Using A Wiki
I've seen many wikis on the web especially for specific genres like shows and books and whatnot, but I've never actually used one that was incorporated into my teaching. Of all that I read about, this stood out to me more than anything.
Has anyone had any experience with this?
As a technology teacher, I frequently warn my students not to use wikis as cited resources. Our school does not accept them as reliable sources because they can be edited by anyone and sometimes they are opinion and not fact. However, if a wiki was created as a class project with a specific outcome, perhaps it would work.
Lisa,
I agree, they are not reliable sources for a research paper, but as you have pointed out, they are a fantastic tool when used as a platform for research and sharing information when wikis are created as part of a class project.
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
Zafar,
Wikis are a great tool when assigning research projects to a class, though I would not suggest utilizing existing wikis as a resource when conducting research because they are not always reliable.
In my personal experience I have found students really enjoy the interaction of creating a class wiki. It promotes conversation in and out of the classroom.
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
Wikis are great for getting students to interact and share information, however, I would never accept a wiki as citation. There is too much room for error and inaccuracy.
I agree Wikis are not all accurate. Its a fun idea to share amongst the class.
I used Google groups about a year ago in a marketing class. We used it to create a marketing plan for a new entertainment business. When I assigned student tasks there was a deadline to post and I could see who was participating.
This was a great tool to collect all the assignments. Near the end of the course, I assigned a student to "clean up" the posts and format the document.
IN my last class, I used PBworks.com to create a Wiki for the class. We used the web site (free for educators) to assign homework, collect answers to critical thinking questions, and to see who participated in the class.
True, I have looked up information on wiki and it was way off course on the topic. Maybe good for somethings but not the history on classic french desserts.
