The Wikimedia organisation has called for Wikipedia editing skills to form part of the national curriculum.

Its communications coordinator John Lubbock told Tes it need not be a standalone subject, but should be part of teaching across the curriculum where relevant.

Mr Lubbock said: “We think this can be incorporated into digital skills.

“People learn not only how to edit Wikipedia but skills that help them solidify what they have learned by helping to create new resources and do something useful for other people.”

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Wikipedia allows editors to add to correct information posted by others. The Wikimedia charity says it works with Wikipedia and associated projects towards “the ideal of a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge”.

Mr Lubbock said that learning to edit Wikipedia could “teach skills in coding, editing, communications and copyright”, and be taught as part of students’ other studies.

The Welsh curriculum already has an element of Wikipedia editing in it. The Welsh Baccalaureate has a “community challenge” option of creating a Wikipedia page in Welsh, as part of a Welsh Government-supported programme to promote the language.

Its brief for this says pupils will have “the opportunity to develop planning, organising, coding, editing and communication skills”.

After simple training on how to edit the Welsh-language site Wicipedia, they will be expected to plan and support a local ‘Wiki Club’ within the school and with the local community or individuals.