This document discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using wikis for education. It notes that wikis are easy to use, can be accessed from any device globally, encourage collaboration, and allow for asynchronous online discussions. However, discussions can only be moderated after posting. The document provides examples of classroom uses of wikis, including for teacher collaboration, school partnerships, and student projects. It also reviews research showing benefits of asynchronous online discussions, such as allowing more time for reflection and drawing on prior knowledge. Overall, the document promotes the use of wikis for education and provides resources for creating wikis.

1. By Rabbi Tzvi Pittinsky
Director of Educational Technology
The Frisch School
Tzvi.Pittinsky@frisch.org
http://techrav.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/techrav

2. Wikis for Education
Advantages Disadvantages
• Easy to Use- WYSIWYG (What You See Is • Discussions can only be moderated after
What You Get Text Editor) posting.
• Multi-Platform: Windows and Mac
• Global Reach- Multilingual and available
anywhere in the world.
• Encourages Collaboration
• Supports asynchronous online discussion
forums
• Versatile and customizable
• Safety- Every version of every page is
saved.
• Security- Comment moderation (after
posting) and permissions

3. Classroom applications
Teacher Collaboration focusing
on a Common Theme or Subject
School Partnering
Asynchronous Student
Discussions
Student Projects

4. Teacher Collaboration-Holocaust
Integration Day

5. School Partnering- Amal, Nahariya

6. Asynchronous Student Discussions-
Korach’s Common Sense Rebellion

7. Asynchronous Discussion Forums:
What the research says…
Chance to
reflect
Higher order Draw on prior
thinking skills knowledge
Asynchronous
online
discussions
More sensitive
Less stress
topics

8. Student Projects- Be the Prophet
Amos WebQuest

9. Wikis Examples
The Frisch School Wiki-
http://wiki.frisch.org Password protected.
http://frischgoesgreen.wikispaces.com/
http://students4israel.wikispaces.com/
http://shiriyah.wikispaces.com/
http://ifaces2011.wikispaces.com/

10. Now let’s make a wiki of our own!
 Go to http://www.wikispaces.com/ to start
creating your first wiki. Then follow me…

11. Works Cited
Blankenship, W. (2009). Making connections: Using online
discussion forums to engage students in historical
inquiry. Social Education, 73(3), 127-130.
Merryfield, M. M. (2001). The paradoxes of teaching a
multicultural education course. Journal of Teacher
Education, 52(4), 283-299.
Pena-Schaff, J. B., & Nichols, C. (2004). Analyzing
student interactions and meaning construction in
computer bulletin boards. Computers & Education,
42(3), 243-265.
Warschauer, M. Comparing face-to-face and electronic
discussion in the second language classroom. CALICO
Journal v13 n2-3 p7-26 Win-Spr 1995-96.

12. By Rabbi Tzvi Pittinsky
Director of Educational Technology
The Frisch School
Tzvi.Pittinsky@frisch.org
http://techrav.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/techrav