Wikis and The Classroom How to integrate computer mediated discussion into the classroom.

What is a Wiki? Web 2.0 – The web is now interactive. Think Facebook. A wiki, meaning quick in Hawaiian, is a collaborative web space housing a collection of works…created and edited by many authors. In essence a shared, editable document. The most well known wiki is Wikipedia, an editable, web-based encyclopedia which has over one million entries.

Different Uses for a Wiki? You can use a wiki as a simple web page. Post homework, web quests, documents, power points. You can edit it from anywhere with relative ease. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5ALIL7T764 You can use a wiki to create shared documents that anyone with permission can edit, students can work on projects, test review etc… http://history-quest.wikispaces.com/Unit+2+Test+Review You can use a wiki for computer mediated discussion. http://history-quest.wikispaces.com/message/view/Alien+and+Sedition+Trial/7131085

Discussion Forums Students enjoy them They engage them They are using to them already They bring out the quieter student The importance of anonymity (e and i decided to change our usernames to: - john_dorian - topher_turk we wanted an alias so SH! haha. thanks!(: )

Why a Teacher should use a wiki Teachers can strengthen students writing skills by teaching them how to negotiate, communicate, and respect each other’s work through the use of a wiki. It allows students to participate with less anxiety, interruptions and in a more thoughtful way. Knowing that other people will be reading their work and can motivate them to be better writers. This is a 21st Century skill

Wiki Examples www.gowest.wikispaces.com http://thewright3.wikispaces.com http://missw308.wikispaces.com/ http://timbuktu.wikispaces.com/ http://ela333.wikispaces.com/ http://mealwormobservations.wikispaces.com/ http://bioethical-issues.wikispaces.com/ http://introtohemingway.wikispaces.com/ http://lcalcaterra.wikispaces.com/ http://tzetechnology.wikispaces.com/ http://choicesandconsequences.wikispaces.com/ http://quarter3research.wikispaces.com/ http://studiostarz.wikispaces.com/ http://warpoetry.wikispaces.com/

Concerns Security and control Can maintain both by using passwords Give passwords only to those who can contribute. Site can be shared with just the school community and not the public. The wiki is an extension of the classroom. Glitches and technical problems Everyone on at the same time Erasing each others work

Conclusion A wiki can be a great tool to use for students of all ages. Wikis and other technological tools are commonplace for students and if teachers can utilize them in an engaging and fun way, learning can be exciting for both students and teachers alike.

Make Your Wiki 1. You are all members of the http://socsdcollaborationwiki.wikispaces.com/ in order to create your own wiki click my account on the top right of the page. 2. You will see a button that says create new wiki (click it) 3. Name your wiki, I suggest that you click the button that creates a protected site.

Edit Your Page Click the edit this page button Type anything for now and click save at the bottom of the page. Be careful not to click save draft. Congratulations!!!!!!! You have just created a wiki

Create a Second Wiki Page You may notice the Home button on the left as you add new pages a menu will be created. Click New Page on the upper left of the page. Again name this page anything for now, and add text as you did before. Congratulations you’ve created your second wiki.

Learn by doing You can add a discussion forum by clicking discussion. Explore the controls that you have by clicking manage wiki. You can copy and paste text into your wiki from a word document, images will not copy from a word document. Other images will copy and paste into your wiki. Play around with your wiki, I will be here to answer questions and help if I can. In the afternoon we are going to share what we have done.