07.11.08
My Wiki Reflections
What did you learn?
Blogs and Wikis can be used interchangeably, but if you want to be able to edit each other’s work, wikis are the way to go. Wikis allow you to build and improve what you are focusing on.
How will you use what you have learned?
I am leaning toward making my tech tips on a wiki. I can have several pages, each devoted to one topic. Teachers can save hints on the same pages too along with my tutorials. I will also train teachers to show them how easy they are. Once they see it, then we can start using wikis for different purposes.
How did you feel about this tool?
I like Wikis. I do want to see one in action in my school. I made the first. Hopefully, after an official introduction to it, the teachers or I will introduce it to their students. Once the students see it, I know it will fly!
What do you not want to forget about this tool?
I don’t want to forget how to navigate and order the pages the way I want them. It is one of those things, I remember doing it. I know what I am looking for, but it takes time to search to find how. I think I know now. Once I teach it once, then it will solidify in my mind.
How can this be used and should you use this in the classroom or your educational role?
You should most certainly use this in the classroom and in my role on the campus. There are so many uses for this from teachers collaborating on lesson plans and units to presenting projects for the students. It starts collaboration not only between student and teacher, but student and student. Students can work on this from home and no longer have to go to each other’s homes to collaborate. I see this being used in an individual classroom, to grade levels, to campus, and between campuses.
What questions do you still have about this tool?
After seeing Arbor Heights wikispace, I was wondering what are the feelings of our district on using Wikispaces for the school website instead of Expressions?
July 14, 2008 at 8:28 pm
I agree with you on the many uses at Wiki has to offer. It is a fabulous tool. My mind is spinning with things to create…so I must just begin with the first one and the rest will just come. I hope to get the team I work with on board as it will be so great to have some plans come together with other’s imput prior to the sharing out time. It will be a great advantage when groups need to meet. Everyone’s suggestions and imput can be viewed prior to getting together. This may shorten those meetings…or maybe even replace them. Wikis should be a great new move in the teaching directions!
July 17, 2008 at 12:04 pm
I do think that as ITS’s, we need to have resources available to our teachers in some digital format so they can find information that we deal with often on their own (assuming they will use it instead of just emailing us). I like the way that some of our cohorts have blogs about ideas and resources (tech tips) out there that teachers can use…it would be nice to know how many of their teachers actually read those blogs….is it worth the time and effort? This might be something we should look at doing as a group for all teachers to be able to subscribe to instead of having it done at every campus like so many other things we do.
July 19, 2008 at 11:47 am
I love your idea of using wikis for teacher collaboration. Being the Algebra 1 lead teacher, this could really free up some time and less spent on so many meetings. Or at least make the meeting more productive since we could discuss all the issues on the wiki during the week and then use our meeting time (if needed) to come to a conclusion. I am anxious to see what my PLC and principle think about this idea.
~Jessica~