Wikis are great for getting ideas going and brainstorming for many different type of events, creating word walls and debating to keep students interested and thinking on their toes. They can also be used to post student's research projects on.
Blogs and wikis are so different. Blogs seem to be more "manageable" and "controlled" by the teacher, whereas wikis are a free-for-all open to anyone changing information. I do not feel comfortable allowing my students to use Wikipedia for this reason. However, I do like the idea of it for lists, word walls, classroom agendas, etc. The information posted on that site could be altered by anyone and possibly incorrect. It is not a safe do like the idea of it for lists, word walls, classroom agendas, etc. It is more appropriate to use a blog when there is important information that you feel needs to remain in place and unchanged.
I found the Flatplanet wiki to be most interesting and fun to look through (what a surprise!) and loved the idea of creating groups to assigning each group a different topic to research and post for others to learn from. My least favorite was Westwood Schools wiki, mostly for the fact that it was boring and a bit overwhelming when trying to navigate through. Although, I did like her idea of creating a classroom calendar for all to see, especially for students that are absent and for parents to be more aware.
Great observations! I agree that a blog allows the teacher more control and is easier to use when attempting to manage content or discussions. Wikis are much more "open" and easier to manipulate; however, they can be a great place for students to collaborate on projects or share resources.
ReplyDeleteAlso, there are ways of managing wiki content and keeping track of who contributes what based on your level of comfort or trust of the students. Some wiki programs will allow you to manipulate settings so that you receive an email to approve anything a student has submitted to the wiki before it is actually published "live." There are also controls for managing usernames and editing history, so that you know who contributed what and when.
I agree with you about Wikipedia--I think it can be a helpful place to start research, but it's definitely not the end-all and be-all when it comes to information. One great thing about it is that it can provide valuable lessons on being critical of sources!
Great job! Thing 5 complete!