Exploring Wikipedia Usage in Primary School Education: Students’ Experiences and Perspectives

Abstract

The rapid development of digital technologies and the accessibility of numerous online resources have significantly influenced contemporary education. Among these digital platforms, Wikipedia stands out as a widely visited and influential open-access online encyclopedia. While numerous studies have explored the use of Wikipedia in higher education, its potential in primary education remains underexamined. The purpose of this study is to investigate the opportunities for using Wikipedia in primary school education and to examine students’ attitudes toward its use. The research was conducted on a sample of 364 seventh- and eighth-grade primary school students. A questionnaire was designed to assess students’ opinions on the application of Wikipedia in educational contexts. Students were divided into two groups: one group used Wikipedia for lesson processing, while the other followed a traditional approach. Using the multivariate Kruskal-Wallis test and descriptive statistics, the results revealed that students hold slightly positive views on the use of Wikipedia in education, regardless of gender, grade level, academic performance, or prior classroom use of Wikipedia. Furthermore, the findings indicate that students in higher grades have experience using Wikipedia, though they generally lack formal exposure to it in classroom settings. Despite this, students frequently use Wikipedia for verifying information and completing homework, demonstrating openness to its integration into the educational process. This study highlights the potential for enhancing teaching practices in primary education by incorporating widely used digital information sources like Wikipedia