Wikicentral preso for NECC

Wiki Central:
Creating Collaboration and Engagement in Biology
Louise Maine, Punxsutawney Area High School

Links
mrsmaine.wikispaces.com
mrswolfgang.wikispaces.com
cloelake.wikispaces.com
animalplanet.wikispaces.com

Values and goals
Inquiry
Research
Presentation
Collaboration
Reflection
Use information in production, understanding, and application of content – UbD
What about the concept is useful, interesting, and essential – work backwards to design instruction

Alter activities to align to values
Inquiry

Wiki as a classroom hub
Assignment links
Easily embed web 2.0 tools
Build units and edit easily
Student generated content easy to create and see
Easy to follow hierarchy of material that is organized

Podcast lectures and Resources
Resources easily
located by
students

Student work
Create content
using moticams

Student work
Reflection and
creation of
materials to
apply learning

Student work
Develop
content
through
exploration

Student work
Variety of ways
to express
information

Student work
Student podcasts,
newsletters, or
other media on
chosen topics

Create a resource section
Resources of commonly
asked questions and
tutorials for student use

Discussion
Create discussion and collaboration
within or between classes

[Inquiry] Assessments

[Lab activity] Assessments

[Group evaluation] Assessments

[Project progress] Assessments

[Reflection] Assessments

[Lab project] Assessments
Combining lab
techniques learned,
presentation of
material, and extending of knowledge

Create new teams as needed
Each student has
an individual page
and can create
and link to new teams

Management
Check individual
and
group actions
through use
of history
and checklists

Projects and activities
White tail deer
management

Projectsand activities
Biomes of
the Earth

Projectsand activities
Biodiversity

Watershed exploration

Wiki as a textbook:
Class notes
Resources
Documents
Assignments
Notebook/portfolio for students
Other links

Portfolios of work

Voicethread thoughts from students
Link to voicethread

WHAT STUDENTS THINK

Using Mastery

Opportunities to redo inquiry

and application assessments
to meet learning targets

80% is level for mastery
Not for incomplete assignments
Students use of redo declined over time

WHAT STUDENTS THINK

Self-evaluation

WHAT STUDENTS THINK

Express yourself

WHAT STUDENTS THINK

Variety of assignments

Inquiry type activities
Traditional lab based activities
Posters – Digital and conventional
Drawings
Creative writing
Podcasts and iMovies
Reflection
Activities that apply information learned

WHAT STUDENTS THINK

Analyze and apply

Analyzing and applying information is difficult
Patience is needed as they learn what you require
Mastery allows opportunities to meet the criteria
Choice in data sets allow students to choose what interests them
Encourage questioning and thinking
Create a culture of respect in the classroom
Model the practice of analyzing and applying
Remove the idea of one authority of knowledge

WHAT STUDENTS THINK

FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS

Teacher reflection

Ideally, a student portfolio where they own the site vs. using the class site
More variety in activities
Watch for time wasters – more project checkpoints/documentation
Self-evaluation where evidence is produced
Peer evaluation of group work for data collecting
Keep individual portions of group work for analysis of data
Better ways of connecting concepts together
Less team page and more individual page entries
More “hooks” to introduce the concepts

Contact information
Louise Maine
lmmaine@gmail.com
Blog: hurricanemaine.blogspot.com
Twitter: @hurricanemaine
Second life: Ludovica Muhindra
World of Warcraft:
Server: Sisters of Elune
The Alliance
Character: Huricaine