Wiki is a website that allows users to create and edit web page content using any web browser. Wiki is unique in that it allows content to be edited by anyone at anytime. The first wiki was created by Ward Cunningham.
There are many advantages in using wikis. Wikis offer teachers the ability to manage a classroom course and its activities. It allows teachers to provide interactive information for their students. Wikis also allows teachers to work collaboratively with their students. Students like the use of wikis because they are actively engaged and are allowed to take control of their own learning. Some other classroom uses for wikis include, but are not limited to:
- Creating a class webpage;
- Collaborating on a project with teacher or pen pal from another school;
- Use in a class discussion to list comments or ideas;
- Post book reviews;
- Collect links to good websites or news articles;
- Post group assignments or writings;
- Create a portfolio of selected work;
- Understand the writing process through the use of brainstorming, revisions, etc..;
The initial thought of using wiki as a collaborative tool is intriguing. However, there are disadvantages as well. The information can be edited by anyone. This can easily cause the wiki to become disorganized. Another disadvantage is that because anyone is allowed to contribute, it leaves the wiki open to vandalism. What may be the biggest disadvantage however is that internet connectivity is required in order to contribute information; leaving those students who do not have access to the internet outside of school without an opportunity to contribute from home.
I personally like the idea of using wikis as a teaching strategy to capture students’ attention. They are easy to use. They serve as collaborative tool. They are interactive and inexpensive. They are technology based and fall in line with what is interesting to students and they go beyond traditional paper and pencil activities.
What are your thoughts?
Tiffaney,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your blog about the advantages and disadvantages of wikis. Although I have known about wikis for years, this is the first course I have taken that I have been actively engaged in a wiki. I actually didn't know until now that all "participants" in the blog could edit the blog. Immediately, ideas for collaborative projects began rolling through my head. The list you included in your post also gave me several more great ideas! But as you pointed out, wikis have many disadvantages as well. I would be very apprehensive about giving my 5th grade students the ability to edit the wiki at anytime. I also teach many students without internet access at home, which would would defeat the purpose of the wiki. Although wikis are a great tool, they do have drawbacks. Thanks for the post!
Virginia
Being an English teacher, I definitely liked the suggestion to use wikis for book reviews. I, as you, think that wikis allow students and teachers to work collaboratively much easier. The only issue I have with using wikis is that they can be extremely complicated for non-computer users. I think they would be better used for upper level classes that would have more computer literate individuals. It seems that sometimes using things such as wikis in the classroom can cause a loss of instructional time because of the inexperience of students. I have seen some teachers use so much time explaining how to use such technologies that the lesson for the class becomes moot. I think this is changing, however, as individuals become more and more comfortable with the electronic world. Good post.
ReplyDeleteBlake
I like your list of possible uses for wikis in the classroom. I also agree with you about using a wiki as a collaboration tool. I am wary of any program that allows anyone to make changes to the page. I do not have any success stories that include allowing co-workers access to my files. In fact, I only have disaster stories about shared files.
ReplyDeleteI do think that wikis have a place in the classroom and in collaboration and I would like to continue to learn more about them and how they may be used.