Thing #8

Here we go with wiki's. I was very excited at first but am now feeling a bit overwhelmed. I am not sure why I am. I just am not really understanding the way that this could be incorporated into my class. I have one computer in my classroom and many of my students do not have computer/internet access at home. I see the appeal of a wiki, just not sure how I could use it.

I really liked the wiki Discovery Utopias. I loved the concept of creating Utopian societies. I liked the way the wiki was set up with the students expectations spelled out at the very beginning. No one has to search to find what the students are to do. I like the link to failed Utopias. The students have access to good information right at their fingertips.

I loved the Thousand Project wiki. What a great way for students to have insight from sources outside the classroom. What a fun way for students to learn. The concept was great, asking questions and getting answers from around the world. The information gathered in a wiki like this could be used in a variety of subjects in the classroom. The information could be used to teach math, geography, history, literature as well as ethics, morals, sharing, caring and a whole host of others. It is a fantastic way to gather information and disseminate it into exciting lessons. As a geography teacher my favorite question was October. What fun you could have locating those places on a map and to tie in math, you could create a bar graph or figure statistics on favorite places chosen.

Another wiki that I liked was the Room 15 Wiki. I really liked the set up of this one. It was very easy to navigate. The side bar allows the reader to easily access the information he wants. A reader can easily see what is available. The information presented in the wiki is great. I love the book reviews and the Help! Room. Great additions to a class wiki.

I plan to continue to work on wikis and see if I can incorporate one into my classroom. There are technology hurdles that have to be overcome.