Embedding Wikipedia editing in the classroom is not a new idea, and there are already abundant resources available online, such as Wikipedia Education. However, there is a dearth of Wikipedia edit-a-thon events and curriculum design content related to Asian Canadian studies and, more broadly, Asian cultural studies. Presenting quality content about Asian Canadian communities and cultures on Wikipedia is a significant step towards promoting anti-racism and enhancing social justice online.
The materials included in the toolkit were developed based on the research project "Embedding Wikipedia Editing in Asian Studies Curriculum," which received generous support from the "Coming out of COVID" UVic Libraries Strategic Directions Impact Fund for 2022-2023. The research project aims to use the University of Victoria's contemporary Asian literature course, PAAS 302, as a case study to examine how librarians and instructors collaborate in curriculum design and learn about the challenges, barriers, and possible solutions in using Wikipedia for experiential learning assignments in humanities courses.
In the fall of 2022, Dr. Angie Chau taught the 12-week course PAAS 302. Asian Studies Librarian Ying Liu and the Research Assistant Tatiana Popova collaborated with Dr. Chau to design and integrate Wikipedia editing assignments and relevant support into the course. Data were collected from the final Wikipedia group presentations and a 90-minute focus group interview with three students at the following winter term. The research team used Taguette to de-identify and analyze the data to understand the students' learning experiences from the course. The toolkit's content is based on the students' actual learning experiences and feedback, making it informative for any instructor, librarian, or anyone interested in providing quality online content to combat anti-Asian racism and considering a similar course design in Asian Studies.
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