I have used wikis before both in class and taking a class. What I liked about this assignment (not a big vampire fan) was that there was a place for all of us to add input. By having a table there and having specific directions, it really encouraged collaboration. I think the challenge and frustration comes with having to check in often to see if anyone has added to it. You can't just add to it once and be done. I like that you can either use colors or names to identify yourself and to also use the discussion mode to have side conversations. I think that is my most favorite feature of the wiki. Not only can people have their own page and add all kinds of cool widgets, but people can then have individual conversations with you on the discussion mode of the page. Wikis creates a community of learners and then enables all kinds of different conversations to happen.
In my classroom, I have used wikis for two years now-each year improving on what I do. Originally I used it for students to work in groups and collaborate on ideas and understanding of a particular text. Each group had their own page. Then this year, students had their own individual pages where they did a poetry unit. They did research on poets added links to poems and then wrote their own poems. Students could then go to other students discussion modes and comment on their poems. This worked okay, but I should have assigned student teams as some didn't get comments and some were overloaded with comments. I also used the wikis to have students do group work on researching Shakespeare and the time period. I liked that students could use the widgets to organize information, add photos, and add video links. It made the assignment more dynamic.
In the future, I would like to use the wiki in my ecology class. We have a school garden and I would like to see students have their own pages to document their own personal experience with the garden and to then add links, photographs or videos to enhance their understanding of growing food locally. Then students could share with one another and we could open the wiki up to people outside of the school who are supporting us financially.
In my classroom, I have used wikis for two years now-each year improving on what I do. Originally I used it for students to work in groups and collaborate on ideas and understanding of a particular text. Each group had their own page. Then this year, students had their own individual pages where they did a poetry unit. They did research on poets added links to poems and then wrote their own poems. Students could then go to other students discussion modes and comment on their poems. This worked okay, but I should have assigned student teams as some didn't get comments and some were overloaded with comments. I also used the wikis to have students do group work on researching Shakespeare and the time period. I liked that students could use the widgets to organize information, add photos, and add video links. It made the assignment more dynamic.
In the future, I would like to use the wiki in my ecology class. We have a school garden and I would like to see students have their own pages to document their own personal experience with the garden and to then add links, photographs or videos to enhance their understanding of growing food locally. Then students could share with one another and we could open the wiki up to people outside of the school who are supporting us financially.