The world wide web is changing students relationship to technology and slowly, but surely, rewriting the ways in which students will learn in the future. Learning tools such as WIKI is just one example of this. Richardson (2009) explains that 'the people who will understand this best are probably just being born now".
This statement leads me to my next thought, "What opportunties and online tools will students have access to in 100 years time?"
A wiki is a website that uses wiki software, allowing the easy creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages, using a simplified markup language or a 'WYSIWYG' text editor, within the browser.Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites, to power community websites, and for note taking. The collaborative encyclopedia Wikipedia is one of the best-known wikis. WikiWikiWeb (2009), originally described it as "the simplest online database that could possibly work."
Before becoming acquainted with WIKI, my knowledge on this was fairly limited. I thought that this technology only offered an online dictionary/encyclopedia. However, I now understand the endless learning windows that this online tool opens for students and educators alike. "The possibilities for what 'digital natives' can do online is growing exponentially" (Richardson, 2009).
It is obvious that this technology possesses aa co-operative and collaborative nature. Students are able to work in a constructivist learning fashion to gain knowledge and skills related to the curriculum in an interactive 'anyone can edit' tool. They are able to not just engage in creating their own knowledge and skills but also to extend this onto other students, and vice versa. Educause (2009) highlights the importance of utilising learning tools such as WIKI within and out of the classroom when they state that 'knowledge construction is facilitated by good interactive online instruction, since the students have to take the initiative to learn and to interact with other students and the instructor, and because the learning agenda is controlled by the student'.
'We are no longer limited to being independent readers or consumers of information, but now, are collaborators in the creation of large storehouses of information'.
References
Ward C. (2009) WikwikiWeb Retrieved 4 August 2009 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki
Murphy & Cinuentes. (2001). Educause: WIKI based collaborative learning. Retrieved 4 August 2009 from
http://www.educause.edu/wiki/Wiki-based+Collaborative+Learning
Richardson. W. Blogs, wikis, podcasts and other powerful web tools for the classroom. Retrieved 4 August 2009 from
http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/1412927676/179-4085130-4137761?SubscriptionId=02ZH6J1W0649DTNS6002#
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Positives for WIKI practice:
ReplyDelete-It's easy.
There is an audience for students ideas and thoughts.
-Comprises of reflections and conversations which are updated daily.
-Engages readers with with links and questions.
-Students can incorporate videos, images audio and other similiar elements of multimedia.
-Paperless classroom.
-Comprehensive history of their student learnings
-Constructivist tool for learning
-Teaches skill such as researching, organisation and sythesis of ideas