WikisSummer09_INE

"A **wiki **  is  [|software] that allows users to create, edit, and [|link] web pages easily. Wikis are often used to create [|collaborative] [|websites] and to power community websites."

I think wikis are cool!

Check these sites out: 

[|MediaWiki]

[|PBWiki]

[|Scribe Post Hall of Fame]

[|Seed Wiki]

[|Wiki Search Engine]

Please feel free to tell about your experiences with wikis and add any links (To add a link, click on the World with the link icon and put your link text in the box that comes up.) you feel appropriate. As you add your comments (just click on Edit This Page at the top), I can click on recent changes and see who made them. You can also do this. My comments are in Green. **Please post your comment below mine and put your first name at the end ** . Thanks, Barb 

 I have never used Wikis before, but I did hear about them. They seem to be a neat way to have an online discussion or message board. In Driver's Education I could use this for class discussion on Unit Essential Questions. This would be a lot more effective then the paper and pencil way of the past as students would have easy access to everyone's responses. -Brandon

Although I have heard of Wikis before, this is my first time logging on. They were very briefly mentioned at an in-service, but I have not had much opportunity to navigate through and come up with ways to incorporate it into my curriculum. In looking at the site, I think that I would like to use it to have students discuss the novel that we read in class. I would assign each student a few chapters that they are required to post a comment/question for and the other students would have to respond to a few questions, very similar to our "Class Discussion" postings. Once I have had time to familiarize myself with the site, I think it could be a lot of fun for my students. ~ Colleen

I was first introduced to wikis this year during our districts teacher induction program. We learned how to use them and were given an assignment similar to this one. I did not have a chance to work any wikis into the curriculum this year. However, I did give a blogging assignment to my college prep bio class. The assignment was geared towards a short unit on bioethics. Students read a scenario about medical testing on lab animals and had to give opinion based responses to three questions. It worked well and I will be sure to do similar activities in the future. -Dan

This is my first time posting on a wiki as well. I was introduced to a wiki in one of my other classes, but we didn't have to do anything on it. It is an interesting concept. I think my students could really relate to using something like this and I think they would have a good time using this. I am looking forward to implementing a wiki in my classroom. Would study guides or review questions be something to consider posting on a wiki?

//This is my first experience using a wiki, and I have to be honest, it was a little confusing and overwhelming for me! I sepnt a good hour just trying to figure out where I was going and what I was actually reading about! I checked out the sites above and there are definately some interesting things to do and read; I don't know if I would be able to introduce this to my fourth graders effectively. I will certainly naviagte around and invesitage it more this summer, maybe then I can figure out a way to bring this technology into my classroom! ~ Jennifer//

This is my first experience as well with Wikispaces. I'm really interested in hearing about how other teachers implement this space into their classroom. Anyone have any suggestions for middle school students? I have worked with blogs before and my students are very willing to participate in discussions through blogging. I'm hoping to do some more research and create a wiki of my own to implement in my 6th grade English class next year! -Jackie

<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">I have never worked with wikis before this semester. However, I know several teachers who have their own personal wikis that they use with students. Most of the teachers I know use them with older high school students though. They use their wikis to post class notes, discussions, and activities that students can access on their own. These teachers find this tool very beneficial for their students to use during instruction. Since my students love any and all forms of technology, I would love to try to start a wiki for them. Has anyone used them for elementary or middle school students? ~Christa

Like many students before me, I have never used Wikis before. My first thought was of Wikipedia, but I didn't realize that that can be changed too. It is a neat idea as long as you have control of what you keep and don't want to keep. It is another way to communicate with people and share ideas in an informal way. ---Sue <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 27);"> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 27);">This is also my first experience. I thought of Wikipedia too, that free encyclopedia. I now realize why it isn't a reliable resource. Anyone could change the information! I could see this technology being used in the classroom to create a positive climate, almost like a on-line class meeting. It could be used to post encouraging words to classmates or used to discuss general classroom problems and brainstorm solutions. Josh <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">This is my first experience with wikis. I have heard the term before, but I have never tried to log on until today. I had a difficult time figuring out where to sign in and how to add to this discussion. I had to keep starting over in order to get anywhere. I am sure this website is like anything; the more time you spend on it, the more familiar and comfortable you will become. I can see how this is could be a good way to communicate with people and save paper. (Especially in the upper grades!) Michelle

<span style="color: rgb(172, 0, 255);">This is my first experience using Wikis. My fiancé using them for his classes at Penn State in place of the discussion posting I am used to doing for my grad classes. My school district offers a Tech Tuesday/Thursday program and wikis are one of the session topics. I have not yet attended that session but think it would be interesting (but difficult) to try and incorporate wikis into my P.E. curriculum. – Megan

<span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 26);">__**Ryan Wallace**__- Wow, Wikis is a cool idea. I like how you can post, and keep adding on the same page. I think it would work with discussion formatted questions, or for test reviews- it might be a good idea to require students to post at least once before the test, just to make sure they are reviewing for the test. I had no idea what wikis where before, and don't think I ever would without this course. My concern with some of the ideas would be- how do you make sure kids don't online bully others, or write inappropriate stuff? (I guess as the admin, you have control of it). Somethings I don't like abot wikis is there, at least on my window not back button, so I can't really navigate easily, and I am not sure what is available still for us on the wikis links. Again, I like this course because it exposes me to cool ideas that I never would think of, or find out about. -Ryan Wallace...PS- I tried uploading my photo, and it won't support anything greater than 1 MB. <span style="color: rgb(101, 0, 255);"> I have used wikis in my classroom, but only on an experimental basis. I piloted a laptop cart and decided to give a wikispace a try. During reading, my students each had a lap top and posted their thoughts about their books as they read. Some of the students even commented to others and asked questions. It was a great way for me to see that the students were understanding what they read. I then set up a nightly discussion. The students who had internet access at home could go on the wiki and answer a specific question about their book. Other students could read their comments and respond to them. I really enjoyed it and so did the students. I will definitely be using the wikispace again when we permanently get a laptop cart next year. I thought it worked very well with 6th graders. ~Katherine

I have created my wikispace for Driver's Education. I plan on using this as an online discussion board like the ones for these classes. I can't wait to give it a try next school year. Below is a link to my wikispace for Driver's Education.

http://horickdrivereducation.wikispaces.com/

Brandon Horick