Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/Vanderbilt University/Introduction to African Politics (Fall 2020)

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Course name
Introduction to African Politics
Institution
Vanderbilt University
Instructor
Kristin Michelitch
Wikipedia Expert
Ian (Wiki Ed)
Subject
Political Science
Course dates
2020-08-24 00:00:00 UTC – 2020-12-18 23:59:59 UTC
Approximate number of student editors
30


This course introduces students to key topics in African politics and development. We take a chronological tour of broad political and developmental themes from the pre-colonial era, colonial era, post-colonial era, and “3rd wave” transitions to democracy (for some countries). Students have a "term project" to individually improve wikipedia regarding a political topic related to their country. In the past, students have picked to create pages on a particular election, a piece of legislation, a coup, a battle, a political activist, a politician, foreign relations between their country and the US, and health policy.

Student Assigned Reviewing
Carlylewin Ghanaian cuisine, Basic Education Certificate Examination, Ministry of Education (Ghana), Ga language, Efua Dorkenoo, Spirit children
MoistOpinion
Sleuthsr21 Ethiopian nationalism, Oromo conflict
Sarah2716 Holy Spirit Movement Human rights in Uganda
Quinnmuscatel Slavery in Nigeria Voting Rights in Nigeria, Federal government of Nigeria, Dangerous Love (novel), Fulani extremism
Kevinzhang0430 Educational Inequality in Ghana
Lgt1500 Abortion in Kenya Pan Africa In Kenya
Eoc46 Federal government of Nigeria Voting Rights in Nigeria
Gracek013 Dangerous Love (novel) Voting Rights in Nigeria, Federal government of Nigeria, Slavery in Nigeria
Tess3o3 Nzoch, Constitution of ghana
Newyou2020 Renewable energy in Ethiopia
Fallof00 Constitution of Kenya (1963)
PSCI2237 Voting Rights in Nigeria Federal government of Nigeria, Dangerous Love (novel), Slavery in Nigeria, Fulani extremism
Haleyfeuerman Fulani extremism, Fulani Extremism in Nigeria
Donkask Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia Oromo conflict, Ethiopian nationalism, Human rights in Ethiopia, Renewable energy in Ethiopia
Mbrennan21 Child soldiers in Africa Holy Spirit Movement, Human rights in Uganda
Sago1031 Human rights in Ethiopia User:Sleuthsr21/sandbox
Frankiesheehy
Nzoch123 Constitution of Ghana
Jgar139 Pan Africa In Kenya Abortion in Kenya
Hebertvictoria Human rights in Uganda Holy Spirit Movement, Child soldiers in Africa
Sangeunkim15

Timeline

Week 2

Course meetings
Monday, 31 August 2020   |   Wednesday, 2 September 2020   |   Friday, 4 September 2020
Milestones

This week, everyone should have a Wikipedia account.  (Because of Wikipedia's technical restraints, you may receive a message that you cannot create an account. To resolve this, please try again off campus or the next day.)


Introduction to the Wikipedia assignment

Welcome to your Wikipedia assignment's course timeline. This page guides you through the steps you'll need to complete for your Wikipedia assignment, with links to training modules and your classmates' work spaces.

Your course has been assigned a Wikipedia Expert. You can reach them through the Get Help button at the top of this page.

Resources:


Assignment - Get started on Wikipedia
In class - Investigate existing Wikipedia pages for your country

What types of pages are "missing" for your country's politics? One way to think about this is to examine what pages exists for other countries in the Global North, where pages are more developed and compare to your country. Further, think about your career, interests, passions - what general topic area could you choose that unites something important to you as well as important, that might also be missing on wikipedia for your country? 

Week 3

Course meetings
Monday, 7 September 2020   |   Wednesday, 9 September 2020   |   Friday, 11 September 2020
Assignment - Evaluate Wikipedia

Exercise

Evaluate an article


Week 4

Course meetings
Monday, 14 September 2020   |   Wednesday, 16 September 2020   |   Friday, 18 September 2020
Assignment - Choose possible topics

Exercise

Choose a topic

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 6


In class - Discussion

What's a content gap?

