User-Generated Content in Education/Wikis in Education
Wikis in education
A wiki is an online tool used in education by teachers and students to collaborate and create new user generated content together in an easy to use website[1]. With a wiki, users only need an internet connection and a computer to collaborate Wikis can be used for many purposes, including organizing a group's input[2]. This can be a powerful tool when used in the classroom. Wikis are used in schools to extend the classroom and the learning space.
What is a wiki?
A wiki is a simple and fast website that enables people to collaborate to create a website together, with no need to learn any complicated code. Wikis can be used for a variety of purposes, but can be especially helpful when used for education. Wikis are easy to edit and rely on the knowledge of regular people to edit them.
History
The first wiki ever created was called WikiWikiWeb. It was created by Ward Cunningham. He got the name from the Hawaiian "wiki" meaning quick [3].
What you need to get started
You’ll need a computer and internet connection. If you have these all you need is a wiki platform or web application. You’ll need to visit one of these sites, create an account with them, and you’ll be editing your very own wiki in no time.
Popular educational wiki sites
Some of the best examples of wiki applications that can be used for the classroom are wikispaces and pbwikis. Both can be used to create classroom wikis that are either teacher or student lead.
http://www.wikispaces.com[4]
http://pbworks.com[5]
Why use wikis for education?
Wikis are ideal for education because they are free, easy to use, and enable students and teachers to generate their own content. With most wiki internet applications teachers can monitor who is posting what content. You can organize an entire course on a wiki.[6]
Examples of uses for wikis in education
Online books
Class website
Class encyclopedia
Posting class projects
Advantages of using Wikis in the classroom
- A quick way to collaborate with classmates through text
- Easy to create simple websites
- Project development
- Group Authoring and Peer Review
- Data Collection
- The end project is the result of the group ,not just an individual
- Track a group's progress
- Another presentation tool
- Relatively simple technology to use
- Encourages creativity
- Sparks higher level thinking
- Fosters a community learning environment
Disadvantages of using Wikis in the classroom
- Subject to individuals posting inappropriate content
- One students doing "all of the work" for the group
- Monitoring challenges
- Avoiding "Copy and Paste" work
- Ensuring students give others credit through citations
References
- ↑ “Wiki - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki.
- ↑ Lee LeFever, “Wikis in Plain English - Common Craft,” http://www.commoncraft.com/video-wikis-plain-english.
- ↑ David H. Jonassen, Jane L. Howland, and Rose M. Marra, Meaningful Learning with Technology (2-downloads), 4th ed. (Allyn & Bacon, 2011).
- ↑ “Wikis for Everyone - Wikispaces,” http://www.wikispaces.com/.
- ↑ “PBworks: Online Collaboration,” http://pbworks.com/.
- ↑ Using Wikis in the Classroom, 2009, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pR5yogCmkA&feature=youtube_gdata_player.
- ↑ Benefits of Using Wikis in the Classroom | IDES - Boston College. (n.d.). Boston College. Retrieved August 3, 2011, from http://www.bc.edu/offices/ides/teaching
- ↑ Using wikis and blogs in education.. (n.d.). Scribd. Retrieved August 3, 2011, from http://www.scribd.com/doc/2451263/Using-wikis-and-blogs-in-education
- ↑ The pros and cons of using wikis in the classroom - Related Stories - Accomplished Teacher® by SmartBrief. (n.d.). SmartBrief - Industry E-mail Newsletters for Professionals. Retrieved August 3,2011,from http://www.smartbrief.com/news/nbpts/storyDetails.jsp?issueid=818E3F25-B0D0-4235-BE75-1ACB2C75C504©id=EAFA7ACE-3C3B-40B0-9D78-DC9DE3C6500A