Consider:We are currently preparing students for jobs that don't exist; using technologies that haven't been invented; in order to solve problems we don't even know are problems yet. College and university courses seem to be using wikis far more than the K-12 community right now. In K-12 education, wikis are being used by educators to conduct or follow-up after professional development workshops or as a communication tool with parents. The greatest potential, however, lies in student participation in the ongoing creation and evolution of the wiki.
The bottom line question teachers really want to know is: What good is a Wiki and what are the benefits?
So, consider:
Connections
Build greater connections between new and old knowledge by allowing student-created structure for the information and ideas.
Build on the best of Bloom: Students use synthesis and evaluation constantly and consistently when they work on a wiki.
Creativity
Build creativity skills, especially elaboration and fluency. Build creative flexibility in accepting others’ edits!
Encourage “hitch-hiking” on ideas (a type of creative elaboration and analytical thinking: If X is true, then what about Y?).
Introduce and reinforce the idea that a creative piece as never “done.”
Engagement
Increase engagement of all students.
In lieu of being passive “consumers” of their peers’ presentations (where they doze, doze and ignore), wiki makers respond, respond, change, and improve.
Culminating projects no longer have to end!!
Interpersonal
Develop interpersonal and communication skills, especially consensus-building and compromise, in an environment where the product motivates interpersonal problem-solving.
Develop true teamwork skills
Writing
Improve the most challenging phase of writing process: revision, revision, revision!
Increase flexibility to consider other ways of saying things.
Build an awareness of a wider, more authentic audience.
Metacognition
Stimulate discussion and metacognition (where developmentally ready).
Help students articulate issues about ownership, finding, different conceptualizations of the same content. These can be sophisticated challenges, even for the best students
Consider:We are currently preparing students for jobs that don't exist; using technologies that haven't been invented; in order to solve problems we don't even know are problems yet.
The bottom line question teachers really want to know is: What good is a Wiki and what are the benefits?
So, consider:
Increase engagement of all students.
Develop interpersonal and communication skills, especially consensus-building and compromise, in an environment where the product motivates interpersonal problem-solving.
- Stimulate discussion and metacognition (where developmentally ready).
- Help students articulate issues about ownership, finding, different conceptualizations of the same content. These can be sophisticated challenges, even for the best students
.