Thursday, February 16, 2012
Wikis
A wiki is a web site that allows users to add and update content on the site using their own Web browser. This is made possible by Wiki software that runs on the Web server. Wikis end up being created mainly by a collaborative effort of the site visitors. One of the largest wikis is Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.
The term "wiki" comes from the Hawaiian phrase, "wiki wiki," which means "super fast." I guess thousands of people adding to a wiki could make it grow "super fast." Anyone else have any ideas about the name?
Educators might find wikis useful for:
1. expanding parent involvement and interest in their classrooms
2. collaboration
3. portfolios
4. provide students with direct and immediate access to a site’s
content, for group editing or other collaborative project activities
5. promote “pride of authorship” and ownership in the team’s activities
6. enhance the teaching and learning experience
7. stay connected with students and parents
8. personal webpages
9. homework assignments
10. sharing and posting large files
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Thanks for your factual information about wikis. I guess the best thing about wikis is that they are free and everyone who is a member of the wiki can contribute to the content. As we've seen in our MEDT 7477 class, it's a good place for learning from others. The list of uses you give for educators shows just how much potential there is in wikis.
ReplyDeleteI love Wikipedia and use it often. I guess one reason is it comes up prominently on Google searches. I've always found useful information at Wikipedia and felt like it was accurate and current. It's amazing what obscure subjects will show up there. I like the format used and the links out to other information. It's very user-friendly.
Some wikis I've looked at did not have much participation, and others had lots. I guess it just depends on the interest of the group in the topic of the wiki. I want to experiment with using wikis in my classes using some of the ideas you suggest in your list. While wikis are not as slick and nice-looking as some web sites, they are useful because they only require a web-browser to participate, they are fairly easy to maneuver, and they're available at no charge.
Interesting information about Wikis and their history. Using a Wiki for our class this semester is the only opportunity I have had to experience this way of learning, and although it has taken some getting used to, I can see the benefits of using them in the classroom and in the media center. Thank you for providing a list of creative ways to use Wikis in the school setting!
ReplyDeleteI guess the only drawback to using a Wiki for research purposes (such as "Wikipedia") is the fact that people can add to it and you are not sure if the information is factual. In the classroom, although it is an easy way to post class information for students and for them to interact with eachother, I could also see the "editing" aspect as a drawback because students can edit/delete information from other students. I could possibly see this as being a problem in middle school/high school.
Thanks for the information on the history of wikis. I have always wondered where the term wikis came from and now I know! Your list shows just how useful a wiki can be for an educator. I like the idea of using wikis to collaborate and expand parent involvement.
ReplyDeleteThe informaton posted would have to be monitored carefully to ensure the content is accurate and that the editing hasn't changed the intented content. All in all, as your post shows, wikis have many benefits for education.
Susan,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the ways in which educators can use Wikis. I often wonder how this would go over with my students. What about those without internet access? There are many students that don't have access to the internet at home you know. How do we deal with that without making the student feel left out?
I really learned a lot from reading your post. Yes, Wikis are new and I will admit that they take some getting used to. The setup of a Wiki is strange looking for me and therefore is taking getting used to.
I do like the advantages that Wikis give over other forms of communication. Email boxes can become inundated with mail that it is very hard to decipher it all. I like how the content can also be updated by a community of users.
I wonder how long the Wiki will live? It seems to depend upon if people are willing to invest time into keeping it current and up to date. If not the information will become stale and outdated. It seems when this happens it is the begginning of the end and the death of that particular Wiki has come.
We will see what the future of the Wiki will be until the next BIG thing!
I learned something new.. I had never put two and two together to realize that Wikipedia was EDITABLE! That is why there are so many strange and unique entries there! Having said that, I now it makes me question the reliability and validity of this resource. ????
ReplyDeleteI liked your background information on Wikis and especially the list of ways educators can use wikis. I would love to try using one with my writing groups! I think one day I might be brave enough to give it a shot!
Susan,
ReplyDeleteafter reading your post, I thought about allowing parents to edit the wiki. I think parents have a lot to offer to teachers and other parents. Some of my parents know about helpful websites that I’m sure the entire class would be interested in. For example, they have shared with me a number of math sites that explain concepts in different ways than I have exposed my students to. Parents also share websites that contain community events that students and parents would find valuable. This can also be a space for room parents to share information with parents. I can have a section dedicated to thanking media center volunteers and parents who are involved with their child(ren)’s education.