I explored 2 wiki's from the list http://www.ahistoryteacher.com/~ahistory/apwhreview/index.php?title=Holocaust_Wiki_Project and http://schoolsthen.wikispaces.com/ provided and then my wife let me onto her school's wiki http://countyline.wikispaces.com/so I could compare. I thought that the first 2 wiki's were interesting project ideas for students. However, I found that the one my wife showed me was more useful. It contained teaching tips, ideas, and other resources. It was also very well organized (by grade level and department. The Holocaust project was well organized, but it was not that different from other pencil and paper projects that I have seen over the years. I guess that is the point-the use of technology can be as complicated or as easy as you want it to be. The second wiki was not organized. It was just a list. I thought that this was a waste of technology. Certainly, there are dozens of other formats that the information could have been presented in.
I think I could use a wiki. It is just a technology that I am not comfortable with. I would be more willing to use the professional wiki until I felt more at ease with the technology before I used it in the classroom.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
As you've seen, wikis can take on a variety of forms. Depending on the audience, the "style" of the wiki may be more useful for some than others. To me, that's one of the reasons why I enjoy wikis so much - flexibility of the platform. A wiki can be made into just about any type of webpage. Yes, the intent of a wiki is for it to be collaboratively authored, but if that is not the creator's need, then it doesn't have to be that way.
ReplyDeleteWikis aren't just all about the information posted either. Great conversations can take place within the wiki via the discussion tab. There is an elementary wiki in our school system (private) where students answer discussion questions posted by the teacher. They offer their answers and opinions and other students enter into the discussion, it continues to grow. Sometimes that aspect of wikis is overlooked.
I understand not feeling comfortable enough with the the technology yet. As a resource, you've got a great media specialist who has been helping out other teachers with wikis in case you decide you'd like support with setting one up.