Week 5

 Wikis and Google Docs


Learn about wikis and Google docs and discover some innovative ways that educators use them
Wikis: A wiki is a collaborative website and authoring tool that allows users to easily add, remove and edit content. Wikipedia, the online open-community encyclopedia, is the largest and most well known of these knowledge sharing tools. The popularity of these tools is exploding. These two short videos explain what a wiki is and how they work:

Some of the benefits that make the use of wikis so attractive are:
  • Anyone (registered or unregistered, if unrestricted) can add, edit, or delete content.
  • Tracking tools within wikis allow you to easily keep up on what been changed and by whom.
  • Earlier versions of a page can be rolled back and viewed when needed.
  • Users do not need to know HTML in order to apply styles to text or add and edit content. In most cases simple syntax structure is used.
As the use of wikis has grown over the last few years, schools and libraries all over the country have begun to use them to collaborate and share knowledge. Among their applications are pathfinder or subject guide wikis, book review wikis, conference wikis and best practices wikis.


 Thing #12  


Discovery Exercises for Wikis:

1. For this discovery exercise, you are asked to take a look at some school and library wikis and blog about your findings. Here are a few examples to get you started:
Classroom Wikis
Library Wikis
2. Create a blog post about your findings. What did you find interesting ? What types of applications within schools might work well with a wiki?
Discovery Resources: Use these resources to learn more about wikis.
 Curriculum Connections

Wikis can be made for any classroom!
  1. Idea #1: Collaborative note-taking. Everyone pitches in and adds a fact or two about a topic. Teachers can encourage students to include opinions, challenges, and appropriate criticism. Students would then write essays using only these notes. Make sure that each addition includes a citation to website, book, or database, including page numbers so that it can be checked.
  2. Idea #2: History. Students can compile a wiki of famous artists, architects, writers, and other key historical figures from a city, state, or country.
  3. Idea #3: Create a "top 10" lists and supporting material. This could include scientists and their discoveries, top writers and their books - you get the idea.
  4. Idea # 4: Science Fair Projects. A wiki could be set up for middle or high school students to brainstorm ideas for and plan science fair projects.
  5. Idea #5: Collaboration between Teachers. Colleagues work together creating lesson plans, track how the lessons are being implemented in their various classrooms, give suggestions, etc.
  6. Idea #6: Student Portfolios. A wiki makes an easy shell for electronic portfolios where students can display and discuss their work with others
  7. Idea #7: Literature Circles. Students all read the same book and then answer questions about the material and pose questions.
So what's in a wiki? Find out by doing some exploring on your own.
Add an entry to "Sandbox" Wiki
A sandbox is a term that wikis often use to describe the area of the website that should be used for pure play so for this discovery and exploration exercise, go to the D20 Sandbox wiki -- go ahead and play! Discovery Exercises:
  1. Visit the D20 Sandbox wiki and go to the section devoted to one or more of the topics covered in the 8 weeks of the Academy District 20 / 20 Things course. Select a topic from the sidebar menu. Click on Edit the Page and enter some curriculum ideas or insight on how these tools can be used in education. Click Save at the bottom of the page.
  2. Create a post in your blog about the experience. How might you use wikis?
Discovery Resources:
As a public document, teachers are often concerned about using wikis for classroom discussions or note taking. There is also concern about kids who post inappropriately. You can assign students numbers or login names [or let them choose their own] so that you can keep track of who is contributing to the discussion. As teacher, you have the power to moderate what goes on. Make sure that you receive an e-mail notice whenever there is a new addition to the wiki. This way you can maintain a useful and appropriate wiki. The following ideas can be used for any subject.


 Curriculum Connections  
  1. Idea #1: Create a "kid-o-pedia." Make a kids ‘Wikipedia' with fun facts. Make sure that every fact is checked and verified and cited. This can be done with as a Language Arts assignment and each page can be a different content area. [i.e., Science fun facts or American History fun facts] or it can be a specific content area [i.e., Physical Science - with each page a different set of facts.] These facts can be extra credit and can be used for other assignments or you can allow students to use these facts on their test.

Google Docs / Google Apps

Google Docs is a free, Web-based word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation application offered by Google. It allows users to create and edit documents online while collaborating in real-time with other users.
Some of the benefits to using Google Docs include:
  1. You can invite anyone (who also has a free Google Account) to view only or add, edit, and/or delete content.
  2. Several users can view and/or edit the document simultaneously.
  3. Content is stored online and can be easily accessed from any computer connected to the internet.
  4. Earlier versions of a document can be rolled back and viewed when needed.
  5. Users do not need to know HTML in order to apply styles to text or add and edit content. In most cases simple syntax structure is used.



 Thing #13:


Discovery Exercises for Google Docs:
  1. For this discovery exercise, you are asked to register for a free Google Account (which you should have already done in week 1). If you plan to use Google docs at work you may use your school email address as the login so when colleagues share documents it will automatically generate and email notice to your school email account. Your Google Account will be activated through a set up email that will be delivered to the email address you use to login to Google docs.                                                                                            
  2. Login to your Google Account and create a new document. Type in your name and school. Explore the features by viewing other tabs within Google docs. Click on the SHARE tab and invite one other person to be a collaborator.                                                                  
  3. Create a blog post about your findings. What did you find interesting? What types of applications within schools might work well with Google docs? Feel free to post the email account you used for Google Accounts on your blog to allow others to share documents with you for exploration purposes.
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)