The process of wiki information online

After reading about Wikipedia and its resources, I have changed my opinions about the site.  In my courses professors tell you that you cannot use Wikipedia as a reference for any research.  One site I often go to for information is Wikipedia.  Once I realized that they were not a reputable site for research I stopped referring to them.  After completing the reading in Richardson's text I now have a better understanding of how Wikipedia works and the features and benefits that it provides.   One of the best examples of how Wikipedia works was described in the text by using the tsunami in Asia several years ago.  People added to that particular wiki by providing factual information, pictures, data or their personal accounts of what happened based on their experiences.  This site provides collaborative opportunities for people globally to create wiki's.  Wikipedia could be a good sight for students to create a wiki project.  What do your students use Wikipedia for? has it ever been incorporated into a project to share or create information?