Incorporating Wikis into the Classroom

Article: “Why Wikis?” By Ruth Reynard

Summary

In “Why Wikis,” Ruth Reynard highlights the Web 2.0 tool, wikis, and expounds upon their purpose in the classroom. Not only do they make learning more efficient but they also promote the constructivist values of collaboration and active role of the student. Wikis assist students’ basis of knowledge as ever-changing, to be built upon by the individual, and interactive. They also allow for orderly and active interaction amongst students and a tool in which students can efficiently work together. Lastly, they provide a public forum, offering students the opportunity to professionally communicate with the world.

Reaction

Coming from a constructivist point of view, I adore all tools which open up opportunities for students to actively engage in their learning. Of course, carefully instruction and monitoring presence of the teacher is essential to ensure all published student work is appropriate for public viewing. Ways in which I would incorporate wikis into the classroom would include creating a class wiki for different topics of research as our own encyclopedia. This would allow a organized, single location for compiling and shifting through information, upon which students could add their own insight and build upon the ideas of other classmates.

Reference

Reynard, R. (2009) Why Wikis? Retrieved from Campus Technology:

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2009/02/04/why-wikis.aspx