My wiki link is...
A wiki is a web page which is designed ultimately for collaboration between the members of that wiki.
The biggest feature of a wiki is that each member has the ability to add and edit information on the wiki at any time, 24/7/365. A wiki shares some of the pros and cons as a blog in that, it can be populated (perhaps more easily) with multimedia such as videos, images and links. It provides an arena for the continual growth and development of language and literacy skills. The quieter students are given the opportunity to have their say in another environment. It provides the opportunity for group work which is the basis of collaborative learning, giving each participant the ability to read the information added by the other participants which may include ideas that the individuals may not have considered themselves thus enriching the learning experience. It can provide the opportunity for task work to be broken down into smaller parts and small group working on each to finally complete the overall task, this allows for more information to be gathered in one place more quickly. Again the learning topic should be as authentic as possible to allow for effective engagement in the learning. Some of the disadvantages of wikis include, group work may not suit all individuals and therefore they may not participate and can possibly be hidden amongst the larger group. A wiki is a place for group work and therefore the space is not as personal as that of a blog, therefore there may not be as much ownership possibilities as that of a blog. The ability for anyone to edit information may cause problems with information continually being deleted which if the occurrence was often, can be time consuming for the developer to repeatedly correct. The ability for editing to be undone is however, a big bonus. Wikis require a computer and Internet access to exist which may be an issue. Slander, plagiarism and copyright infringements can be a problem as the information is online therefore the students need to be aware of online etiquette and safe and ethical practices. Personally, I love wikis. This is a tool which can be used for early primary all the way through the educational paths of students. Scaffolding for the use of wikis can be provided in the wiki itself. Links to resources and examples of work from those outside of the classroom can also be provided on the wiki, improving confidence and participation. The information which is required to be added can be as small as a yes or no which works well to introduce new and young users to the technology, to well what ever you like. It is a fantastic tool to bring a group together on a task which also provides the opportunity to learn about ICT's as well. Wiki away.
No comments:
Post a Comment