WIKIS

Wikis

A wikis is an asynchronous communication technology. The basic idea is that users may engage in the exchange of ideas or information without submissions from others simultaneously. Wikis are used to create collaborative websites, for personal note taking, and to power community websites. Wikis are powered by wiki software. Ward Cunningham is noted as the developer of the first wiki software, which commenced in 1994, and debut on 25 March 1995 as WikiWikiWeb. This software was installed on the Internet domain c2.com. The software was named as a remembrance of a shuttle bus route in Hawaii called the “Wiki Wiki” meaning fast.

A wiki permits documents to be written collaboratively and edited in real-time and appears almost instantly online. Wiki technology tolerates easy creation and modification of any page or complete document. Most wikis allow anonymous editing without an account although registered users have additional editing functions. Liberal editing allowances may lead to more destructive and useless editing to document contents. However, whether a wiki is susceptible to security abuse depends on how open the wiki is.

Wake Forest University posted in the Campus Technology Magazine; a wiki promotes evaluating, synthesizing, elaborating, analyzing, problem solving, decision-making, and knowledge base construction… A 2008 magazine article submission proposed Wikis enable students to collaboratively generate, mix, edit, and synthesize subject-specific knowledge within a shared and openly accessible digital space.

Thomas Elementary School, Mr. Atchison’s Website utilizes a wikispace. One feature his classroom students initiated was a class newspaper. It is organized, written, and updated weekly on the webpage by the students. The teacher’s approach falls in a constructivist category using computer technology for collaborative activities. The students’ educational creation is opened to a wider audience (parents) and the students themselves.

http://cfbstaff.cfbisd.edu/atchisonr/
http://4teachers.org/testmony/barnstable/index.shtml
http://campustechnology.com