Wiki Sites:
WikipediaA Collaborative Learning Experience
The main benefit of wikis in comparison to other types of online learning platforms (i.e. blogs, discussion boards) is that “wikis are specifically designed for multiple authors and group collaboration” (West & West, 2009, p. 4). Multiple ideas can be integrated into a single wiki. “...the wiki opens the door to brainstorming, group problem solving, critical evaluation, synthesis, idea refinement, and group consensus” (West & West, 2009, p. 5). Considering this, group wikis allow for democratic practice in an educational setting through negotiation and consensus. They leave the power in the hands of learners who may have distinct social backgrounds, making the entire learning process more culturally relevant (Boulos & Wheeler, 2007; Collin & Heaney, 2001).
Wikis allow for a shared understanding of a topic instead of the understanding or viewpoint of just one person (West & West, 2009). My experience creating a wiki involved gathering information about an adult education pioneer and presenting the information to classmates. I had one partner for this project and we compiled and edited all aspects of our wiki page together. She had a few more strengths with technology that she contributed, while I worked a lot on the written content. We communicated entirely by email and edits to the wiki to accomplish our project. Other classmates commented on the final outcome of the wiki and added to the dialogue and knowledge construction of the project.
How Do Wikis Helps Students Learn?
- Active participation
- Interaction
- Dialogue
- Knowledge construction
- Critical reflection
- Meaning-making
- Self-direction
- Teamwork
- Negotiation
- Ethics, responsibility, and reputation
Difficulties and Possibilities
As a technology, wikis do not require users to know HTML for editing and formatting (West & West, 2009). However, I believe even a beginner’s knowledge of HTML would greatly and quickly increase the dynamics of a wiki and keep out the kinks that are sometimes seen when this knowledge is lacking.
Like many other types of social software, wikis can also be biased in their view of information (as cited in Lari, 2011). However, democratic processes of multiple editors may also help to eliminate some bias that would come with individual viewpoints.
There are many possibilities to consider before starting a wiki. Will you use it as an individual to provide information to a class? Will it be a collaborative effort driven by you and your colleagues to present information publicly? Or will you use it as a learning platform to guide your students as they acquire knowledge? Many of the resources used in this post will provide you with ideas on where to begin.
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Collin, S. A. J. & Heaney, T. W. (2001). Negotiating the democratic classroom. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, (91), 29-37. Hazari, S., North, A., Moreland, D. (2009). Investigating pedagogical value of Wiki technology. Journal of information systems education. 20 (2). 187-198.
Lari, P. (2011). The use of wikis for collaboration in higher education. In K. P. King & T. D. Cox (Eds.), The professor’s guide to taming technology (pp. 89-104). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.
West, J. A. & West, M. L. (2009).
Using Wikis for
online collaboration: The power of the read-write web. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Very nice explanation of the pros and cons of the Wiki, Janel. I have had similar experience using wikis while a student at K-State Online. What is nice about using the Wiki is that all have equal opportunity to contribute. I agree with you that it creates a "democratic practice". No one thought may be complete. All may review, edit or contribute as they see fit. Since there is a lot of collaboration with Wikis, the reader has the opportunity to explore the topic from multiple perspectives. This adds new dimension to the project. I think that Wikis can be a valuable tool in the educational setting as long as one is also aware of the drawbacks that you mention. One must take some time to become comfortable using this type of technology.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn,
DeleteIt is interesting that you mention the outside observer (reader) is sometimes viewing multiple perspectives. In fact, they may not always know whether the wiki they are looking at came from one viewpoint or multiple ones. We are always influenced by people and ideas, but wikis definitely take this to another level through more intentional collaboration.
Janel,
ReplyDeleteReally nice presentation of your blog this week! I have to say that I didn't put myself into a position where I could really dress up my blog post this week.
I think you did a nice job of focusing on the benefits of using wikis in adult education and the diverse social backgrounds of learners. By providing a space where each voice can be heard and appreciated I can certainly see where the learning process is more "culturally relevant". I had actually not thought a great deal about this benefit before.
Gary
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ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your blog post this week. I agree with your perspective that the Wikis promote creative reflection, teamwork, and active participation. This has certainly been my experience in building Wikis with previous classes. I made the same point in my blog about the bias that Wikis can create, based on the creator(s)' opinions. What other disadvantages do you see? Did you have any hurdles to personally overcome in your experience(s) in creating a Wiki for class? I loved the layout of your blog as well!
ReplyDeleteThe project you did about and adult learner pioneer sounds intriguing. Did you have to write about someone who used technology in their work?
ReplyDeleteIn regards to your questions about how to use a wiki in the classroom, I think that I would prefer to use it as a "think tank" of sorts for my students to work through issues in the classroom. As I considered this i thought about how many times during a semester different students ask me the same questions. If the class had a wiki then students would be able to post their questions and other students would be able to interact with them by answering the questions and posting their own. Furthermore, I would be able to monitor the wiki board and either run interference when needed or add information when no one is able to answer the questions posed. In this regard, the wiki becomes a public space for shared knowledge in my classroom. I think this tool would be particularly useful in a face-to-face environment.
Hi Janel,
ReplyDeleteI must begin by complimenting you on your blog; I love all the pictures and links. The visual appeal combined with knowledgeable posts make your blog very enjoyable to read! With regard to the pros and cons of Wikis in the classroom, I am going to play devil's advocate. Almost every post I read this week listed Wikis as a wonderful tool for collaboration (I even posted this on my blog); however, I believe Wikis have the potential for great collaboration but I question whether or not they are used to their fullest potential. My experience with Wikis is that most groups approach Wikis about the same way they approach other group projects, divide up the work and everyone does their own thing. Once everyone completes their assigned work, they post their material, shift some sections or pictures around, and it's a done deal. In my opinion, I wonder if collaboration is more of a personal effort rather than a tool or program. In spite of how one views collaboration, Wikis do make ones effort easier. Do you have any suggestions on how instructors could encourage learners to use Wiki to its fullest collaboration potential and avoid the division that usually occurs with group projects?