contributors?
Part 3: Community Inquiry
You will now discuss the story as a class. (Note: Write the following quote on the board.)
“Everyone brings their crumb of information to the table. If they are not at the table, we don’t benefit from their crumb.” — Sue Gardner, executive director, Wikimedia Foundation
1. Discuss what you think Gardner means by a “crumb of information.” How and when is a “crumb” useful to an entire enterprise? Do you think it matters where each “crumb” comes from? Why or why not?
2.The story describes barriers that could favor men over women in the corporate world? What are some of them? How does the “open” environment of Wikipedia compare to that world? In spite of those differences, what does the story identify as possible reasons that women might be intimidated by Wikipedia’s collaborative experience?
3. Discuss what the Wikimedia Foundation plans to do to address the problem. As users of the resource, do you feel that its strategy goes far enough? Why or why not?
Part 4: Write to the Source
In the text, Wikimedia Foundation executive Sue Gardner says she has a goal to raise the share of female contributors to Wikipedia to 25 percent by 2015.
1. Discuss: Why do you think Gardner is against quotas or otherwise recruiting females to contribute to Wikipedia? How might those tactics contradict the organic way in which the online encyclopedia has grown so far?
2. Individually, list the areas in which you feel you have knowledge. That knowledge could revolve around a sport, a hobby, a favorite school subject, a writer you admire or a nation that figures prominently in your family history. Do not think about whether you know more or less than anybody else about the topic or whether your knowledge is complete. Think just about the value of what you already know.
3. As a class, share your lists. How do they differ? What “crumbs” of knowledge do the boys tend to list? What types of knowledge do the girls bring to the table? Did the exercise feel like a natural one—for girls and for boys? Why or why not?
4. Write a reflective journal entry about the exercise. What did you learn about the ways in which you value your knowledge? In what ways could you contribute your knowledge as part of a whole?
Part 5: Do Something
Most of you have probably already used Wikipedia to look up information. As it has grown and has more contributors and editors, it has gotten more reliable. Each individual’s knowledge becomes the collective knowledge that benefits Wikipedia users.
1. Divide into three groups. One group will include all females. Another will be made up only of males. The third group can include both boys and girls.
2. Within your group, explore the Wikipedia page that provides guidelines for how to contribute to or edit its contents. You can find the page here [3]. Take advantage of the Article Wizard on the right-hand side of the page to guide you.
3. Now, agree on and look up a topic of your choice or one that is in the news. Some suggestions include your city, soccer, J.K. Rowling, the United States presidential election or a competition such as sport stacking (also known as cup stacking). Take notes on how information about the topic is organized, what sources were used by the contributor, how those sources are listed and whether the information is up to date. Evaluate the page’s contents. What information would you add? Could its organization be improved?
4. Whether you edit or add to a current page—or create a new page—decide what knowledge will be added, who will research each section and keep track of source material, and who will write or edit each section. When the pages are completed and uploaded to Wikipedia, share them with the rest of the class.
5. After sharing your Wikipedia pages, share your experience as collaborators. What individual knowledge did each person bring to your group? What collective knowledge resulted in the final product? Within the process of creating Wikipedia content, did each person have a voice? How was that voice expressed? Was any voice shut out? Why? Did each person’s knowledge have equitable value? Based on your own experiences, draw a set of conclusions about Wikipedia’s concerns about female contributions. How would you address the problem?
Extension Activities
These activities have involved both girls and boys. To follow up, separate the girls into another group. Within this group, discuss the collaborative processes that were part of this lesson. Did you feel that your individual voice was heard? Did you exercise that voice? Collectively, did you feel you contributed as much as the boys? What did you learn about your own tendencies to either acknowledge—or not acknowledge—your own “crumbs” of information?
Additional Resources for Learning
National Girls Collaborative Project [4] (for STEM)
Reading
1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.
7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
Writing
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Speaking and Listening
1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
2. Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
Language
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.
6. Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking and listening at the college and career-readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
Links:
[1] http://www.tolerance.org/activity/female-identity-and-gender-expectations
[2] http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/31/business/media/31link.html?_r=1
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contributing_to_Wikipedia
[4] http://www.ngcproject.org/resources/informallearningresources.cfm
[5] http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA Standards.pdf