Thing 8 - Educational Wikis

In education, communicating with parents, students and staff members can be a huge obstacle. Creating and sharing a Wiki is a great way to over come the communication divide. As an AP, I see this tool as being a resource to share campus information with my peers and co-workers. Also, it is such a collaborative tool that is inviting for users with limited or experienced skill sets. I do see how a wiki can be a powerful "voice" and hope to implement one in the fall 2011 school year.

After reading different available Wikis, and there are several to choose from, I did find that some are better than others. With that being said, I mean it only as a response that some are just better suited for my needs. I loved the collaborative approach used in the classrooms where the teacher acts as the facilitator and students are the authors. Placing the Wiki creation in the hands of the students is the greatest application piece. Also, seeing/reading student responses creates a "risk free" opportunity for everybody to participate and share their ideas.

The Kindergarten Counting Book is a great example of the youngest of our learners. As a teacher, I see this particular creation as a way for students to show their knowledge of basic counting skills.

Discovery Utopia Project may very well be one of my favorite examples of a organized wiki. Particularly, I like that the goals are expressed on the home page and then the readers are encouraged to view the projects and respond accordingly. Plus, the nature of the questions are open ended and require the participants to think critically about very global questions. What a great way to determine what the students are thinking about their society and their personal views!!!

Grazing for Digital Natives - this particular site confused me at first. Based on the concept, I was expecting easier navigation pointing me to particular resources. In fact, the available information is readily available. Yet, even as an experienced user, I find this site a bit confusing. I guess it just takes more time for me to figure out what I want and find the information. In particular, I might organize it a little different. I hate to sound so critical as it is clear the author is well versed in Wikis and I am still learning.

Final Thoughts: This sums up the usefulness of Wikis best!

"Wikis encourage shared knowledge construction, as they are often built and edited by many users at once. Teachers and students can use wikis for publishing, organizing, and sharing virtually any kind of information – professional, creative or academic. Wikis are democratic tools that, implemented effectively, can enable students to take responsibility for learning outcomes, plan and make decisions, work together, publish to an audience beyond the classroom and, perhaps most importantly, teach others."