Week 3 - Wiki Reflection

 Source: groovylibrarian.edublogs.org

The next step in my ICT Journey was to create a Wikispaces page. I decided to set up my Wiki like I would if I was teaching my Year 2 class about the Solar System and Space. I have included a link to it here. Once I got started the editing process was very simple. I was a bit disappointed at the limited editing I could do to the actual page appearance. However this meant that I couldn't waste time fussing over the look of the page like I did for hours with my blog.

When adding content to the page I found the widget function very easy to use. I was able to add youtube videos, pictures and a GoAnimate video with no trouble at all as well as adding text and a table. I found the table I added to be quite messy and was not able to figure out how to make it more aesthetically pleasing. This messiness was something I mentioned in my Week 2 Wiki Reflection. The conversation in the table became confusing as it became hard to keep track of who was posting what information.

In order to analytically reflect on the use of Wikis in the classroom to support, transform and facilitate learning I have chosen to use a SWOT Analysis.

SWOT	Analysis	of	Wikis
Strengths		Weaknesses
Collaborative environment Relatively quick and easy to use Does not require a lot of knowledge to use Students can review information and presentations any time online Can be set to private so that only a specific group of people can edit it Can be set up as a resources site to assist students with homework, assignments or if they just want to learn more Allows for discussion between students and teachers outside of the classroom context Free to use for K-12 Assignments can be submitted online anytime		Does not have the visual appeal of blog websites (such as blogger) Limited editing ability. Very basic commands Students can become easily distracted when using a computer Information can become disorganised if not managed properly Requires a good understanding of safety precautions necessary such as setting it to private so that it is not susceptible to vandalism or spam.
Opportunities		Threats
So easy to use that students from a very young age can become involved. Allows for communication between students from different schools, towns, states and countries building an online community of learners Presents information in a way that digital natives will understand and that is relevant to them		Easy to delete content (content can be retrieved but this is an annoying process) Is public and therefore susceptible to vandalism and spam if not managed properly. Requires teacher/facilitator to have a good knowledge of the site in order to ensure privacy and safety for students

Below is a slideshow created by St Mary Magdalen School detailing why you would use wikispaces in the classroom, it's advantages, how to set up and use it as well as how to ensure your students are getting the most out of this unique learning experience.

Wikispaces for the classroom from St. Mary Magdalen School

http://www.slideshare.net/lbott/wikispaces-for-the-classroom

So in reflection..

Wikispaces is a great ICT tool to integrate into the classroom of today's digital natives. It is simple to use and does not require significant digital knowledge to navigate. Its vast number of add-ons called Widgets helps students make the most of their learning experience by presenting information in a wide variety of resources. The widgets available in Wikispaces are shown below.

 

 

(I created this diagram myself but cannot make it any bigger. Any ideas?)

 

 

Some of the best embeds available in Wikispaces are discussed in the blog below. 

 

Best Educational Embeds

 

 

Teachers can post resources used in lessons in the classroom to the class Wiki such as slideshows, videos, clips, real life examples, news articles as well as much more. This provides additional time for student interactions (Grantham, 2012). Learning is transformed, with resources available 24/7. Teachers and Students are able to access the class Wiki any time and basically anywhere. This ensures that updates from both teachers and students are frequent, boosting the continuous learning experience. Teachers facilitate learning by incorporating the discussion section into their Wiki. Students can ask their teacher and fellow students questions relating to the topic, assignments, how-to questions as well as letting the teacher know if there are any errors on the page.  This enables fast communication and resolution of any issues, ensuring that students are making the most of their time online. Also, teachers and students are able to provide feedback and comment on what another student has written, ensuring that students are receiving regular support and guidance in their learning journey (Ferris & Wilder, 2006).

Furthermore teachers could create separate pages relating to each area students express that they need assistance in, including video examples as well as written assistance. Making these pages would ensure that students can help themselves without relying on the teacher to be online. Videos like the one below would provide students with simple how-to tutorials.

 

 

 

 

 

References

1. Grantham, N. (2012). 3 Free and Easy Tools to Help You Flip the Classroom. In Fractus Learning. Retrieved April 1, 2013, from http://www.fractuslearning.com/2012/02/27/tools-flip-the-classroom/ 
2. Ferris, S.P., Wilder, H. (2006). Uses and potentials of wikis in the classroom. Innovate: Journal of Online Education, 2, 5-13.