Holden Habermacher – Will Kent Reflection Post

Will Kent was a welcome and wonderful presence in our class. He is bursting with knowledge about Wikidata and community-based databases and his enthusiasm brought dry readings about data collection to life. Kent encouraged our class to explore Wikidata on our own terms. Wikidata is created by and for its users, so we can put our own mark on the website. Kent helped break down Wikidata jargon, like value, property, and item, which allowed us to create our own queries. It is crucial to see someone create a functioning, original query and explain each step along the way. Using examples like Beyonce or Harry Potter helped bring these skills to life, not just because it made them more approachable, but because we see how Wikidata can be used in our everyday lives.