This school year I have grown to love wikispace as a tool. In the fall of 2009 when I was first introduced to a wiki, it was used as a forum for an inquiry to action research group. I will admit I was so busy that I did not take the time to communicate with the members and used email instead. Wow. That seems so long ago, and regret not taking the time to use it. However, I did start several wikis that year. I now have created wikispaces for each of my classes. I also completed an Online Professional Development course for Government teachers where we used a wiki for discussion, and an Open Source LMS. This is where I learned to collaborate.
Through the readings in this class I now understand the purpose and rationale of using a wiki. I want my students to become wikispace users, but this has been a little bit of a struggle. Students love to use social media, but I think even online writing assignments are seen as a chore. As I integrate more collaboration on the wiki, I think it will be more accepted. Out of 100 teachers at my school, there may be less than 10 that use wikis, and most do not use with the students. I have even had parents tell me they are confused for their child when the child did not complete the assignment. I modeled wikispace discussions in class, and we used the media lab twice. Still there are students who are not motivated to write online. I will work on this factor over the summer. One problem is that our school has few computers that work, and many students have no technology at home, or have no internet. I have advised that their phones will work for discussion comments.
I have begun to join other wikis. Teachers have created entire courses that include textbooks on wikis. Many a simply a storage of documents, but several include student to student and student to teacher collaboration. The teacher created sites that are formed around the topics of literacy and differentiation are so helpful. I have learned a great deal just from reading and linking within these types of wikispaces. So, the next hurdle will be the collaboration element for both students and teachers.
Through the readings in this class I now understand the purpose and rationale of using a wiki. I want my students to become wikispace users, but this has been a little bit of a struggle. Students love to use social media, but I think even online writing assignments are seen as a chore. As I integrate more collaboration on the wiki, I think it will be more accepted. Out of 100 teachers at my school, there may be less than 10 that use wikis, and most do not use with the students. I have even had parents tell me they are confused for their child when the child did not complete the assignment. I modeled wikispace discussions in class, and we used the media lab twice. Still there are students who are not motivated to write online. I will work on this factor over the summer. One problem is that our school has few computers that work, and many students have no technology at home, or have no internet. I have advised that their phones will work for discussion comments.
I have begun to join other wikis. Teachers have created entire courses that include textbooks on wikis. Many a simply a storage of documents, but several include student to student and student to teacher collaboration. The teacher created sites that are formed around the topics of literacy and differentiation are so helpful. I have learned a great deal just from reading and linking within these types of wikispaces. So, the next hurdle will be the collaboration element for both students and teachers.
I like the way that you listed the ways that you are already using wiki's. This is very helpful to those of us who have not started using this tool yet. I have found that it often takes several years to get people on board and often times something new has replaced the tool at that point. The best thing that we can do is set the example and invite others to join us in our integration of technology in teaching and reaching our students!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your experience with Wikis so far. It helps me to understand what obstacles I may face when trying to implement it with students. Thus, it requires me to devise an action plan to get all stakeholders involved. Have you tried having your class meet multiple times in the computer lab so that you can observe for yourself your students' comfort level with using Wiki?
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