So to begin my long exploration of ICT’s in learning design this blog will discuss the Group 1 Technologies that include blogs, wikis and websites. Each of these technologies allows students, teachers and other collaborators to upload information and communicate with each other but the methods used for this vary between the mediums. This blog entry will focus on the use of wikis in the classroom and the benefits or problems associated with them.
- Openness – any reader can edit the page
- Versatility – the tools used to edit and organize the page are the same on any internet browser
- Observable – any changes made to the page can be monitored
- Fun – everybody is able to contribute
- Interactive – readers are able to interact with each other even if they may never meet in person.
I feel that these basic principles help to outline why wikis can be such a valuable classroom tool. Students can be placed in groups and use wikis to collaborate and develop their information and because a wiki is versatile they can work on the project at home, no special programs are needed. Any changes made to the wiki can be monitored by the page creator simply by them opting to receive email notifications, in this way the learning manager can be aware of any changes so students are less inclined to erase others work. Perhaps the most important aspect of a wiki is that it is fun and interactive which means that students should be more engaged with the content.
My two teaching areas are English and Business Studies (including areas such as Business Communication & Technology and Accounting) but I feel that I would most likely incorporate this technology into an English class. Using a wiki I could provide students with “to-do” lists for each lesson, including things such as spelling quizzes and scheduled exams. I could also have students create individual wikis to gain appropriate feedback from myself and other students on creative writing activities. For my last practical placement I had to teach a Year 8 English class about debating and a wiki would have been the perfect forum for students to collaborate on their debate arguments, structure their speeches and provide links to their sources. I could also use this forum to monitor the participation of group members and take action as necessary.
However, as with any technology, wikis do have their downside. Depending on the cohort of students, the page would need to be monitored fairly heavily to ensure that no inappropriate content is uploaded and that student work is not being removed or edited in a malicious manner. Because of this I would recommend that students save a copy of their contributions to their own computer files before they upload the information onto the wiki as ‘insurance’ against these negative aspects of the technology.
Despite their downfalls I would not hesitate to incorporate wikis into my classroom if the lesson was appropriate. They are functional, easy to use and available to all students. Better still, they are infinitely more interesting than staring at a white board while the learning manager prattles on.
Stay wonderful!
This is the link to the Wiki that I created - http://emilylawlesspyne.wikispaces.com
This is the link to the Weebly web page that I created - http://fahe11001-emilyswebsite.weebly.com/
Stay wonderful!
PS. No new shoes at the moment for me :( sigh... I’ll just have to appreciate the many pairs I already have!
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