Wikis

=Wikis=

** A wiki is a website that is very easy to edit. **
You can use wikis as a class website and as a place for students to share their learning.

There are many websites that offer a place to start your wiki. "Wikispaces" is just one of them... Go to this site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki_farm for a list of other servers which offer wikis. Nearly all of them are free, many offer ad free accounts for educational sites.

See how other people are using it: http://educationalwikis.wikispaces.com/ Special help page for teachers: http://www.wikispaces.com/help+Teachers

Two ways of using a wiki in the classroom:
 * 1) As a depository for your lesson material
 * 2) As an interactive tool for your students.

I find that I use wikis mostly as a depository. To use it as an interactive tool is wonderful and promising, but there are some things to keep in mind.

**Advantages of using a wiki as a depository:**

 * Having one place for all your lesson material is efficient and easy remember for the students. (Ensure that all sts bookmark the link at the start of the year)
 * Students do not have to waste time copying links from a document.
 * Using wiki is easier and more efficient than emailing tasks to students because they lose emails or don't check them. Having a wiki means that you refer your students to the page.
 * Students can be more self directed
 * The wiki becomes a journal of learning that the students can refer back to; this is particularly handy when they have to revise.
 * The wiki link can be sent to parents.
 * You can create a FAQ section (handy for VCE / IB)

**Disadvantages of the depository:**

 * A wiki becomes part of the creative commons, that means that anybody can see, download and use your materials
 * Personally I am in danger of spoonfeeding the sts by putting too many materials on the wiki
 * WebCT is the preferred method of operating at Wesley

**Tips for using your wiki as a depository:**

 * The pages can be updated in a matter of minutes, easy to do just before you go into class.
 * Make new pages on your class wiki for separate topics and assignments. Pages are easier to navigate than one long website
 * You can get the ads taken off, go to Manage Wiki > Subscriptions > K -12
 * You can link to word docs, pdfs etc
 * You can embed youtube videos and audio files
 * Ensure that your page is marked "protected" when you create it. Everyone on the internet can still see it, but students/visitors have to ask you first if they can become a member, and you have to grant that membership before they can alter the wiki.

**Advantages of using a wiki as an interactive learning tool:**

 * Used wisely, a wiki is the pinnacle of constructivism.
 * Students like it
 * Students can share and display what they have learned
 * Your students could add new information to Wikipedia or correct mistakes on wikipedia
 * You can keep track of who has edited what via the "page history", makes it assessable.

**Disadvantages of using a wiki as an interactive learning tool**

 * Sts need to become members of your wiki first, this is somewhat time consuming but worth the trouble.
 * It is more efficient to create your students' usernames and passwords; that way they don't loose them and you avoid having unknown / anonymous / inappropriate users like bigfatwillie666, fatbum95 or dizzygirlzrock96. (Collaborative Learning)
 * There seems to be a problem with all students editing one page at the same time. Some students have lost their work. When using the wiki in this manner, direct students to first do all their writing in a word doc. Once done, they can log on and edit the wiki.
 * Wiki vandalism! I have had students post lame taunts on the wiki.

**Tips for using the wiki as an interactive / constructivist learning tool**

 * Generate the usernames + passwords yourself. (see Collaborative Learning)
 * Assign students with a user number, not their names. This way they don't necessarily know straight away who is making the edits; it gives the students a measure of anonymity.
 * Tell students to first work in a word doc, and then copy it onto the wiki. This is an extra safe guard against accidents. (You know the old: "Aaargh, Miss, I lost EVERYTHING!!")

=**What the kids thought...**= Click here for year 8's responses to a survey I did in class about the use of IT: http://app.sgizmo.com/reports/25698/117703/J30O786W4D056SCPV864LEG9E9BQLC/?ts=1242906354.