LittleDan wrote:
For wikipedia to be an valid educational source, it needs to have some kind of approval system. From what I understand, this has been discussed since Day 1 of Wikipedia, but I think it is time to impliment it. If wikipedia is ever to be printed or used in schools, it must be scrutinized and validated (or invalidated) on an article-by-article basis.
Well in order to be "acceptable" in at least US public schools, Wikipedia would have to dramatically censored. Sadly, state and local school boards in the US have effectively censored the content of textbooks by not accepting material that could possibly be offensive to a very long list of lobby groups (both on the right and left of the political spectrum).
Until individual teachers in US public schools (possibly elsewhere) have a much greater ability to choose their own textbooks and resource materials, I don't foresee Wikipedia (as we know it) being used in any official capacity.
But private schools and colleges/universities present a tottally different situation (professors have much greater freedom in their textbook/resource choices). If we have any sort of "approval system" it should be geared toward that audience.
-- Daniel Mayer (aka mav)