Wikis!!!

Module 10.  Wikis!!!!

I have been looking forward to investigating wikis as several teachers at our school are employing this tool to work on assignments with their classes.  One teacher in particular, created an eye catching wiki, and the year 7 students appear to be loving it as the “conversation” between the students and their teacher is really worthwhile. It also revealed some humour between students and teacher which is encouraging the development of a really healthy and productive relationship with the younger members of our community. These are often the short conversations that do not occur in a busy classroom. So much more than questions and answers is happening!! You can tell I was really impressed!! 

So, wikis not only encourage the communication and collaboration between class members, it also gives a platform for the quieter and/or less confident students to observe their peers and “speak” to class members.  This would also include the students who find some tasks difficult: they may have under developed research skills, know nothing about the subject or where to start, have difficulty putting their thoughts and ideas into writing...all those kids who are not necessarily our special kids but require some form of assistance.  For special education students, this is a fantastic  tool. Work could be modified so as not to highlight their inabiities, providing a vehicle for them to access parallel tasks.

Using this tool, other teachers may visit the wiki and check on a student's progress/attitude/involvement in this particular subject. An opportunity to enlarge the teachers knowledge of a student.

Well, guess what?. With the help of one of our IT  clever people, I have created a wiki to assist a particular student with some specific tasks to assist his development. Within the wiki we created three pages. His keyboard skills need practise, so we created a page offering exercises to assist him, as well as web sites offering games to encourage these skills (the exercises offer the additional advantage of  enhancing his vocab.and spelling). We included a page to assist him with future research for some assignments. This page will be used for filtered research so he is able to access relevant information more readily. It may include user friendly websites as well as research specific to his topic and his level. The third page will be used for maths revision as well as maths topics he finds difficult. The typing page is ready to go, the other two will be ready by early next term.

We discussed access. Apart from the student involved and myself, both our IT specialists have access as well as some specialist staff. His class teachers will also have access as an assignment in their subject is attempted, using this forum. 

Wikis give this student the opportunity to be  challenged at a level relevant to him,    in an unique way, and hopefully it will enhance his enthusiasm.  He will also have access to information which will save him possible embarrassment from peers.