A wiki is a website that allows
collaboration among a particular audience. Members of the wiki can edit the
content and arrangement of the information. Wikis are free, powerful, flexible,
and call for collaboration. Wikis can also assist in classroom organization for
assignments and other documents that need to be submitted.
Depending upon the wiki usage and
audience, I could see students collaborating within Wiki on topics geared
towards media, books, and technology. Students in the fourth and fifth grade
would benefit from this form of collaboration due to being able to work on
their keyboarding skills, critiquing the reasoning of others, and building
their research skills.
I believe that the most effective
way to use the wiki in an elementary school level would be to allow students to
summarize and review texts they have read and then discuss it on the wiki.
During this collaboration students can analyze text and critique other
students’ summaries on the same text. Students can also make connections to the
text by providing additional information linking others to author sites,
setting locations and facts, and any additional information that takes the
students beyond the text.
Students in middle or high would
also benefit from working within a wiki to collaborate on book or technology
reviews, however, I do believe that older students would be able to experience
a wiki at a deeper level. I particularly like Ben Miller’s educational wiki
that was a runner up for the Edublog Awards 2009: http://hums3001.unsw.wikispaces.net
High school students could do as Mr. Miller’s students and create a wiki based
upon the knowledge gained from a particular course or topic. Students could
utilize the media center and research topic based upon Common Core Standards.
Mr. Miller’s section titled, “Wiki Spirit” reminds students about remaining
neutral when writing, to be bold, the importance of diversity, and to not get
upset when some edits your work. All wikis need to have some form of piece
similar to Mr. Miller’s.
There are several drawbacks with
using a wiki. Wikis are time consuming, could contain incorrect information,
and need to be monitored frequently. Wikis are time consuming due to having to
monitor the information that is posted and edited. Accidental deleting of
information can also occur during the editing process; which results in
frustration from the creators. I did not care for the AHS Media Center wiki: http://ahsmedia.barrow.wikispaces.net
I found it to be filled with
information from the media specialist and not from the students. The wiki
appeared to be more of a website for the media center rather than a
collaboration of ideas and knowledge.
As stated, Wikis are advertised as
a collaboration tool that students can use, however, I noticed that some wikis
are just used as a ‘storage cabinet’ for student work. There does not seem to
be any form of collaboration when you are just uploading work or documents into
a site. In order for the wiki to be active spaces for collaboration, several
elements need to be present. Students need to be able to have access to the
edit button, guidelines for editing/critiquing should be visual to all
students, and the purpose of the wiki should also be present. The wiki should
also promote students to want to change other’s opinions and ideas. It should
create open discussion among peers.
