#10 WIKIS

First of all, I could not view the wiki video as for some reason it is blocked at our school. Even so, I think I understand the basic ideas behind wiki. I have visited MANY, but have not yet contributed. I think there is enough info floating around the internet that those of us with nothing to say should just not add to it.

I like the "view random page" button that I find on many wikis. When I just don't know what I am looking for, that's it!

I am interested in the wiki concept for a couple of reasons. First, it eliminates the hard part of having to learn html or whatever language it takes to create a webpage. I always felt I should know how to create a page, but now I have waited long enough, I can skip to the easier stuff. Also, I like the idea of cooperation on the internet. I am going to create a wiki for my social studies class. This will be a first--I will find something that they can write about, and we will see how it goes.

I also like knowing that I can set up a wiki that is not for public editing.

Applications for my school or library: well, one I have noted in a previous paragraph. A second is that I could get really excited about students adding book reviews to the library catalog. That doesn't seem to be available yet, but it should be, and I will watch for it!

I would not ban the Wikipedia as a source for student research--mostly because I use it frequently myself. We are not doing deep research in my 7th grade class. I would, however, be sure that students understand the wiki concept. The Wikipedia would probably not be used as an ONLY source. I really think we need to explore more deeply what young students actually understand about the nature of the internet. I don't know if they get it that just because it's on the net doesn't make it true.

I have not yet edited a wiki. If that changes, I will update this blog. I read everything that was in this Thing #10, and I am hoping that counts for something.