What is a Wiki? (and why would extension agents want to use one?) John Dorner [email_address]

What is a wiki? A website that allows anyone* to add, remove or edit content A community on a shoestring A collaborative tool Totally open Flexible.

A website that allows anyone* to add, remove or edit content

A community on a shoestring

A collaborative tool

Totally open

Flexible.

What is a wiki? Simple Quick Document based Not message based The sum of its contributors. Democratic

Simple

Quick

Document based

Not message based

The sum of its contributors.

Democratic

Popular Wikis Wikipedia "Imagine a world in which every single person is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge. That’s what we’re doing.” WikiHow “ The How-to Manual That Anyone Can Write or Edit”

Wikipedia

"Imagine a world in which every single

person is given free access to the sum

of all human knowledge. That’s what we’re doing.”

WikiHow

“ The How-to Manual That Anyone Can

Write or Edit”

Why do wikis work? Fast and easy to use Open and Transparent Scales (2 to millions) Compromise and Consensus Collaborative Community Jon Udell – Heavy Metal Umlaut - ö

Fast and easy to use

Open and Transparent

Scales (2 to millions)

Compromise and Consensus

Collaborative

Community

Jon Udell – Heavy Metal Umlaut - ö

What makes a crowd smart? Diversity Decentralized Independent Develop a collective verdict.

Diversity

Decentralized

Independent

Develop a collective verdict.

Why don’t wikis work? Organizational Culture Lack of ‘control’ “ We are the experts” mindset Openness New technology Small community

Organizational Culture

Lack of ‘control’

“ We are the experts” mindset

Openness

New technology

Small community

The “Wiki Way” If it “ain’t right” fix it! There is no ultimate authority Work to develop consensus Think before you write Respect diversity of ideas.

If it “ain’t right” fix it!

There is no ultimate authority

Work to develop consensus

Think before you write

Respect diversity of ideas.

Why Wiki? E-mail for groups Great for Collaborating Nothing is ever lost! Being open.

E-mail for groups

Great for Collaborating

Nothing is ever lost!

Being open.

Potential uses - internally Event planning Collaborative writing Develop a class or presentation Documentation Agent training eXtension

Event planning

Collaborative writing

Develop a class or presentation

Documentation

Agent training

eXtension

Leader Training Wikipedia.org WikiHow.com Potential uses - externally

Leader Training

Wikipedia.org

WikiHow.com

Some common wikis

Editing content Different wikis use different tags Look at content in other pages Use the online ‘Help’!

Different wikis use different tags

Look at content in other pages

Use the online ‘Help’!

Starting a new page Create a link - then click on it Edit an existing page’s URL go to a page that doesn’t exist.

Create a link - then click on it

Edit an existing page’s URL

go to a page that doesn’t exist.

Questions? John Dorner [email_address]

John Dorner

[email_address]