Assignment - 1-2 page memo listing 2-3 topic ideas

For each idea, list at least 4 scholarly resources that you could use to create your page; also list why it is important to do the topic for the country, and why it is a good topic based on building on your personal interests

Week 5

Course meetings
Monday, 21 September 2020   |   Wednesday, 23 September 2020   |   Friday, 25 September 2020
Assignment - Add to an article

Exercise

Add a citation


Assignment - Finalize your topic training

Finalize your topic / Find your sources

Assignment - Send Email to TA Confirming Finalized Topic

Week 6

Course meetings
Monday, 28 September 2020   |   Wednesday, 30 September 2020   |   Friday, 2 October 2020
Assignment - Start drafting your contributions

Reach out to your Wikipedia Expert if you have questions using the Get Help button at the top of this page.

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, pages 7–9


Guide(s) for writing articles in your topic area

Biographies

History

Political Science

Women's Studies

Milestones

Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.

Week 7

Course meetings
Monday, 5 October 2020   |   Wednesday, 7 October 2020   |   Friday, 9 October 2020
Assignment - Continue Working on your article

Week 8

Course meetings
Monday, 12 October 2020   |   Wednesday, 14 October 2020   |   Friday, 16 October 2020
Assignment - Continue Working on your article

Week 9

Course meetings
Monday, 19 October 2020   |   Wednesday, 21 October 2020   |   Friday, 23 October 2020
Assignment - Continue Working on your article

Week 10

Course meetings
Monday, 26 October 2020   |   Wednesday, 28 October 2020   |   Friday, 30 October 2020
In class - Peer review

Guiding framework

Assignment - Respond to your peer review

You probably have some feedback from other students and possibly other Wikipedians. Consider their suggestions, decide whether it makes your work more accurate and complete, and edit your draft to make those changes.

Resources:

  • Editing Wikipedia, pages 12 and 14
  • Reach out to your Wikipedia Expert if you have any questions.


In class - Discussion

Thinking about Wikipedia

Milestones

Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.

Week 11

Course meetings
Monday, 2 November 2020   |   Wednesday, 4 November 2020   |   Friday, 6 November 2020
Assignment - Begin moving your work to Wikipedia

Now that you've improved your draft based on others' feedback, it's time to move your work live - to the "mainspace."

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 13


Assignment - Continue improving your article

Exercise

Add links to your article

Now's the time to revisit your text and refine your work. You may do more research and find missing information; rewrite the lead section to represent all major points; reorganize the text to communicate the information better; or add images and other media.


Assignment - Nominate Article

Nominating your article for Did You Know

Assignment - Polish your work - consider writing studio appointments

Continue to expand and improve your work, and format your article to match Wikipedia's tone and standards. Remember to contact your Wikipedia Expert at any time if you need further help!

Week 12

Course meetings
Monday, 9 November 2020   |   Wednesday, 11 November 2020   |   Friday, 13 November 2020
Assignment - Polish your work - consider writing studio appointment

Continue to expand and improve your work, and format your article to match Wikipedia's tone and standards. Remember to contact your Wikipedia Expert at any time if you need further help!

Week 13

Course meetings
Monday, 16 November 2020   |   Wednesday, 18 November 2020   |   Friday, 20 November 2020
In class - In-class presentations

Guiding questions

Assignment - Reflective essay - due before class on the day of your presentation - 1-2p

Guiding questions

Week 14

Course meetings
Monday, 23 November 2020   |   Wednesday, 25 November 2020   |   Friday, 27 November 2020
Milestones

Week 15

Course meetings
Monday, 30 November 2020   |   Wednesday, 2 December 2020   |   Friday, 4 December 2020
In class - In-class presentations

Week 16

Course meetings
Monday, 7 December 2020   |   Wednesday, 9 December 2020   |   Friday, 11 December 2020
Assignment - Final article

It's the final week to develop your article.

  • Read Editing Wikipedia page 15 to review a final check-list before completing your assignment.
  • Don't forget that you can ask for help from your Wikipedia Expert at any time!
Milestones

Everyone should have finished all of the work they'll do on Wikipedia, and be ready for grading.