17 Interesting Ways* to Use a Wiki in the Classroom

1. 17 Interesting Ways* to Use a Wiki in the Classroom This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial Share Alike 3.0 License. *and tips

2. I THINK THE BEST REASON IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW! COLLABORATING.... "Wiki" is not a tool. It's a way of working. It's a way of collective reflection around an object. 

3. #1 - Create a subject-specific repository Get students to write their own revision materials! • Sign up for a free 'education' wiki with Wikispaces(see link below) • Make the wiki only open to those you have granted access. • Get students to sign up for a Wikispaces account 4. Make students     responsible for their     own pages. 5. Students can       collaborate and      become 'experts' http://wikispaces.com/site/for/teachers Doug Belshaw

4. #2 - Ask for student response • as collaborative project • And To Think That I Saw It On My Way To School • Love That Dog • to books • Civil War Novels • Ghost Cadet • to classwork/class discussions • WikiWorld! • Emma's Politics Page • To Canadian mentor • Di Hengen and student conversations Paula White

5. #3 - Show off Student Work • to demonstrate understanding • Fractions, Decimals and Percents • Consecutive Numbers • for an audience (reports and projects) • Landmarks and Math • Discrimination (check out Japanese Americans) •  for advertising purposes • 5th Grade Fundraiser   (see menu on left) • To meet someone (in this case, our mentor introducing herself) • Dionne Hengen The Rotunda Charlottesville, VAUSA Paula White Scott Stadium At UVA Charlottesville, VA

6. #4 - Allow Students to create pages: • Just For Fun • 5th Grade Student pages • Drew's Games • To communicate • Summer Activities • Spring Break • To relieve stress • Going to Middle School • To organize for presentations • School Board Links Paula White

7. #5- Publish Training Videos Use Jing and Wikis together to learn and review • Students: • Researched/mastered assigned objective for MOS Certification test • Wrote scripts with step-by-step instructions • Used Jing to record screencasts • Used a Wikispaces wiki to upload video and add script • Wiki is now a source for learning and reviewing MOS test objectives • Has also been shared with school staff for quick how-to reminders Heidi Van Riper @hlvanrip

8. #6 - Post Podcast Embed  Podcast • Create podcast and embed on page • SES Computer Lab • We use Podomatic to create ours, then embed the code in the wiki. Barb Smith

9. #7- Sharing teaching techniques among staff Invite staff to share ideas that work and build up a library of techniques • For example • Good practice in teaching pupils with SEN •  Ideas for stetching the most able • Ways of integrating thinking skills / MIs into lessons • Advantages • Easy access to staff when it's convienient to them • Quickly builds into a valuable resource • Some staff will contribute and this builds shared sense of ownership Dave Stacey @davestacey

10. #8 A wiki as a forum for pupils to air issues relevant to teenagers. Create a wiki for a group of teenagers. • Pupils create seperate wiki pages relating to certain issues: • Bullying • Drugs • Peer-pressure • etc • Pupils include links to resources, helplines, fora etc. • Pupils use the Wiki discussions • Pupils use the discussions in addition to the pages themselves. The discussions allow conversations around the issue. Submitted by Dughall McCormick Twitter: @dughall

11. #9 - Where can I get a wiki? Three companies offer ad-free wikis to educators. Each offer different features, which may make them suitable for specific purposes http://www.wikispaces.com/site/for/teachers http://wikisineducation.wetpaint.com http://pbwiki.com/academic.wiki Dave Stacey @davestacey

12. #10 - Interactive Sub (Supply) Plans Create a page with sub plans and post for class Sample Voki Sub (Supply) Plans • Create voki and read plans to class •  Post Schedule and show class • Require at least one assignment be done using wiki creating virtual classroom teacher can look in on @mwacker Michael Wacker

13. #11 Create a collaborative dictionary. • - Create an English or foreign language dictionary to catalogue new words encountered each week: • Have a new page per topic area. • As an extension, students add what type of word it is, i.e. noun, adjective etc, genders (for MFL), and an example of its use.  Submitted by Catherine Elliott Twitter: @catherinelliott

14. #12 - Classroom Site I use a wiki as my classroom website, where I can post PDF files of assignments, an archive of assignments (for absent students and for parents), section notes, worksheets, etc. I find that it saves so much time. If students want to know what they missed while they were gone, I can direct them to the website. If students lose their handouts and want a new copy, I can direct them to the website. If parents want to know what we are covering in class… you guessed it!... I direct them to the website. For me, Wikispaces, has been an amazing tool! This year, I’m also using Wikispaces to create a collaborative mythology “Wikipedia” that we can refer back to throughout the year, and to create online e-portfolios of student writing.Please feel free to visit any of my online wikis: www.pilgreenenglish.wikispaces.com www.pilgreenspeech.wikispaces.com www.pilgreenbritishliterature.wikispaces.com Submitted by Jessica Pilgreen

15. #13- For Learning Journals Students can reflect on their learning • Each student has a page or pages each. • They can write freely about how they learn, not just what they learn. • The teacher and other students can comment on the associated discussion page. • Students learn more about reflective writing by studying entries by other students. • Teachers could create a page template to provide prompts if required. Colleen Young http://colleenyoung.wordpress.com/

16. #14 - Digital Class Book • Assign each student a letter of the alphabet, word, or topic and a wiki page • Each student builds a page about a word related to the class topic • Students can embed Glogs, upload photos and videos, and add text to their pages • Use wiki's discussion thread for students to comment on each other's wiki pages • Content ideas: • ABC wiki about any topic (page about a word related to the topic starting with each letter of the alphabet) • 50 states • Chemical reactions • Historical people, places, or events Jayme Linton                                                                                                 @jaymelinton

17. 15 - Wiki Skills Progression • Add text to a prepared wiki page. • Add text and graphics to a prepared wiki page. • Create link to a new wiki page. • Create link to an existing wiki page. • Know when to create a link to a new page and when to link to an existing page. • Create a wiki with several interlinked pages. • Put version comments to explain the changes that have been made. • Add to a wiki page that has already had content added, making positive changes and explaining what has been altered. • Use the history to check previous versions and adding or removing information as appropriate.

18. #16- Create a Class "Folder" • Each one of my blocks has a page on our Science Wiki and members of the class are responsible for adding information to the page • Digital Glossary of terms used throughout the year • Notes on topics being discussed • Students peer edit information that is posted • Group pages are linked to the block pages and are a way for groups of students to display their final work from a project or lab • I also have included basic information about the course of study, classroom expectations, basic explanation of Project Based Learning, etc.             http://mrsfranksciencewiki.wikispaces.com/ Elizabeth Frank (@EliFrank23)

19. #17- Homework Spreadsheet • Our students have six different classes and they used to have to check six different websites for HW. With this Homework Wiki, we created a centralized location for all HW, assignments, project due dates, and up coming events for the entire 7th grade. Parents LOVE it!             http://7thgradehomework.wikispaces.com/  Elizabeth Frank (@EliFrank23)

20. If you would like to:  • Contribute your ideas and tips to the presentation. • Let me know how you have used the resource. • Get in touch. You can email me or I am @tombarrett on Twitter If you add a tip (or even if you don't) please tweet about it and the link so more people can contribute. I have created a page for all of the Interesting Ways presentations on my blog. The whole family in one place :-) Image: ‘Sharing‘ Thanks for helpingTom Barrett Have you seen Maths Maps yet?