I have to be honest, when I first heard about wikis and their potential use in the classroom I felt hesitant. Could I really just create a website and then turn around and essentially leave it in the hands of an elementary school class to do with it what they may? What kind of strange and messy monster could it turn into...
Any potential challenges or issues are outweighed by their advantageous counterparts. Students entering incorrect information? Other students (as well as the teacher) can monitor the site and reverse any falsities or even vandalism. Don't want others outside of the class to edit/add information? Soft security precautions are available. You can do the research yourself, but this tech tool is pretty much fool-proof.
However, in my opinion, one of the best reasons, if not the best, to use a wiki in the classroom is to illustrate and confirm the notion of the classroom as a "learning community," in which each student can, and does, have an effect on the learning of their fellow students. A class wiki, in any form, gives students a medium through which they can contribute information such that they are truly in a reciprocal learning environment, and their role is not only that of a student who learns but also one who teaches and shares information, through this "What I Know I Share" approach.
What kinds of things will your class W.I.K.I.S. about? I can't wait to find out...
Hey Helai,
ReplyDeleteI had no clue about how wikis can be used in the classroom either. After reading articles and websites, I have come to realize that there is a huge plethora of activities that can be done with wikis! I love the idea about a classroom newspaper, that sounds awesome. It could really inspire a child to take an interest in journalsim/news! I love your ideas about how students can influence each other's learning. That mentality makes the best kind of teacher! Kudos!
Hi There,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and Jessica! Wiki's are a great way to build a classroom community. Whether by creating a classroom newspaper, participating
in a group project, or having students research
information and then tweek it when they discover
something new. I think Wiki's could be used for
just about any subject or topic to promote
community learning!
Great response!
Libbie
Great acronym for Wikis!! I definitely agree with you that while there are, of course, some disadvantages to using Wikis, that the advantages are far better. I never realized how easy it is to use a wiki as a group tool. I'm very happy that we've had the opportunity to create our own class wiki to really get our hands in it and figure out just how they work. The group learning concept behind using wikis is the perfect support for placing it in our classrooms. I hope that we all are able to truly utilize the technologies being presented to us.
ReplyDeleteI love your acronym! It is a fanstastic way to summarize the benefits of wikis. I too was initially concerned with using wikis in an elementary classroom. It is scary to turn over such a powerful technological tool to such little people. However, I have been convinced that with the proper guidance, elementary students can collaborate to create something fantastic with a wiki! I like your idea of using a wiki for a classroom newsletter! Children could practice their editing skills to edit posts just like an editor for a newspaper! What a great way to make a real-world connection!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog about wikis!! I too, like many of the readers, was hesitant about even the idea of using wikis. I have only know the word wiki really from wikipedia so I guess I didn't have much to go by. I especially liked when you talked about all the different things that wikis can be used for and included the link where we can find the additional information. I also cannot agree more that I think wikis create a "learning community" where students feel like they have something to contribute to the class. I think when students feel they have a voice, then they are more likely to learn and have fun at the same time. Thanks for a great read!
ReplyDelete