Student Wiki Projects Collaborative Communication in Language Learning Richard A. Korb / Kári Driscoll / Jutta Schmiers-Heller Columbia University Department of Germanic Languages ACTFL Boston 2010

Presentation Agenda Wiki Basics: RAK 1201 Wikis: Kári Students evaluate Wikis: Jutta Wiki Q/A’s: Audience Online Version at http://rakorb.wikispaces.com/ “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmByB0sIPog This 1.40 minute-long video makes it as easy as making a peanut-butter sandwich to get a picture of what makes wikis a collaborative learning tool. Wikis combine ease of editing and delivery to provide a one-stop learning/teaching information portal that encourages cooperative learning of all three modes of communication: students learn to interact online, interpret texts together, and prepare collaborative presentations. Wikis are easy to learn, allow students to concentrate on fast-changing ideas as well as editing skills, to collect material from projects, whole semesters, even as a portfolio of a learning career. “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Who Wikis? Who wikis? As is obvious from the video, wikis are being used in elementary school, high schools, professional schools. In our German language program at CU, my colleagues and I use them with elementary, intermediate, advanced language learners and in graduate pedagogy seminars. Example on the left is a portfolio of materials created by 1125 to interact on their home towns, to present cultural reports on Munich and to share video interpretations of stories they read. The pedagogy seminar uses its Wiki to keep teaching journals, to post and share questions and reflections on reading, and, as you see here, to create a collection of resources on technology as a language skill. “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Wikispaces Wikis are available at a relatively modest cost for organizations (AATG funds might be available to set up enrollment for your department. And for private individuals. Details at: http://www.wikispaces.com/ This ACTFL presentation at: http://rakorb.wikispaces.com/ “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Why Wiki? Groups generate ideas together 1. Collaboration “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Why Wiki? Groups learn to work together Cooperation: “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Why Wiki? Peer editing “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Why Wiki? Collaborative interpretations Multi-dimensional ways to get at meanings; as students read excerpts from Brussig’s text, STUDENTs choose and insert hyperlink aids for comprehending AND interpreting not only words in context, but also cultural practices and perceptions. On this page we see the image w/subtitle “Spaghetti ice creams that I (Mike) ate in Berlin 2008.” In the text students link “Staatsanwalt” to an online “professions’ lexicon”, whereas Ku’damm is linked to a live webcam at kurfürstendamm.de and when students click “spaghettieis” they go to the wikipedia site on this peculiarly German delicacy reputed to have been invented in Mannheim in 1969. “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Wikis are Quick: Edit / Add / Save 1: Set up wiki Demo: student 1 Demo: student 2 Collective wiki product “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Assessing Group Work and Individual Progress “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Additional cultural resources Student Wiki Projects Students’ Portfolios Additional cultural resources “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Wiki Project I: Extreme Travel “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Wiki Project I: Extreme Travel “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Wiki Project II: Political Parties “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Wiki Project II: Political Parties “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Wiki Project II Follow-up: Political Blogs “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Wiki Project III: “Planet Germany” Music Video Listening Comprehension Material for Discussion Short Film Embedded in Wiki Students can review outside class “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Wiki Project III: “Planet Germany” “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Extreme Travel (Unit: Traveling) “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Goals Recycle and further practice content, vocabulary, culture and grammatical structures of unit in a meaningful but fun way. Apply knowledge to a new context. As student says: “Apply knowledge to an area that actually interests us.” Introduce students to a new technology. Evaluate the usefulness of this technology in my teaching. “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Wiki I – Evaluation “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Wiki I – Evaluation “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Wiki I – Evaluation The results in short: The wiki as a friend of the poster-weary! Overall positive: new technology, mess-free, no handwriting issues, able to work from home, more exciting and creative than textbook, pick something they are interested in, lots of German spoken during group work, groups posed no problems. Voices of concern: technology challenging, technology cut into the German-speaking, general concerns about group work. “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Wiki I – Evaluation I posted all their comments on our wiki and the students had to read them. Discuss the evaluations with the students in light of future wikis. General consensus: we should ‘wiki on’. Use of wiki in a way where most of the work is done outside of the class. “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Immigration Amerika (Unit: Planet Germany) “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Wiki II – Evaluation [Discussion Board Evaluation] Re-Read our Wiki II again and then write your comments / evaluations. If there are already contributions read your fellow-students’ evaluations and comment. Here are some questions to guide you: 1. How did you like this version of wiki? (=Doing most of the work from home.) 2. We did meet in the LRC and talked about the wiki in class. How important do you think it is to meet as a group and discuss the project? 3. Where did you encounter problems? 4. Do you think the wiki is a good replacement for an essay? 5. How do you like our final product? 6. Any other thoughts or comments? [Discussion Board Evaluation] “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

Discussion Board Results Overall positive. Students: enjoyed working from home according to their own schedule. felt more comfortable with the technology and felt it did not get in the way any more. did point out how important it was to come together as a class and discuss the project while in process. Concerns: technological hiccup (login to same page). difficulty in correcting the grammar of other students. One student: writing an essay s/he would have written more and maybe learned more. Another liked that she had to write less and could hence spend more time on working on her writing. most were happy with the result and the sarcastic nature. “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”

My Evaluation Wiki proved a meaningful way to practice, content, vocabulary, grammar, and also culture of the unit. Based on positive student feedback, I will continue with wikis. With respect to assessment: It’s a lot of work to go through every history entry and check what has been changed and when. Wiki II: History revealed 194 changes made. (25 on intro page, 24 on Facts page, 97 on questions, and 48 on answer page) However, class size will be a major factor in my decision to use wikis. “Student Wiki Projects: Collaborative Communication in Language Learning”