What is Wikipedia exactly?
It's not like every other encyclopedia, where a host of professionals in each field documents information on their topic of expertise. Sending it to editors and reviewers for fact checking before it is finally compiled and published under a reputable company name like, Groliers, Brittanica, or World Book.Wikipedia is different.
It's an encyclopedia of general knowledge.
But how did the information get there?
Who put the information there?
We did.
WE are the professionals. We are the ones who know. Wikipedia is not just another collection of expert knowledge, it is a record of the current knowledge of the public authored by the public itself. Anyone with access to the internet has the opportunity to contribute to the distribution of information to our peers.
That... is the collaborative nature of the world of Wikis!
Wikis allow you to create a website, that is shared with the public so they can not only read the information, but add, edit, change and comment on the information.In the case of an encyclopedia this is both a treasure and a curse. ANYONE with any knowledge to share can add this information to the site. So we get information on a wide variety of topics that may not be available in a mainstream encyclopedia. However, this then raises a question of reliability. If anyone can add their two cents, then the accuracy of the information needs too be questioned. To battle this, Wikipedia hired moderators and on occasion lock pages about heated topics so they can no longer be edited (especially during election time).
But, while this may not be the most accurate way place to find information, it is an excellent source of the climate of the population. You can see what we know, what we think we know, what our opinions are etc...
It is also, one collaborative work, authored by the people of the world.
Now, think about works that can be shared and developed with coleagues, assignments where students can work together, discuss, and create one final product! Not just with their friends in the classroom, but with students all over the world. Accessible from home, from school, from the library, from any device with internet access...The possibilities this technology provides us with are endless.I have been using Wikis for over a year now and I have found them to be very useful in many areas of education. I have used them to create assignments for my students, information packets for both students and teachers, lessons, and partaking in online discussions with colleagues where we share ideas about various ways to utilize technology in the classroom.
One of the best features is you can't forget your stuff at home! For students who are constantly forgetting their materials or just don't want to carry them around find this to be exceptionally useful. All they need is the link and they can access it from anywhere. You can post the link on their Moodle account, on the network, on your library website or in a classroom blog. Poof! No more excuses.
You can upload document files for them to download at home and work on, embed videos and pictures to help illustrate the content. The interactive features allow you to invite members to help create, discuss, and monitor student understanding, ideas, and progress.
Sharing
You also have the option to keep your wiki private, or leave it open to be searched by other educators. Likewise you can search for wikis that might suit your needs instead of reinventing the wheel. By leaving your wiki public you are consciously contributing to the education of other people students as well. Talk about collaboration!
There are two main sites designed for education that allow you to create your own wiki. I prefer wikispaces. There are a lot of changes you can make in the free version and they also have an education license which is free and gives each one of your students a login to access the wiki.
http://wikisineducation.wetpaint.com/Below are links to some examples of how I've used Wiki's in the classroom:
1. This is a wiki designed by me and five colleagues. The purpose is to walk students through the research process. We differentiated learning by incorporating videos, images, games, and text to access all learning styes. We combined the methods of the Big6 and ISP: http://lis629group3researchprocess.wikispaces.com/
2. This is a DBQ I created using Wikis. The right hand navigating panel allows you to go from page to page. "Home" is the instructions for the assignment and each page is a different primary source with corresponding questions. http://dbqgreatdepression.wikispaces.com/
3. This is a wiki that I created for the 9th grade moral issues paper assignment. They were required to write a three page paper in MLA format. I created a graphic organizer to help them keep track of their research and an MLA citation template. I used this in my lesson and each one was given a copy of the link for their own use. http://databasemlacitationlesson.wikispaces.com/
4. This was a fun one! For Teen Tech week 2011 I created a site where my students could work together to write a story. They were each given a chance to add 2-3 sentences and then the next person would take over. We combined this with a Prezi story board presentation (which I'll talk about in another entry). At the end of the week the story was printed and available in the library. The Prezi presentation was also playing during the lunch periods on the big screen. This kids really had fun with this one and it lead a lot of them to write their own complete stories which I displayed in the library.
