The Summer 2010 8 Things course has now closed. If you have questions, please contact the facilitator at sisd8things@gmail.com.


Thing 5

Wikis
A wiki is a collaborative website and authoring tool that allows users to easily add, remove, and edit content. The name comes from the Hawaiian “wiki-wiki” meaning “quick." Characterized by ease of use, a wiki is an effective tool for collaborative authoring. Adding to a wiki is much like word processing and changes are instantly available. Wiki environments are usually text based, but can incorporate graphics, audio, video, and animation. You're probably already familiar with the world's best-known wiki, Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia collaboratively authored and edited by millions of users. Watch this video to learn more about wikis:

Discovery Resources
To get an idea of what wikis are and how they might be used in education, read the following articles:

Discovery Exercises

To complete Thing 5, you must:

A. Explore any 3 of the educational wikis provided

B. Edit a wiki

C. Reflect on Thing 5 on your blog

A. Explore some Educational Wikis

Click here for a list of educational wikis. Choose any 3 that interest you and spend some time exploring them.

B. Edit a Wiki

Go to the 8 Things Wiki. We've already started a list of ideas for using wikis in education. Add another idea of your own. All you have to do is:

  1. Click on the "Edit" tab at the top right corner of the page.
  2. Scroll down and click to place your insertion point at the end of the list. Press Enter/Return.
  3. Add your contribution.
  4. Click on "Save."

C. Reflect - Blog Prompt for Thing 5

In a blog post, reflect on your experiences with wikis. For a reminder on blog post guidelines, click here. Make sure that you title your post "Thing 5."

  • What did you enjoy or not enjoy about using wikis?
  • How do blogs and wikis differ? When is it more appropriate to use a blog than a wiki? And vice versa?
  • How would students benefit from using wikis?
  • Of the wikis you explored, which did you like the most? The least?
  • Does the world's largest wiki, Wikipedia, have a place in the classroom? Why or why not?
Bonus: Wikipedia

Wikipedia is the world's largest and most well-known wiki. Many educators have shied away from allowing students to use it as a resource, but there might be something to learn from Wikipedia. Read the articles below to see what you think:

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