A wiki, according to West and West (2009) is an online collaborative writing tool (p. 3). The Wiki tool provides users and readers the opportunity to contribute to a wiki site, which can be created through any one of several online websites such as wikispaces.org, and published for no cost to the author. Wikis are easy to learn in terms of construction, and require a minimum of technical expertise to maintain.
A wiki is different than a blog. Blogs are generally posted by a single author, and may or may not invite users and readers to contribute comments to the blog (West & West, 2009, p. 4). A wiki allows multiple users the opportunity to add to the original wiki posting. wikis have the potential to be more suitable than blogs or threaded discussions for supporting online collaboration (West et al, 2009, p. 5). Group work can take on a new more effective meaning through the use of a wiki for class work. By way of the collaborative authorship, the project flows between readers and users. The wiki is not simply organized along linear or chronological guidelines, but instead offers users the opportunity to both add to and create new lines of thought to the wiki topic.
Wikis are powerful collaborative tools that provide students, faculty, and administrators with new dynamic opportunities in working together (Cox & King, 2011, p. 123). According to Cox et all (2011) wikis allow for much social interaction (p. 124). This is an enhancement when compared to the blog or threaded discussion. The blog tends to be very author oriented, and the threaded discussion moves along one discussion point without fluidity or interaction, much like a discussion board.
Pros regarding the use of a wiki site include the community thinking based orientation of the wiki itself, which encourages discussion, and broadening of original thought. The wiki is a free internet based service, and is easy to monitor and maintain. The creator needs little or no expertise in the mechanical process of setting up and maintaining a wiki site. It is easy, through my experience to add users if that level of security is required. The wiki allows for a free flowing process of thought and comment, which in my opinion simulates a classroom discussion and setting. Students in the online class environment desire this contact with instructors and students, and a wiki based assignment can provide this to them. As a professor, the wiki allows me to monitor and track progress on both a group, and individual basis, which is beneficial in terms of the grading process associated with a class.
Cons of the wiki are few. The wiki as a web based product is generally open to public viewing. It is possible to restrict those who can contribute comments, which reduces some of the fear of using such an open internet product. As with class based discussions, it may be difficult to draw students in to the wiki based discussion. This may serve against the success of wiki use, if all students do not participate in a positive manner.
Sources
Cox, T, & King, K.P. (2011). The Professor's Guide to Taming Technology. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.West, J.A. & West, M.L. (2009). Using Wikis for Online Collaboration. San Francisco, CA: Josey-Bass, Pub.
Thank you for your insightful posts. I enjoy how you ensure your reader has all of the necessary background information to enjoy and make sense of the information and ideas you provide. In contrast to many others this week, I noticed that you were clear about the ability of the instructor to regulate access to a wiki page. While security of a wiki page is important, I think we (as a whole) missed some of the inherent fixes that are already available. I was intrigued by your account of using your wiki in class. I think your perspective as in instructor is needed by me and helps me to refocus from a student view to and instructor view.
ReplyDeleteI was also struck this week by your observation that wiki’s are not author oriented and allow for more fluidity and interaction. What kind of feedback did you receive from your students regarding their view of wiki use?
Tori - so far, it's early in the semester for feedback, but my own experience in using the wiki as a class assignment was very positive. we were assigned to work in groups, and create a wiki about a notable figure in Adult Education. I chose Jane Addams, and worked with (2) other students. We divided up the work, set deadlines, and collaborated on the content. That experience really sold me on the use of wiki for a class assignment. Not too sure how it will work for undergrads or lower division undergrads, but the grad students seem to like it. I like the "wiki" for online classes.
DeleteI appreciate your informative blog posts. One of your points that stood out to me was that “the wiki is not simply organized along linear or chronological guidelines, but instead offers users the opportunity to both add to and create new lines of thought to the wiki topic”. According to Duffy and Bruns (2006), one of characteristics of wikis is that “they encourage cross-linking and are dominantly spatial in structure” (p. 35). Although wikis themselves are not considered reliable academic sources, wikis often contain links to sources that are reliable. Many times when conducting searches online, wiki pages are the first to appear; they are a great place to start when looking for valuable information. Duffy and Bruns (2006) even reference instructors using wikis as an information base for sharing teaching practices, file management, and documentation.
ReplyDeleterlm
Duffy, P., & Bruns, A. (2006). The use of blogs, wikis, and RSS in education: A conversation of possibilities. Paper presented at the Online Learning and Teaching Conference, Brisbane. Retrieved from http://eprints.qut.edu.au/
Robin - Cox and King (2011) also discuss the embedded tools for communication found within many wiki sites (p. 13). E-mail links, page comments and other discussion threads enhance the communicative aspect of the wiki, making it more realistic.
DeleteI enjoyed your post and generally agree that there seems to be few cons associated with wiki.The collaborative nature of wiki seems to hold great promise for all learners. I became curious if there had been research conducted on women and/or underrepresented students in the wiki environment. The study by Huang, Hood, and Yoo, S.J. (2013) suggests that female students may have a less than positive experience with Web 2.0 tools, including wiki, in higher education, due to three primary factors: 1) gender-based behavior expectations, 2) societal stereotypes and 3) females are more likely to blame themselves for lack of internet knowledge than males. These three factors contribute to women experiencing higher levels of anxiety using blogs, wikis, online games, and immersive virtual environments for learning tasks.
ReplyDeleteHuang, W.D., Hood, D.W, Yoo, S.J. (2013). Gender divide and acceptance of collaborative Web 2.0 applications for learning in higher educaton. The internet and higher education, 16, 57-65.