Getting started with wikis

     What is a wiki? A wiki is a site where collaborators can contribute information jointly and edit it together. Usually a wiki can be edited by any reader. Also, there is usually an area for comments and a history of the edited sections.

View this YouTube Video about how wikis work.

What can you use a wiki for?

--To create a class encyclopedia or textbook

--To collect group work so that students can collaborate between classes

--To collect links to good websites or news articles on topics

--To work with other teachers on a collaborative document

--To collaboratively post book reviews or audio book links

--To collect your own links or images to share with your class in a presentation

--To use in a discussion or a workshop to list ideas and comments

--To create a recommendation site for your subject (books, movies, news, etc)

--To have students create a webpage on internet safety

--To organize your students/classroom procedures for maximum effectiveness

--To share collaboration model with teachers for library research and create a collaborative site to work on units together

--To complete/collaborate on a project with a teacher at another school with penpals

 Sites:

• Pbwiki.com (free or paid levels of access; no ads for educators)
• Wikispaces.com (giving away 10,000 free/partner to Edublogs)
• Jotspot.com (Google just bought jotspot and it’s currently disabled)
• Wetpaint.com (can invite "writers" to join, whom you approve)

Handout with instructions for creating a page at pbwiki: 

Tips for creating the wiki.doc

Handout with instructions for creating a page at wetpaint:

Creating a Wiki site with Wetpaint.doc 

Examples:

o WHS examples www.policyproject.pbwiki.com    and   www.chapsipc.wetpaint.com

o A student created manual on a topic http://westwood.wikispaces.com/Chapter+1+-+Security+and+Privacy

o Committee planning --create a document everyone can edit    www.inservice.pbwiki.com

o Nancy Pearl's Book Lust site at Wetpaint;  and her site where children can add their lists

o Wikipedia.com encyclopedia

o Wikitravel Wikibooks

o Wikinews

o Ebay has a wiki where users create the manual

o Best Buy has a corporate wiki for employees to share information

Helpful tools to use WITH a wiki:

Wiki Mind Map--it makes a mind map of any term you enter from wikipedia

What can you put on a wiki?

--Text

--Sound files (mp3) and podcasts

--Images

--Video

--Multiple pages

--Links to other websites

How do other tools intersect/differ from wikis?

Google Docs

Blogs

Facebook

Nicenet