Paula White tweeted a question about real interactions with students and wikis. "How can we get students deeply involved in a contemporary world of connectivity?" Paula found a wiki online. It described wikis as being 'geographically agnostic' stating that they encouraged brainstorming, this is lovely. But what are some ways to use the wiki? On this wiki, it had some examples of how they are used in the classroom: a place to collaborate on notes, group collaboration, and teachers on best practices. Paula believed that these lacked enough student involvement, therefore not engaging the students to truly utilize the wiki.
Paula discsusses leveraging the platform wikis for higher quality learning. What are the wikis' purpose? Wikis can be an important collaboration or parallel play. Collaberation is a process of shared creation, creating something new. Wiki's are motivating and allow us to share our passions. Discovering the students' passions and letting them explore what they like will create authentic student interaction. The student's in Paual's classroom share their passions on her classroom wiki site; ranging from mathematics to video game hubs. Engagement, interaction, sharing, building, growing these are all words that help describe wiki.
I have been introduced to the world of wikis this semester; I did not understand the wikis importance. I like the process of creating something new for the digital world to see and the feedback received from people (the interaction). We can learn so much from one another if we share and collaborate together. Paula supports this collaboration process, because she sees how it can be utilized to truly benefit the student's and engage them. Student's attentions spans are limited these days and we have to find new ways to keep them interested as our world changes and advances. I was somewhat afraid of the direction technology was taking before taking this class, but after discovering on my own how beneficial it can be my views changed. It can be utilized the wrong way, just like many things in the world; but when it is used for good, like creation and collaboration, it can help the world.
I love the idea of creating a wiki space for my students! I would like for them to share different artists, styles, mediums, pieces of artwork that they like (current) and (historical), as well as, sharing their artwork own personal artwork. The students in my classroom will always be encouraged to create, share, and collaborate and what a better place to do that on, than with a wiki :D
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