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Why use a wiki with your class? (Discussion)

Kara said – Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:46:18 -0000 ( Edit Link )

Wikis are an easy-to-use tool that can be used by teachers and students in a variety of ways.
Most simply, the wiki can act as a space where teachers can publish course documents for students to access anytime, anywhere. I am using my class wiki for this purpose as the first step to engaging learners with using a wiki in their English language learning.
Further into the semester I will introduce students to the idea that they too can publish their work on our class wiki. In the past I have done this by getting students to work together on a project which they publish to the wiki collaboratively. I explicity establish guidelines for working collaboratively on a project face-to-face, and then we transfer this knowledge to working collaboratively in a wiki space.
I find students love to use a wiki. Many of my students have little experience with using computers, but by the end of the semester they have published, including images (sourced through creative commons), and created hyperlinks (a fantastic way for them to get their heads around the way the www hangs together).
You can see the wiki I used with my class last semester at www.esol3-4.sydneyinstitute.wikispaces.net
Cheers,
Kara

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Andrew Brown said – Wed, 19 Mar 2008 03:09:49 -0000 ( Flag Edit Mark / Unmark Best Link )

One of my favorite wiki’s is DokuWiki.

One of my professors taught his course on a wiki and it was his most effective tool he introduced.

I used to use WikiPad which is a portable wiki that you can install on your computer or a usb flash stick.

The only problem with wiki’s as a learning tool is that they are without limitations and you need someone to be committed to policing content.

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nelliemuller said – Sat, 03 May 2008 12:03:09 -0000 ( Flag Edit Mark / Unmark Best Link )

Kara,

I use wikis with all of my EFL high school students, but I also use it to coordinate an online journal for EFL/ESL teachers. Many teachers find the process of collaboration and sharing an ordeal because they view it as a lose of authorship. Using wikis conflict with mindsets and patterns that may need changing (see What obstacles can teachers expect? ).

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