Wiki+Benefits

Creating a Wiki

The first wiki that I created was a wiki for the students to record their findings on a unit about Ecosystems. Initially the students simply used it as a text document to record their thoughts on the topics listed. Then we worked out how to upload photos onto our class wiki site. This helped them to show their observations of the ecosystems that they made in class. I initially put on a few website links on the wiki to get the students started in their research. While they were researching the internet for information, the students followed other links and used different search criteria to find other useful information. Some of the students found interactive websites and were keeen to share these with their class mates. I showed them how they could include weblinks on our class website. The students were very keen to add a weblink. One of the students stumbled across the mail tool. They started to share messages with each other. They started to send messages to each other which were more social than educational. Some of them started to send messages that were a little silly. We had a class discussion about appropriate messaging. The students are now sending each other messages informing each other of the websites that they have found. All of the websites have been very good and have added to their knowledge of ecosystems. The wiki is now a very valuable resource, that can be added to by other classes. We have shared the wiki with our pen pals in Australia. We haven't given them access to edit it yet, but I can see how classes can collaboratively work on a wiki to develop their understanding of a topic.

To create a wiki, simply go to http://www.wikispaces.com/ and follow the prompts to create your own wiki. There is a very useful tutorial on that page, which will also help you get started. On this page there is a link to tours. [] I found these tours very useful for me to get started creating the ecosystem wiki.