Wikis - from the Hawaiian word for fast, wikis enable students and staff to collaborate online
What are wikis? "Wikis are Web pages that can be viewed and modified by anyone with a Web browser and Internet access.
Described as a composition system, a discussion medium, and a repository, wikis support asynchronous communication
and group collaboration online. Their inherent simplicity gives students direct access to their content, which is
crucial in group editing or other collaborative activities. Their versioning capability allows them to illustrate
the evolution of thought processes as students interact with a site and its contents. Wikis are also being used
as e-portfolios, highlighting their utility as a tool for collection and reflection. They may be the easiest,
most effective Web-based collaboration tool in any instructional portfolio."
(Educause)
Read a two-page overview from an educational perspective: 7 Things You Should Know About Wikis (Educause article).
Short Video: Wikis in Plain English (by The Common Craft Show)
(If above video does not play, here is a direct link)
Examples
MicrobeWiki - a free wiki resource on microbes and microbiology, edited by students and monitored by microbiologists at Kenyon College
Another short Video: Wetpaint Wikis in Plain English (by The Common Craft Show)
(If above video does not play, here is a direct link)
Software
A multitude of software options exist, including PBWiki
and wetpaint.
Wikis are also built into some VLEs and Google Docs can also be used as a form of wiki
(more info on Google Docs).
How can we use wikis with students?
Writing space for students
Collaborative writing space for a class
A place for a researcher to record data
Record data from a lab session
Build a knowledge base
Source: Tim Horgan's Classroom 2.0 - see SlideShare presentation below: