Academic impact and perceived value of Wikipedia as a primary learning resource in higher education

Abstract

Wikipedia is an open educational resource whose frequency of use and importance in higher education are growing. However, empirical evidence about Wikipedia’s contribution to students’ academic performance is scant and many higher education actors express concern regarding its value. By applying a combined theoretical and empirical approach, we examine the impact of Wikipedia as a primary learning resource on both students’ academic performance and the perceived value of Wikipedia. Based on an experimental research design conducted with 2,330 university students, we show that the primary use of Wikipedia in combination with conventional learning resources has a positive effect on students’ academic performance, and that this effect is moderated by course discipline. Furthermore, the students’ perceived value of Wikipedia is positive and, generally, not influenced by individual academic performance.