I have never used wikispaces before I started the media program, but have come to love them. Wikispaces allow the user whether it be teacher or student to create simple and attractive web pages. This link is an article discussing the many ways wikis can be used in an educational setting, and the article itself is created.... using a wiki! Also, if the idea of this editable web page is still getting you stuck, watch this quick video which demonstrates how a wiki is used.
What is easy about a wiki is that any user can come straight to the Internet and create a webpage in a matter of minutes. They do not need a graphic designer or page coder to have a functional webpage. One great use of wikis for media specialists are from creating pathfinders. These pathfinders can be great for collaboration with teachers. The media specialists can meet/speak with a teacher about an upcoming topic, and pull in sights that will aid the students in research. The only draw back to this is that if students are limited only to using the sites on the pathfinder, the media specialist will need to search for a good many of sites to include. Another reason wikis are favored, is because they can be saved and shared easily. Teachers/media specialists can refer back to these the lessons and other items when a similar or the same topic is needed again. A downfall to this method is that some linked pages will no longer be accessible or will be expired; to solve this issue, media specialists should review a reused pathfinder before using it for a class lesson.
Finally, I think that adding a function similar to that in Google docs would make wikis the ultimate collaboration tool. Being able to create a word, excel, etc document on the Internet with the input of several authors and being able to download them into this format makes creating files quick and easy. I'm sure that wikispaces will one day adopt this into their system!
I too had never used wikispaces until this media program. I like the use of wikis as pathfinders and think that this tool would be amazing for media specialists all over. It is critical to inform teachers to search the sites and make sure they are still up to date before opening them with the students.
ReplyDeleteComing from a teacher who lost many of her bookmarked sites and files on my school computer this week, I like the idea that the wiki doesn't go away and the network at school has nothing to do with it. The idea of having a google doc within a wiki is awesome. Technology will surely go that way before too long! :)
I like the idea of using Wikis because they are an easy way for teachers to share information with students by posting lessons and resources. Using a Wiki for Pathfinders is an excellent means of providing resources for students to use at school and outside of school. Teachers and media specialists can collaborate on creating Pathfinders to list resources that are safe for children to use. Although Wikis are effective for online learning, information can easily be edited, deleted, or changed.
ReplyDeleteBecca,
ReplyDeleteI think you bring up some great points about the effectiveness of Wikis and the downfalls they. It is very important to check links regularly for any type of online resources bibliography you are providing. Pathfinders are something I regularly create (in a modified manner) for my school library website. Being able to link to a pre-created wikispace would be grade as I update my website throughout the year, instead of having to recreate the pages on my website. I do think it is also important to make sure that you limit the access to these sites, so that while teachers can collaborate, jokers cannot change the information.
Becca-
ReplyDeleteI think your comments on wikis are very insightful. Like you, I had not had expereince or even heard of wikis until this program. I can't say I am in love with them. However, I do see the importance and relevance of wikis. I think that in the ever changing technological world, wikis offer a great solution to saving and sharing information. This information is one that can't be "lost" or "crash" since it is on the internet. I agree using wikis to create pathfinders are a great classroom tool. I have enjoyed incorporating the one we made in my classroom this year. I have become frustrated because several sites have expired or become blocked. This task of checking and replenishing sites is frustrating to an already over-worked teacher. I can only imagine to frustration of a media specialist who is trying to maintain or manage more than one wiki for teachers in their school. I think adding a feature like Google Docs would be a great benefit to educators. This would aid in collaboration with other educators or libraries. I also agree with the comment Farris wrote above to limit the access. This would hopefully encourage the sharing of ideas between the correct people. Thanks for your comments.
Like Heather, I have not fallen completely in love with wikis either; I believe one downfall is the fact that (as we saw in our f2f session) it is difficult for more than one person to edit at the same time. I also agree with Farris that we would have to carefully monitor and limit access to the wikis - we don't need students or teachers deleting important information.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of using wikis as a tool for collaboration. The special education teacher I work with has to collaborate with two different grade levels but she doesn't have a common planning time with either of them. If they could each add their ideas to a page when it’s convenient for them, they will be able to communicate effectively to create great co-teach lessons.
ReplyDeleteThe key to using a wiki for instruction (as with any lesson) is pre-planning and follow up. I think parents would really enjoy seeing their students contribute to the larger classroom through the wiki. But on that same note, I feel some parents may be hesitant of having their children’s work out for everyone else to see (other parents).
Although wikis do have their drawbacks (as with everything in life), the positive uses out weight these negatives.
I think a very valid way to use a wiki is for collaboration with classroom teachers. For example,in an elementary school, you could have a wiki for each grade level. That might help with the editing problems. I am still a classroom teacher, so it is very appealing to me to consider collaborating with the media specialists in this way. I like the way you point out the ease of using the wiki.
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