http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a6/DOWNTOWN.jpg 700m, Dubai

“ They only teach you stuff any fool can look up in a book “ Calvin & Hobbes

INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIVE ASSIGNMENTS USING WIKI TECHNOLOGY MAARTEN CANNAERTS AND GREET LANGIE Hogeschool voor Wetenschap & Kunst – CAMPUS De Nayer WALTER LAURIKS Leuven Catholic University – Department of physics HILDE CRETEN AND HERMAN BUELENS Leuven Catholic University – DUO/ICTO

… can be translated from pedagogese to English as … INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIVE ASSIGNMENTS USING WIKI TECHNOLOGY

The main dangers in this life are the people who want to change everything … … or nothing. Nancy Astor

An expert is someone who knows some of the worst mistakes which can be made in a very narrow field. Niels Bohr

www.slideshare.net/maartencannaerts www.furl.net/members/maartencannaerts www.edublogs.be www.bloglines.com/public/maartencannaerts http://www.caror.org/Images/thank%20you.jpg http://www.denayer.wenk.be

www.slideshare.net/maartencannaerts

www.furl.net/members/maartencannaerts

www.edublogs.be

www.bloglines.com/public/maartencannaerts

What are the problems we face?

The WORLD is CHANGING!

What are the problems we face? The world is changing! Our students are changing (are these different things?)

The world is changing!

Our students are changing

(are these different things?)

There is a different kind of logic at work (Frand, 2000, ‘ the information age mindset ’) …………… .. is NOT technology …………… .. replaces TV ………… .… is better than writing …………… ..…… is a way of life ………… ... is more important than knowing ................................................................is essential, always-everywhere ………………………………………… .. is preferred to conventional logic Computer Internet Typing Multitasking Doing Connectivity and communication Nintendo (trial and error)

There is a different kind of logic at work (Frand, 2000, ‘ the information age mindset ’)

…………… .. is NOT technology

…………… .. replaces TV

………… .… is better than writing

…………… ..…… is a way of life

………… ... is more important than knowing

................................................................is essential, always-everywhere

………………………………………… .. is preferred to conventional logic

Computer

Internet

Typing

Multitasking

Doing

Connectivity and communication

Nintendo (trial and error)

? How can we make learning relevant and fun for our students ?

? How can we make learning relevant and fun for our students ?

Learning is a social process … Do our digital learning environments reflect this statement?

We learn our children to TALK, WALK and PLAY until they are the age of three

… and then we teach them to SHUT UP, SIT DOWN, and BE SERIOUS

http://www.sxc.hu/profile/zirzuke There is no prize for predicting rain. There is only a prize for building an ark. NATO secretary-general Lord Robertson

? How can we make learning relevant and fun for our students ?

? How can we make learning relevant and fun for our students ?

Context Physics course, 1 st year engineering students Intradisciplinary work? (4 year curriculum – 5 year curriculum) Collaborative work? Using technologies?

Physics course, 1 st year engineering students

Intradisciplinary work? (4 year curriculum – 5 year curriculum)

Collaborative work?

Using technologies?

A complex setting! Students located at two institutes… … geographically distant. Two different disciplines. Two different professors. More or less similar course topic (physics – polarization)

Students located at two institutes…

… geographically distant.

Two different disciplines.

Two different professors.

More or less similar course topic (physics – polarization)

Kids love what tech does , not what it is eSchool News online

What is Web 2.0? Web 2.0 Second generation web-based (internet) tools… … focused at communication, collaboration and exchange of ideas/ information/ materials/ software… ( social constructivism, anyone? )

Web 2.0

Second generation web-based (internet) tools…

… focused at communication, collaboration and exchange of ideas/ information/ materials/ software…

( social constructivism, anyone? )

What’s a wiki to you? Wiki is my middle name! Wiki – hmm… heard of it Wiki? Pedia?

What’s a wiki to you?

Wiki is my middle name!

Wiki – hmm… heard of it

Wiki? Pedia?

Advantages of using wikis Ease of use, online and flexible (anytime anywhere) Simultaneous editing Backtracking (view changes); Fast collaboration Version management Not ‘ person oriented ’ but ‘ task oriented ’

Ease of use, online and flexible (anytime anywhere)

Simultaneous editing

Backtracking (view changes);

Fast collaboration

Version management

Not ‘ person oriented ’ but ‘ task oriented ’

Using wiki technology has led to better learning (not mere ‘copy-pasting’ of text material)

Using wiki technology has led to better learning

(not mere ‘copy-pasting’ of text material)

Using wiki technology has led to better learning

Using wiki technology has led to better learning

… but … Some technical issues Collaboration is very “task oriented” Face to face collaboration works faster and easier Lack of social control

Some technical issues

Collaboration is very “task oriented”

Face to face collaboration works faster and easier

Lack of social control

Peer grading tool Students claim to know better who did what, and… … can give a fair grade … but… Do not (really) use tools Logbook Version backtracking

Students claim to know better who did what, and…

… can give a fair grade

… but…

Do not (really) use tools

Logbook

Version backtracking

The future?

If we knew what we were doing, we wouldn't call it research. Albert Einstein

Wiki technology Empirical proof about didactical advantage(s) Peer grading tool Improve feedback given to students What (implicit or explicit) grading criteria do the students use?

Wiki technology

Empirical proof about didactical advantage(s)

Peer grading tool

Improve feedback given to students

What (implicit or explicit) grading criteria do the students use?

www.slideshare.net/maartencannaerts www.furl.net/members/maartencannaerts www.edublogs.be www.bloglines.com/public/maartencannaerts http://www.caror.org/Images/thank%20you.jpg http://www.denayer.wenk.be

www.slideshare.net/maartencannaerts

www.furl.net/members/maartencannaerts

www.edublogs.be

www.bloglines.com/public/maartencannaerts