For those of you who looked on Monday for my usual start of the week post, I apologize. I was out of the district at an Infinite Campus user group meeting/training in Paducah. It was very informative! There are some changes coming to the gradebook that I think teachers will really like. They have listened to suggestions and are making it more user-friendly. There will be more to come on this subject as the process moves forward. Changes are supposed to take affect as of June 30th.
Now . . . back to Wikis! I am still using the reference, "Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms" by Will Richardson. First of all, Richardson lists some of the concerns one more have about using Wikis in education. Of course, it is mentioned that someone could anonymously go into the class Wiki and erase content or add something inappropriate. Richardson says as must as we'd like to trust students to do the right thing, "we all know that it would only take one parent to open the Wiki and find something inappropriate to derail the project". There is a solution because most Wiki sites feature a password-protect or login system to prevent things like this from happening. Also, some teachers may feel that the open collaboration feel of a Wiki can be hard to manage, but just keep in mind that a Wiki can be used as a collaborative tool between teachers and districts rather than with students, so that might be a good way to begin using one. However, here are some ideas of how you can utilize a Wiki with a class:
1. Create an online text for your curriculum
2. Have students create their own Wiki with entries for a particular class (for example, in physics, have students post and edit entries that deal with the structure of the atom or in language arts, have students post and edit entries about a particular piece of literature they have read)
3. Use the Wiki as a space to post links to relevant Web sites and then have students respond to those sites with entries of their own
4. Establish a math Wiki so that students can add tips and tricks for math problems and computation
5. Use a Wiki as a new way to write the usual "What I did this summer" essay - students can add their own paragraph to the "class essay"
6. Let a student each day enter the notes for the class on a Wiki - this is an excellent way to reinforce what was taught and serves as a reminder for those who need it, plus students who are absent can check it to see what went on that day
The possibilities are truly endless. I'm sure you are thinking of ways you can use a Wiki right now! In subsequent posts, I will guide you through establishing a Wikispace of your own. This week, take a few moments to google "Wiki" and a particular subject matter of your choosing and see what you find. There may be some Wikis out there in cyberspace that you can utilize in your classroom without having to establish one on your own at this point. Explore and see what you find!
