Using+Wikis+in+Education

Please contribute your ideas based on the advantages and disadvantages for using Wikispace as an online form of learning.

students on focussed tasks. They would consider using this site as fun and be willing to participate in the activity put forward. This site is a great way for students to contribute ideas and converse ideas in a collaborative task. ||< This site is not completely controlled by the facilitator and therefore information is only guided by teachers. || Home work can be placed on Wikis with students having access at school and home. Students are able to personalize their page. ||= Limited knowledge to teachers at the present date. More training needed and parents not too sure about this type of portfolios. Limited Wikis for school usage. || Develops communication and social skills Promotes active learning Collaborative work Everyone has the opportunity to contribute ||= Everyone not having access to the Internet and a computer || Effective communication tool. Features - Insert & upload images/media. Access recent changes/history. ||= Wiki's can be easily tampered with or vandalised and have a lack of security. No content control and anonymous editing.
 * ===Name=== || ===Advantages=== ||= ===Disadvantages=== ||
 * < Carla Battaia ||< Wikis are an e ngaging tool for students to interactwith other
 * = Karen Piper ||= Wikis can be used as a digital portfolio for students and give to the students at the end of each year on a USB stick.
 * = Rachel Anderson ||= An innovative and engaging tool for students to use individually (homework context) or learning collaboratively (group class work context). ||= Unfamiliar technological tool to teachers, students and parents. Necessary technology not available to all students (homework) and classrooms (limited school technology resources). ||
 * = Michelle Gossner ||= Easy to use and learn
 * = Leah Bliss ||= Free, easy to sign up, easy to create.

I also have a wiki on the pros and cons of wiki's please take a look and add any content http://leahbliss1.wikispaces.com/Wiki+-+Pro%27s+%26+Con%27s ||
 * = Jo Houtzager ||= A Wiki can be used as for collaborative problem solving within a classroom, between classrooms, between schools, across countries. Students can challenge each other with problems to solve.

For early primary a wiki can be used to replace the traditional home story writing on a class bear/toy. Students could take home the toy and upload photos and add written content. Students will have access to each others story and can follow the class toy's journey. Students can become more adventurous and upload short narrated videos of the class toy to the wiki. This would need to be a protected wiki with access to students and parents only. ||= Not all students have access to computers and internet at home. (don't let this deter you from using a wiki as students will have access to a computer at sometime during the week during school hours.

Professional development required for teaching staff

Schools unfamiliar with this tool and tend to shy away from it instead of exploring it. ||