History: WikisInEducation101

What is a Wiki?

Wikis are web-based tools for the collaborative creation and access to projects and documents.

How is a wiki different from a static website?

• Easy Creation and Editing of Content
  • All users can be allowed to edit; some platforms allow for complex permissions and editing rights
  • No extensive training or special software required uses WikiSyntax
• Flexible Extension
  • Adding pages and reconfiguring (linking) within the architecture is simplified
  • Flexible Architecture allows for organic development of projects (though editing may be required)
• Version Tracking
  • Pages are tracked in a history that can be consulted to view changes, who contributes, and to "roll back" when necessary

What are the teaching benefits of wiki usage?

• Aids in the adoption of a constructivist learning model
  • Conventional web-publishing tools and some LMS position the instructor as the single or primary provider of content
  • The wiki allows for individual, small-group and whole-class investment in content creation
• Supportive of project based learning
  • Lends itself to the creation of stable, course-independent resources (cf. Wikipedia)
• "Publication" allows for class work to be framed in terms of larger purposes and

See: Wiki Constructivism (cache), Wiki Based Collaborative Learning (cache), and How To Use A Wiki In Education

How have IUP faculty begun to use wikis?

• Sean Mc Daniel uses the wiki to allow his students to collaboratively create a Spanish cultural enciclopedia
• Gian Pagnucci has used the wiki with Graduate Composition students to compose an annotated bibliography
• Ken Sherwood has used some form of wiki workspace in his digital pedagogy for the last four semesters in a number of English classes.

How might Wikis figure into IUP's future?

• The DHC will continue to support exploratory wiki use
  • At least two additional faculty will start projects this coming semester
  • Currently we have experience with Media Wiki and Tikiwiki. Other products such as Social Text might also be worth early exploration. At present the focus has been less on comparing specific installation features than on exploring the possible course uses.

* Emerging Tech could seek feedback from these faculty participants

• Consider whether, when and how to adopt the wiki as a university-wide resource.
• Working with the DHC and IT, Emerging Tech could explore and evaluate wiki platforms

How can I get started with a wiki?

The DHC has some capacity to help faculty begin to explore wiki use. Currently we have Tikiwiki locally installed and are considering alternative platforms. There are a number of free and economical wiki hosts worth exploring. PBwiki comes with strong recommendations. Faculty interested in exploring Wiki creation on their own should look carefully at user permissions (you will want to be able to limit or lock course related pages). You are also welcome to play in the IUPDHCWikiSandbox.

Additional Reading

(Readers are invited to add links to resources in Wiki Education below)

• Kairos Wiki (cache) - Stories of Digital Tool Use
• Edu Tech Wiki (cache)