Wikis And The Classroom

Wikis and the classroom “ Imagine a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge. That’s what we’re doing.” --Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia founder (Wales, 2004)

Index

What is a Wiki?

Wikipedia: Why should we allow it in the classroom?

How to create your own Wiki page

Ideas for your classroom

Bibliography

I. What is a “Wiki”?

A website that contains information that anyone can edit at any time. This means that we can keep editing and changing a Wiki to make it better and fill the page with more information.

It’s a tool that can be utilized for collaboration between various groups and people.

II. Wikipedia: Why should we allow it in the classroom?

Students are already utilizing Wikipedia as resources, so it is our job as teachers to teach students how to properly use this tool.

Wikipedia is becoming a trusted source cited by various sources and scholars.

Students have a lot to learn in the process of using Wikipedia or other wikis.

III. How to create your own Wiki page

Start by going to the http:// www.wikispaces.com / site.

Fill out the form on the above link: create an username, password and type your e-mail.

Give your Wiki name (no spaces allowed), select the type of Wiki you want (most educators choose “Protected”), and choose the “Educational Purposes” box.

The first page that pops up is a “Getting Started” Page which gives you various tutorials on how to work with your Wiki. You can skip this page and always come back to it through the HELP icon.

Now it’s time to Edit your page. Here is where you can start writing information and others can edit it later on. Click on the “EDIT THIS PAGE” ICON

Click on the HISTORY icon to view who has made changes and what changes have been made to your page.

Through the DISCUSSION icon, you and your students can reflect on what has been written on the Wiki page thus far…What information should or should not be part of your page.

IV. Ideas for your classroom

Class Discussions (any subject): Begin a discussion in your class, for example in an English class one could ask “What are modern examples of books/movies/songs inspired by Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet?” Begin a Wiki discussion where not only your class joins, but other classes and teachers studying the same subject join and edit the discussion as well. (NJCCCS: 9.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.5)

Interdisciplinary Classes (any subjects): Two different subjects and teachers can join to create one Wiki. For example one can start a Wiki page on Cinco de Mayo and students studying Mexico in history can write about it from a historical point of view and students from a Spanish class can write about it from a cultural point of view. (NJCCCS: 7.1, 7.2, 6.1.12A, 9.1)

Peer Editing (any subjects): Have your students post their essays/projects on the class Wiki page and have each other peer edit one another’s essays/projects. (NJCCCS: 9.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.5)

Research Paper Wiki style (most subjects): Instead of your students using Wikipedia or another Wiki page as part of their research, have your students add their research to a Wiki page and observe how that information gets edited. (NJCCCS: 9.1, 3.5, 8.1, 8.2)

Wiki Communications (World Language): Connect with a teacher from a country that speaks the target language and have the students exchange information about each other’s cultures through a shared Wiki page.(NJCCCS: 7.1, 7.2, 9.1)