I am a little behind in my postings....however, I have been doing the work and activities. I had to go back and refresh my memory on what I had reviewed previously.
What an amazing idea the Wikis provide! I never realized that Wikipedia was actually a Wiki space before. Truly amazing ideas of a collaborative chance to utilize technology for educational instruction and a way for students to show what they know. It is great to see technology have opportunity to be part of instruction instead of merely a tool to "type" a paper!
One of the first sites I looked at was the site http://codeblue.wikispaces.com/. I had a chance to see what some students were able to accomplish in their study of the human body. The students did the research, compiled the sites and information into a really neat format. Then the students created "patient" files where they showed the problems that the patient suffered from. Truly wonderful experience to see 6th graders completing these activities. I especially liked how the students included a section on Online safety that they modified from the Netiquette rules. I think it is EXTREMELY important as our students use the Internet more and more that they realize the importance of staying safe online as well.
A second site I reviewed was http://codeblue.wikispaces.com/. This wiki was much simplier in design but was just as interesting to me. I like to see the easier use of the wiki that can be used to help younger children. I work with students in Kindergarten through 5th grade and I think this is a great idea for the older kids to create to help younger students with their learning, not just the teacher. I was thinking of the idea of book buddies where the older students help the younger students improve their reading through example and guiding. I think this could be a great way to help younger students learn and allow the older students a chance to share what they know. It would serve as a great way to allow students to create their own learning log for others to see and build on!
The third site I decided to review was a site that used wikis as a literature circle template. It allowed each member of the group to do their job and compile them all into a central location. The students had a chance to make connections and to expand on those connections. I was most excited about this site because I was able to read some of the questions that were posed by the teacher to the students to help guide their reading. It is truly amazing to me to see how far technology has come over the years and how helpful it has become in the educational world. I look forward to using some of these things in my work in the classroom.
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Of course you won't hear me saying anything negative about wikis. I love them and think they're a great instructional technology. It sounds as though you found several great wikis, too!
ReplyDeleteI think the most important piece of using a wiki is planning it! What is your objective for using the wiki? Simply thinking about that question long and hard can help you sketch out what you want your wiki to look like, what needs to be included, and how you plan on having the students either use it as a resource or participate in it as active authors.