Wikis: Introduction

1
Wikis Introduction

• Regina G. Chatel, Ph.D.
• Saint Joseph College
• West Hartford, CT 06117
• May 15, 2008
• Email rchatel_at_sjc.edu
• Personal Web Site http//www.sjc.edu/rchatel

www.oddmuse.org/.../oddmuse/What20Is20A20Wiki
2
Workshop Agenda

• Whats a Wiki?
• Purpose of a Wiki
• Create A Wiki
• Hosting Sites
• Applications to our Classrooms

3
Examples of Wikis

• Explore the following wikis
• http//cvcsd.pbwiki.com
• www.medteam.pbwiki.com
• https//lffg.wikispaces.com/
• http//professorgordis.pbwiki.com
• http//artsed.pbwiki.com/
• http//calculuswithdrc.pbwiki.com
• http//english400atshhs.pbwiki.com
• PBL wiki
• http//www.wikihow.com/Take-Lecture-Notes
• http//serendip.brynmawr.edu/local/suminst/ddi00/p
  rojects.html
• http//careo.elearning.ubc.ca/wiki?CS430
• http//wiki.elearning.ubc.ca/EDCI565
• http//wiki.elearning.ubc.ca/tela/HomePage
• http//westwood.wikispaces.com/Chapter1-Securit
  yandPrivacy
• http//www.raymondyee.net/wiki/MyTeachingDossier
• http//en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Rhetoric_and_Composit
  ion
• http//caw.wikispaces.com/

• Take a few minutes to look at the wikis to the
  left. As you look at some of the wikis, discuss
  the following with your group
• What common features do you notice among the
  wikis?
• Are there some features common to some, but not
  all, of the wikis?
• What primary differences do you notice among the
  wikis?
• Are there differences in the number and types of
  authors for the wikis?
• Are there differences in the purposes of the
  wikis? How are the wikis being used? 
• How might you categorize the different types of
  wikis?
• Working with a partner, note your observations to
  share with us.
• Fromhttp//onewisdom.pbwiki.com/W
  hatsaWiki

4

• Wikis in Plain English at
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?v-dnL00TdmLYfeature
  user
• Wetpaint Wikis in Plain English at
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vF7BAU2XX5Wsfeature
  related

5
How would I use a wiki in my classroom?

• Use these sites to see how educators are using
• wikis in their classrooms
• How I use wikis. What do you do? from Cool Cat
  Teacher Blog (August 24, 2006)
• Hardagon Podcast on Wikis in Education from 2
  Cents Worth (August 26, 2006)
• View at least three of these sites to see content
  specific wikis in action
• AP World History Review
• Bud Hunt's Wiki
• High School Online Collaborative Writing Wiki
• Holocaust Wiki Project
• PlanetMath Wiki
• Westwood School's Wiki
• WikiVille Project Global Village
• Writing Frameworks Wiki

• Now that you have investigated what a wiki is -
  we need to think about how we might be able to
  use it in our classroom.  As with any technology
  - there are pros and cons to it's use, so those
  differing viewpoints have been included in the
  list below.
• Again - working with your partner, investigate
  how wikis are being used in classrooms.  As you
  view these spaces, you will want to consider what
  would work at your particular discipline.
• After about 30 minutes - take a stretch break and
  meet with your partner to share your thoughts so
  far.
• From http//www.webquest.org/questgarden/lessons/
  34458-060902130930/process.htm

6
Using a Wiki

• In this step - you will work individually to edit
  and post your thoughts to the wiki created for
  this workshop.
• The focus here is on the process of
  creating/editing a wiki.
• We will be using wetpaint for you to create and
  post to a wiki.
• First - use this planning page to think about
  what how you might use a wiki in your classroom.
• Next - visit the wiki created for this workshop
  Wiki Explorations Workshop at http//wewsjc.wetpai
  nt.com/ . Just follow the steps posted on that
  Wiki to create your own wiki page.  Naturally,
  you should use your planning page to assist you!
• Wetpaint Demo Add a Page Wetpaint Tutorials at
  http//www.youtube.com/watch?v0hbisu8Dkmwfeature
  related
• http//www.webquest.org/questgarden/lessons/34458-
  060902130930/process.htm

7
Invitation to Adventure!

• Now is your chance to see if using a wiki is for
  you.  Feel free to start your very own classroom
  wiki if you would like.
• Dont forget to use this planning page to think
  about what how you might use a wiki in your
  classroom.
• http//www.wetpaint.com/
• http//www.wikispaces.com/
• Send me the URL so that we can create a workshop
  list! rchatel_at_sjc.edu

8
Starting your own wiki?

• Here are some other free educational wiki hosting
  sites you might want to investigate
• WikiSpaces
• JotSpot
• TWiki
• http//www.wetpaint.com/
• http//pbwiki.com/

• PBwiki Helping educators educate
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vav2yofWSdU0
• PBwiki Documents for you to download and share
  with your class or during your presentation.
• http//educators.pbwiki.com/Library

9
Wikis can be used for

• Any class project with a reference or
  encyclopedic format, including instructions,
  manuals, glossaries, and the like.
• A class or group project with a
  bibliographic format. Students could gather
  websites related to a topic, then annotate, rank,
  and organize them.
• Take collaborative notes.
• Create an interactive course page.
• Create an ongoing database for shareable lesson pl
  ans.
• Student-created texts. Students build a guide to
  online security and privacy and are evaluated as
  a class. Every student has a stake in the project
  and will likely benefit from the instruction it
  contained. Students also become familiar with
  "textbook" English and its avoidance of
  personal-sounding prose.
• A graduate student dossier.
• Plan a conference.
• Create a text/book.
• Review classes and instructors Students at
  Brown University started a Course Advisor Wiki
  where students can collaboratively write and
  share reviews of courses they've taken.

10
What is a wiki? Further Explorations

• Use the following sites to further investigate
  wikis
• Wide Open Spaces Wikis, Ready or Not by Brian
  Lamb in Educause Review
• Seven Things You Should Know About Wikis from
  Educause Review
• What is a Wiki (And How to Use One for Your Big
  Projects) by Tom Stafford and Matt Webb in
  O'Reilly Network
• Wikipedia Search for "wiki" to read the entries
  and links to information on wikis.
• WikiHow Search for "wiki creation" to discover
  how to create a wiki.
• Education guru Kathy Schrock's musings on
  Wikipedia
• It's A Wiki, Wiki World by Chris Taylor in Time
  Magazine
• Wiki Controversy http//onewisdom.pbwiki.com/What
  saWiki

• Not all sites that you visit will be wikis - they
  may instead be informational articles for you to
  digest.
• Some guiding questions
• How is a wiki different than a traditional
  website?
• What common features do you notice about wikis?
• From http//www.webquest.org/questgarden/lessons/
  34458-060902130930/process.htm