1. Evolution of Graphic Organizers within an Academic Wiki Andrew Moshirnia University of Kansas

2. Road Map I. Wikis A. Collaborative Website B. Advantages II. Problem A. Text-Only Wiki Sprawl III. Study IV. Findings V. Follow-Up

3. Wiki – Definition an “interactive website where… webpages are editable by …users.” (Wagner & Prasarnphanich, 2007)

4. Example- Wikipedia.org

5. Contrast with Web Master Limited number of Editors The Gate Keeper Slow Change Changed Website Webmaster Client Desires User Complaints

6. Wiki Advantages Collaboration Exponential Growth Constructivist’s Paradise Easy to use Organization

7. But Input is a Problem

8. As is Navigation Wikis are Text- Based

9. The Wiki Learning Curve 1% of users make 50% of pages Wikipedia Founders Worried about Turning off new contributors

10. Study 9 month examination of the evolution of graphics within a student-driven wiki textbook

11. Participants N=21, students in 10 th and 11 th grades Latin courses at suburban Public High School Wiki-Textbook required

12. Navigation Menu: Month 1 Uniform Size Items Spatially Organizer for Outside Links Standard Approach to Wiki Navigation

13. Navigation Menu: Month 2 Menu Increases in Size Requires Scroll Items Uniform in Size Greater Number of Spatial Separators

14. Navigation Menu: Month 3 Number of Links continues to Increase Use of Non-Links as Organizers Users demonstrating better use of text tools

15. Navigation Menu: Month 7 Differing Size of Links Use of Non-Links as Organizers Menu cumbersome and too long

16. Navigation Menu: Month 8

17. Navigation Menu: Final

18. Wiki Sprawl

19. User Comments The navigation tool bar “has grown too large to be of use… [it] was originally a good idea … however, the toolbar has been continually added on, until it is difficult to find the right thing.” “When I go to the wiki I don’t understand were to go.”

20. Solution: Templates and Graphics Based Editing

21. Benefits of Graphics Easier to Understand Templates Limit Choice – Prevent Overload Attractive Interface Affect

22. Benefits of Graphics

24. Implementation: Casestudies.wikispaces.com Casestudies.wikispaces.com

25. Implementation: Casestudies.wikispaces.com

26. Further Research Graphic Organizers within Wikis (Summer 08) Specific Time on Task (Fall 08) Wiki as alternative LMS (Spring 09)

27. Conclusions Convention: Text = Flexible Actual: Text = Tyranny of Choice User Preferences  Graphic Interface Lower the learning curve