Wikis, plain and simple, are fabulous! I've read and collaborated on a Wiki in the past. However, the class wiki for EDU653 has really made me appreciate the versatility and opportunities at wiki can present. At first, I was unsure as to how, we as a group, would be able to create coherent essays that take a stance on a topic. I questioned how often I would really look at a classmates wiki. I also didn't know how I would be able to edit my wiki on a weekly basis. Boy was I wrong! The wiki format is simple, user-friendly, and easy to collaborate on. Also, the edits and changes are instantaneous. I like when I'm posting on the class wiki and can see my classmates posting at the same time. "...[T]he results of the users’ actions on the content of the site are instantly visible to other users." (Educause 2005)
While most aspects of the wiki are positive, the Educause article does point out some setbacks. One that I see as being a potential problem is, when used in the classroom, the teacher must pay very close attention to content that is posted by users. "...wikis are often monitored to ensure that inappropriate language, spam, and incorrect or inappropriate content are not allowed. This can be both time-consuming and personnel-intensive.
In my school district, we are currently not allowed to use Wikispaces in our classroom. We do use the online program called MyBigCampus, which offers many similarities However, the ability to collaborate as easily is not possible. I may try to appeal to my school district again this year to see if Wikispaces will be a possibility at some point in the future.
"7 Things You Should Know About Wikis." Educase Learning Initiative (2005). 1-2. Web. 27 May 2013. <http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7004.pdf>
I agree, Jessica! Wiki use is easy, fabulous and especially nice for this class! I have enjoyed looking at classmates work and seeing what they are producing. Up until this point, I felt like we just turned stuff in and never got to really share or compare to others. I am enjoying this class and all the wiki/blog business :)
ReplyDeleteI totally agree Jessica. I was also had my concerns about the wiki's when we started the class, especially when it came down to the group essay. Now that we are in week 5, I am loving it. The group essays are great. I am with you, I love checking out others projects. I am even pushing for my department to start using them to work on our curriculum.
ReplyDeleteI agree as well. We had a 5th grade exhibition in our district. It is like a giant social studies/science fair. I was a mentor for a 5th grade team. They did the whole project on our Haiku LMS as their platform, but Wiki was their place where they completed their project. It was neat, easy to use and kept the group organized. Where was all this technology when we were kids???
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