WIKIS 4 TEACHERS

What, Why, Where, and How

WHAT IS A WIKI?

http://www.commoncraft.com/video-wikis-plain-english

IN OTHER WORDS…

The term wiki comes from the Hawaiian word wiki wiki, meaning quick or fast.

Wikis can be as collaborative or as private as you want, depending on how you set them up

If you can use a word processor and get online, you can create and edit a wiki.

IMAGINE…What can you do with an index card container?

Add new cards. Write new information on the cards. Link one card to another. Sort the cards and search through them. Copy the cards. Keep track of the changes that you make to them.

The information on each card can be plain text or text with formatting. You can use bullet points or tables of information.

The pages of a wiki are like the index cards in our container. Instead of physical objects, they’re electronic virtual objects created by the wiki engine. Wikis for Dummies

Now, these “cards” also store multimedia and can be accessed by anyone you want to share them with whenever they are online.

WHY? Easy to use online collaboration tool

Store your files so you (or others) can access them from anywhere

Easy to use online communication tool Students, parents, community members can access

homework, link to additional practice, share projects, etc. Focus on 21st Century Skills

Check out Educational Wikis—a comprehensive wiki sharing why educators would use wikis and links to examples of educational wikis.

Go on a Wiki Walk-Thru to get more ideas for educational uses.

Look at Wikis in a K-12 Classroom for more great ideas.

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=455b3fa09a282e0d496f

A FEW SPECIFIC EXAMPLES Mr. Bariexa’s Classes (a basic space) Mules (a student discussion space) Mr. Sheehy's English Class Wiki

(Central High School, Rapid City, SD) Woodward Academy Book Study Wiki

(5th Grade Literature) Welcome to David Warlick's CoLearners Wiki

(Professional Development) The Flat Classroom Project

(an award winning global collaboration project) Spanish and More (teacher connections) School 2.0 and Eduwiki.us

Great teacher resources on wikis, blogs, RSS, etc.

WHERE CAN I GET A WIKI?

Wikispaces http://wikispaces.com Wikis in the Classroom

PBWiki http://pbwiki.com Setting up your own wiki - as easy as making a

peanut butter sandwich. Education Wikis

Wetpaint http://www.wetpaint.com/ Free wiki websites where everyone gets a brush Wikis in Education

WHERE CAN I GET HELP FOR MY WIKI?

For more help and information, 1. Go to the Help sections of the providers2. Visit the PowerSources3. Search YouTube or TeacherTube for tutorials

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=b38b23cc967316c13dae

A TutorialA TutorialByBy

Jennifer WagnerJennifer Wagnerjlw@technospud.comjlw@technospud.com

Accessed online at We the Teachers http://www.wetheteachers.com/index.php

• Sign Up for an account at http://www.wikispaces.com/t/x/teachers100K

• Wikispaces is offering a free “NO ADS” space to educators

• You can add text, websites, images, and media

• Wiki’s are a great way to communicate on the internet with students, parents,

teachers, etc.

Sign Up

Screencast at http://screencast.com/t/2QdTwdscYsQ

Sign Up• Fill in all the spaces and make sure you

mark where indicated!!

View your Page• Once you have created your account, you

will need to sign in.• You will see this screen:

Opening Page• Left side is your navigation

– New Page, Recent Changes, Manage Space, Search & Home

Opening Page• Top area are your page tools

– Edit, page, Discussion, History, & Notify Me

Opening Page

• The Center Area is where your text will go

Edit Your First Page

• Click on the word Edit• You will see this toolbar:

• It works just like a word processor• You can add lines, links, pictures, media

sources, tables, and special characters

Screencast available at http://screencast.com/t/Ykz2YVNMWj

Edit Your First Page

• Type in some information.• Use the bold, underline, etc to see what

happens.

To add a hyperlink

• Type in either a website name – such as Technospud or the complete URL – such as http://www.technospud.com

• Highlight the text and click on the WORLD icon (the first world on the toolbar.)

To add a hyperlink

• You will see this window:

If you wish to link within the wiki, you would use the wiki link – that is how you can link from page to page within your wiki.

For right now – try using the external link and type in the link you wish to go to once you click on the text.

Save Your Page• Once you have added text to your page,

make sure you SAVE your page.

Working With Your Wiki• The left side tools allow you to work

through your page.

If you wish to create a NEW page, just click on NEW page. All editing, etc stays the same on each page.

Recent changes is a great way to track what is added to your page. (**more on this later)

Manage your space gives you control over your page.

Manage Space• The Manage Space page gives you four items to work with

– About• This lets you know who controls your page, if you have any other people who can post (members), and also your page license.

– Space Contents• Lets you see what pages you have created, files you have uploaded, statistics, import a blog, and backing up or exporting your page. (except for pages and files…this is advanced wikiness in my humble opinion!!)

– Space Promotion• Lets you brag about your page or post a wikispace image on your personal home page/email/ etc.

Manage Space• The next area is pretty important…..

– Space Settings• First of all – you can set the name, description and license.

– The license area should be read carefully because it gives you control over what people can do with what is posted in your wiki.• The Look & Feel area gives you the ability to colorize your wiki to your liking. Also the layout and if you wish to add an image as your logo. Grins, and if you are brave (I am not) you can edit the wiki styles sheet.• Members & Permissions allows you to invite people to View And/Or Post (such as students, fellow teachers, etc) • Subscription – Double Check this area – you should have an ad-free site!!!

Recent Changes – Great Tool

• This tool is available on the left side toolbar.• It allows you to track WHO has added data to your wiki.

– Let’s pretend that you are using this wiki within your class and you invite each student to join – with a nickname of course.– And you assign a question to be answered on the wiki for homework.– This tool allows you to see WHO has posted and when.

Some Thoughts• Wikispaces also has a TOUR you might wish to take at https://www.wikispaces.com/ (it has audio)• Don’t worry if you make a mistake on your WIKI – you can also Edit/Undo or just not save.• Check out the settings at the top right of your wiki to set some personal options.• Check out the HELP option if you get stuck or drop me an email.

YAY, WIKIS! BUT WHAT ABOUT BLOGS?

http://www.commoncraft.com/blogs

Can be collaborative Organized by

author(s) Can have many

pages Easy to share files

Usually one main author

Organized chronologically

One page structure Files not usually posted

Wikis Blogs

WIKI OR BLOG? THE DEBATE CONTINUES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsFU3sAlPx4

A TutorialA TutorialByBy

Jennifer WagnerJennifer Wagnerjlw@technospud.comjlw@technospud.com

THANK YOU 4 PARTICIPATINGIN WIKIS 4 TEACHERS!

KRIS BALDWINJACKIE JESSOP RISINGDEBBIE O’DOAN@tie.net