wikispaces
1 like581 views
This document discusses wikis and their use in education. It defines wikis as collaboratively edited websites that allow any user to freely edit pages. Wikis do not require specialized software to edit and prioritize the last draft, with version history available. The document provides examples of how teachers can use wikis to facilitate writing, discussion, and collaboration among students on topics, projects and resources. It notes some potential obstacles to wikis, such as conflicting with assumptions of authorship and intellectual property, or students being uncomfortable with public writing or intimidated by the technology.
More Related Content
What's hot (20)
Viewers also liked (9)
Similar to wikispaces (20)
More from zafra543 (20)
Recently uploaded (20)
wikispaces
- 1. Wikispaces What does 'wiki' stand for? What is a wiki? How can teachers use wikis? How can teachers introduce wikis to students? What obstacles can teachers expect? Let's visit a wikispace Create your own “wikispace”
- 2. What does 'wiki' stand for? Etymology: Abbreviated from WikiWikiWeb (first wiki software), from Hawaiian wikiwiki (quick).
- 3. What is a wiki? (1) A Wiki is a collaboratively-edited website which many people also view as an anarchistic publishing tool. The distinguishing feature of wikis is that they typically allow all users to edit any page, with full freedom to edit, change and delete the work of previous authors.
- 4. What is a wiki? (2) Wikis are free, online writing spaces. Wikis use simple formatting rules, so you don't need to understand HTML or an HTML authoring tools, such as Microsoft or Dreamweaver to contribute.
- 5. What is a wiki? (3) For some, wikis convey a highly collaborative view of composing and creativity. People who contribute to a wiki need to understand that their words may be deleted and changed by others. Wiki authors do not claim ownership of a text.
- 6. What is a wiki? (4) When writers contribute to a public wiki, their work could potentially be read by millions of readers.
- 7. What is a wiki? (5) Wikis give focus to the last draft, yet wikis provide a history. Each time the text is changed, a new version is saved. Anyone can go back later and see previous versions. This allows teachers and students to see the writing process in action.
- 8. What is a wiki? (6) Wikis are generally published online, though desktop and gated wikis are possible. Permissions can be set to limit the readers and writers who participate.
- 9. What is a wiki? (7) Revision is privileged in the wiki. Each new reader can suddenly become a writer. The draft that matters is the last draft. Power and authority are given to the community rather than an individual or official staff.
- 10. What is a wiki? (8) Wikis are designed specifically as a writing space. They are not a presentation space nor a course management system. Wikis make it possible - and necessary - for writers to continually build upon, revise, and edit an emerging text.
- 11. How can teachers can use wikis to facilitate teaching, writing development, and learning? (1) Provide a space for free writing. Debate course topics, including assigned readings. Share resources such as annotated bibliographies, websites, effective writing samples, conferences, calls for manuscripts.
- 12. How can teachers can use wikis to facilitate teaching, writing development, and learning? (2) Maintain a journal of work performed on group projects. Require students to collaborate on documents, such as an essay written by the entire class. Discuss curricular and instructional innovations.
- 13. How can teachers can use wikis to facilitate teaching, writing development, and learning? (3) Encourage students to revise pages or take on new wikipedia assignments. Inspire students to write a wikibook . Support service learning projects (i.e. use wikis to build a website about their school, likes, music, etc.)
- 14. How can teachers introduce wikis to students? (1) Introduce students to the rules for writing on wikis. For example, does not allow for reporting original research. Develop a system for recording the efforts and accomplishments of individuals. (You can accomplish this by having students sign the pages they author or contribute to.)
- 15. How can teachers introduce wikis to students? (2) Almost every wiki has a StyleGuide: a guide to the writing customs and the culture of the wiki. Have students collaboratively write a StyleGuide for their wiki. Here's an example of a StyleGuide. Ask students to play particular roles. One important role is the "Guard"--the person who watches the wiki pages and ensures that spam or bad edits are not entered, undermining the hard work of the wikiauthors.
- 16. What obstacles can teachers expect? (1) Wikis conflict with traditional assumptions about authorship and intellectual property. Students are sometimes reluctant to contribute to wikis because they lack confidence in their writing, they worry about not receiving credit for contributions, or they do not like their ideas, words, contributions being revised or deleted without consent.
- 17. What obstacles can teachers expect? (2) Some teachers and students are uncomfortable about the advantages and disadvantages of public writing. Some technology averse students do not like having to learn how to use wikis and/or find even the relatively simple steps for editing or posting work daunting.
- 18. What obstacles can teachers expect? (3) Because Wikis are not presentation software, use of visuals and design options are limited. Although selecting "restore" to replace content that was inavertently deleted or intentionally hacked is easy, the editing process is nonetheless a hassle.
- 19. Let's visit a wikispace My wikispace: zafra543.wikispaces.com
- 20. Create your own “wikispace” Visit the following wikispace and feel the experience: www.wikispaces.com