Wikis

integratingauthentic meaningful 21st Century skills

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Shelby County PLU 2010-2011

What is a wiki?• Wiki is Hawaiian for “quick” or

“quickly.”• A type of website that allows

users to easily add and edit content.

• Open to the public, so the content can be changed any time, by anyone.

• Very effective tools for collaborative writing

Shelby County PLU 2010-2011

Why Would I Want a Wiki?

• It can be a very effective means of promoting collaboration for professional learning communities or schoolwide projects.

• You can join educator wikis, sharing ideas relevant to instruction or co-authoring documents.

• Teachers may find wikis an easier method of compiling classroom project information (compared to a traditional website).

Shelby County PLU 2010-2011

Wikis for PLCs

Shelby County PLU 2010-2011

How can teachers use wikis?

• To manage classroom projects• To post student work

(photos/videos)• To promote collaboration among

students• To expose students to “online

learning experiences” prior to college

Shelby County PLU 2010-2011

Great Wikis by Teachers

• Kelly Rush (Trussville City Schools)– https://www.trussvillecityschools.com/Te

achers/Kelly.Rush/US%20Government/Wiki%20Pages/Home.aspx

• Amanda McIntosh – Reading Journals – https://www.trussvillecityschools.com/Te

achers/Amanda.McIntosh/readingjournawikis/Wiki%20Pages/Kailey%20L.aspx

Shelby County PLU 2010-2011

My Favorite Source of Wikis & How Powerful They Can Be

Schoolwide

Shelby County PLU 2010-2011

What about Wikipedia?• Wikipedia.com is an online encyclopedia

with hundreds of thousands of anonymous contributors that have generated millions of reference works in 200 languages.

• Students need to know how to fact-check independently by cross-referencing information with authoritative online databases.

• Teachers can show students how to use their reports and research to become Wikipedia contributors.

Shelby County PLU 2010-2011

Shelby County PLU 2010-2011

Shelby County Resources• http://www.shelbyed.k12.al.us/tech/bl

ogs/

• How to get training:– Contact your school’s resource teacher.– Plan a date to deliver training – plan

for…• 2 hours for beginner blog training• 1.5 hours for advanced blog training

– After-School trainings preferred/most PD days already booked with resource teachers

– School webmaster can also train faculty & troubleshoot.

Shelby County PLU 2010-2011

Resources• Find out more about blogs and wikis

with these short videos at CommonCraft:– Blogs -

http://www.commoncraft.com/blogs – Wikis -

http://www.commoncraft.com/video-wikis-plain-english

• Start your own blog by contacting your school technology resource teacher.

• Start your own Wiki at Wikispaces – http://www.wikispaces.com/