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Wonderful World of Wikis!

Lead Instructor: Craig Magtutu (magtutu@yahoo.com)

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INTRODUCTION:

wiki2.pngWhat is a wiki?

A wiki is a quick, easy way to make an easy, quick website!. Creating content on a wiki page is as simple as clicking an "edit" button, then typing (or pasting a picture). In other words, a wiki is like a blank webpage you can write on with simple tools--text, photos, graphics, videos, links and more. ANYONE CAN DO IT!

Wikis are a document-based model, where each page is part of a complete site.

Wikis are sometime used as collaborative websites because the owner can "invite" others to be members of the page. This gives the invitee the ability to add content to the wiki pages as well. Now THAT's collaboration!

Wikis in Plain English

Here's a short video from the amazing folks at Common Craft that will help to explain what a wiki is and how it works:



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EXAMPLES
http://jabernethy.wikispaces.com
Outstanding 5th grade teacher, Pennsylvania

http://msfrachetti.wikispaces.com
Librarian at Bill Roberts K-8-DPS

http://guyer.wikispaces.com/
Fantastic 5th grade teacher at Howell K-8-DPS

http://mrsbeej.wikispaces.com
Fourth grade teacher at Bill Roberts K-8-DPS

http://gwhsibphysics.wikispaces.com
AP Science teachers at George Washington High School-DPS

http://mrcroghan.wikispaces.com/
7th grade social studies teacher at Grant Middle School-DPS

ATN Reading Lists
Over 1400 reading lists from All Together Now by theme, subject area, author and more. "By using wikispaces, the lists can be updated, added to, deleted from, corrected, etc. by librarians all over the world. How exciting is that!!"

Electronic Literature Organization - Library of Congress/Archive-It Project
Yes, the Library of Congress is using a wiki!


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ASSIGNMENT (Study and Demonstration Piece):

1) Choose a wiki to use (all these are free!)
Wikispaces
One of the most popular wiki sites for educators.
PBWorks
An easy-to-use (but graphically limited) site. The host site for this ILT Workshop wiki.
WetPaint
A fine wiki tool with lots of good templates--visually pleasing and easy to use. It's now advertising-free for education.
PikiWiki
A relative newcomer, it has good "drag and drop" features for adding and editing photos, videos and sound. Bright, kid-friendly graphics.
GeniusWiki
Has some nice features, very simple.

2) Create an account (YES, you can use your DPS username and YES, you can use your DPS outlook password and YES, you can use your DPS email--no spamming, I promise!)

3) You will need THREE pages: a home page (welcoming a visitor to your wiki); an assignment page (where you will be posting your lesson plan with technology project); and a reflection page.

4)
Make sure you know how to UPLOAD a file (this can be a document or a picture), and EMBED html code (find out how to do these features in the HELP section of any of the wiki sites).

5) Post your Wiki site address to the Class Wikis page located on the navigation just under the link to this module.

6) Post your comment to the class Blog for the Module 2 topic.

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REMINDERS
1. Respond to the Course Blog Post (Collaboration & Reflection)

2. Record / save your user name and password in a location you will remember.

3. Email the Lead Instructor once you have completed a module/topic, so we can review your work.

4. Use the Discussion Tab above if you get stuck or have questions that an instructor or fellow student in this class can help you answer - we are all part of your Personal Learning Community (PLC).


5. Write down the ADDRESS of your wiki, your user name and your password.

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TUTORIALS:
http://wikis4classrooms.wikispaces.com/How+to+Make+One
This is a great tutorial on making a wiki.

BE SURE TO check the "help" section for the wiki site itself. Each has a tutorial that will guide you through.

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CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS
Class website: Post up-to-date class information, assignments, websites and student projects.

Group projects: Students work together in one place to research, outline, draft, and edit projects within the wiki

Assignments: Post homework, course materials, study guides, and more.

Resource Collections: Organize articles, websites, videos, and other resources for students

Peer Review: Post questions for student brainstorming, or have students post papers for peer feedback

Group FAQ: Students and/or teachers post and respond to questions on a given topic

Parent Involvement: Give parents a chance to be a part of the classroom and stay up to date on classroom news and events

Online Newspaper: Create a student-published online newspaper

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OTHER INFORMATION AND RESOURCES:
WikiMatrix
allows users to compare nearly 100 wiki services and their features side-by-side. Includes popular services such as PBWiki, Wikia, and Wikispaces, as well as several lesser-known wikis.

Wiki instructions/uses
(Carolyn Foote) For a workshop, includes handouts on using pbwiki and wetpaint; ways to use wikis; links to examples of high school uses.

http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/wiki/
From Margie Brown

Wiki Basics from TeachersFirst.com
Always a great source of information

Grazing for Digital Natives (Jen Dorman)
This is a professional development resource for teachers seeking to incorporate technology intro their teaching. Topics include: blogs, podcasts, wikis, digital storytelling, and social learning.

Don't miss the fantastic list of educational blogs

Glorified Whiteboard.Edutopia
Edutopia magazine article focusing on one teacher's exemplary use of wikis in her classroom.

Educational WIkis
a wiki all about wikis

How would you use PBWiki in the classroom?
15 good ideas for using a wiki in education

Think WIkis
Basic info about wikis, how to use them in education, examples, hosting sites and more.

Using Blogs and Wikis for Your Portfolio
A slideshow full of good ideas for creating your own professional portfolio--or for students to highlight their own work.

The Way of the Wiki: Building Online Creativity and Cooperation
from Edutopia

Wiki Tool Box--30 Wiki Tools and Resources

Wiki Wisdom: Lessons for Educators

Other Great Resources
http://workingonawiki.wikispaces.com
Tips and tricks

http://gettingtrickywithwikis.wikispaces.com
Looking to add a special feature?

http://wikiwhileyouwork.wikispaces.com/
Applications of the wiki

http://www.widgetbox.com/
Looking to add a clock? A word-of-the-day? Any widget?