Wiki – the best technology we hate to say
A while back, I read an article (and I can’t remember for the life of me from where it came – it was print – yes, I do read print) where the top 10 (or 20) “best technologies for classrooms” were listed and number one was none other than “wiki.” “Wiki” is a weird, geeky name , I admit; but this technology is really quite powerful for a number of reasons:
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They’re collaborative.
They’re easy to create.
There are several free spaces where you can create one. Our website also provides them for teachers.
They are highly customizable.
They support a culture of revision and feedback.
Students can compare versions of their work.
They encourage students to be self-directed learners – especially in setting up and managing their projects.
You can “subscribe” to them in order to track changes (a discussion of RSS)
They are accessible for teachers and students from anywhere at any time.
They are relevant to the world outside of the classroom – they are being used in environments outside of schools.
I could go on. The real purpose of this post is to highlight an article I stumbled on today in my PLN about wikis and using them in classrooms. I really like it because, rather than explain the technology, it explains how to use it for learning in the classroom environment. It puts wiki technology in the context of a classroom and explains possible pitfalls and how to combat them. I wouldn’t bore you with “directions” for using a wiki – this, to me, is not fair – technology should be easy – intuitive (an article about this that I really like). When you are provided a new piece of technology (or a video game for your child), do you read the instructions or do you just play with it (provided that you know what its capabilities are)? How do you “attack” a new piece of technology (software program, video game, cell phone, computer, television, etc.)? Where do you see wiki technology fitting into your classroom? Would providing you with this video help you plan your attack? Or maybe a list of my favorite wiki sites:
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PBWorks (formerly PBWiki) – www.pbworks.org
Wikispaces – www.wikispaces.org
The Classroom Pages off your School Web Page (see your school Webmaster or contact me to get access to your classrooms site)
~I
