Wild About Wikis!

Wikis are the new "next big thing" on the internet.  What's a wiki, you ask?  Wiki-wiki" means "hurry quick" in Hawaiian.  According to Wikipedia, a wiki is software that allows users to create, edit, and link web pages easily. Wikis are often used to create collaborativewebsitesand to power community websites. Educators around the country are using wikis for professinal development, home-school communication, student projects, and online collaboration between groups.

Quick Ideas Around Classroom Uses of Wikis

1. Use for student projects where group members need to contribute at different times and from geographically diverse locations.
2. Use for collaborating on ideas and organizing documents and resources from individuals and groups of students.
3. Use as a presentation tool where those who attend a workshop can contribute to future versions of the workshop.
4. As a group research project for a specific idea.
5. Manage school and classroom documents.
6. Use as a collaborative handout for students.
7. Writing: student created books and journaling. (i.e. Wikibooks)
8. Create and maintain a classroom FAQ
9. As a classroom discussion and debate area.
10. A place to aggregate web resources.
11. Choose a topic on Wikipedia, break the topic into facts, students verify the facts using their information literacy skills, and make changes accordingly (Citing sources).