A Successful Pedagogical Experiment: Using Wikis in Academic Lectures Gabriela GROSSECK Senior lecturer, Ph.D. West University of Timisoara 12-13 April eLSE07 Bucharest

What is a wiki? Wiki =quick (in Hawaiian) A website in which content can be created and edited by a community of users ( often without need for special privileges ) Software that allows people with no knowledge of HTML or other programming languages to create and/or edit a website

Wiki =quick (in Hawaiian)

A website in which content can be created and edited by a community of users ( often without need for special privileges )

Software that allows people with no knowledge of HTML or other

programming languages

to create and/or edit a website

The largest wiki: WiKIPEDIA Best example is Wikipedia Wikipedia is: A free encyclopedia Multilingual Web-based Written collaboratively by volunteers Most articles can be changed by anyone Wikipedia has more than 3 million articles

Best example is Wikipedia

Wikipedia is:

A free encyclopedia

Multilingual

Web-based

Written collaboratively by volunteers

Most articles can be changed by anyone

Wikipedia has more than 3 million articles

Wiki technology Wiki ≠ Wikipedia Enables people to work collaboratively You can learn to use a wiki in 30-60 min. Many different programs to choose from There are several free sources for wikis (~200)

Wiki ≠ Wikipedia

Enables people to work collaboratively

You can learn to use a wiki in 30-60 min.

Many different programs to choose from

There are several free sources for wikis (~200)

Why wiki? / Why not wiki? Easy to use Web-based Simple software commands Anyone can make changes Flexible and easy to add content to Harness collective intelligence! Can help develop a culture of sharing and working together (cf. open source) The success of the Wikipedia may not necessarily be replicated elsewhere. Vandalism and spam Disorganized Too open/ not enough control of content There may be copyright and other legal issues regarding collaborative content There is not (yet) a standard lightweight Wiki markup language

Easy to use

Web-based

Simple software commands

Anyone can make changes

Flexible and easy to add content to

Harness collective intelligence!

Can help develop a culture of sharing and working together (cf. open source)

The success of the Wikipedia may not necessarily be replicated elsewhere.

Vandalism and spam

Disorganized

Too open/ not enough control of content

There may be copyright and other legal issues regarding collaborative content

There is not (yet) a standard lightweight Wiki markup language

Ways to use Wiki in education Students can use a wiki to develop research projects. Students can add summaries of their thoughts from the prescribed readings. A wiki can be used for publishing course resources like syllabi and handouts. Teachers can use wikis as a knowledge base. Wikis can be used to map concepts (brainstorming, linked network of resources). A wiki can be used as a presentation tool in place of conventional software. Wikis are tools for group authoring. Victoria A. Davis, 2006

Students can use a wiki to develop research projects.

Students can add summaries of their thoughts from the prescribed readings.

A wiki can be used for publishing course resources like syllabi and handouts.

Teachers can use wikis as a knowledge base.

Wikis can be used to map concepts (brainstorming, linked network of resources).

A wiki can be used as a presentation tool in place of conventional software.

Wikis are tools for group authoring.

Why I wanted to use a wiki Students experience a technology they probably hadn’t encountered before Students learn about collaborative “sense-making” Huge potential for building community

Students experience a technology they probably hadn’t encountered before

Students learn about collaborative “sense-making”

Huge potential for building community

Using Wikis to Build Learning Communities

Why I use Wikispaces.com?

http:// OraDeInfo.Wikispaces.com

Why follow the “wiki way”? achieving knowledge in efficient use of the Internet developing relational and communication competences in virtual space forming of specific attitudes regarding the Web 2.0 technologies (wiki, blog, RSS, social bookmarking etc.) developing/improving digital competences for individuals and groups the students can exercise their most important competence - the competence of creating content

achieving knowledge in efficient use of the Internet

developing relational and communication competences in virtual space

forming of specific attitudes regarding the Web 2.0 technologies (wiki, blog, RSS, social bookmarking etc.)

developing/improving digital competences for individuals and groups

the students can exercise their most important competence - the competence of creating content

Why follow the “wikispaces way”? organizing, cooperating and interpersonal relation competences developing formative and informative valences for the students, critical thinking and creativity involving the students in taking decisions participating learning and learning by discovering in on-line environment building a learning community !

organizing, cooperating and interpersonal relation competences

developing formative and informative valences for the students, critical thinking and creativity

involving the students in taking decisions

participating learning and learning by discovering in on-line environment

building a learning community !

Lessons learned Don’t be afraid to experiment! Be flexible! Get feedback from users! Don’t get frustrated! Learn how to use this powerful content management!!

Don’t be afraid to experiment!

Be flexible!

Get feedback from users!

Don’t get frustrated!

Learn how to use this powerful content management!!

Q&A Thank you ! Gabriela GROSSECK West University of Timisoara Faculty of Sociology and Psychology Department of Foreign Languages and Social Informatics 4 Bd. V. Parvan, office 029 300223 Timisoara, Romania phone: 0040-256-592.266 fax: 0040-256-592.320 email: [email_address] blog: http://grosseck.blogspot.com