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TeachersFirst Edge entry: for slightly adventurous technology users. This online tool lets you and your students (aged 13 and up, according to Wetpaint policy) create a collaborative "space" online in any subject, allowing as many people as you want to edit, make changes, add new content, etc. You may be familiar with wikipedia, but wikis can be so much more! A recent poll of "high tech" educators cited wikis as the one web-based tool they could not live without! If you have not tried a wiki yet, visit the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through for a detailed, step-by-step explanation and starter help, including dozens of ideas for ways to use a wiki in your classroom.
If you are not sure which wiki tool is best for you, see our detailed TeachersFirst review of Wetpaint features, pros, and cons(done as part of the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through).
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In the Classroom:
Skills needed: Click through the 3 steps to create a free wiki, including the name (which becomes part of the wiki URL). Follow instructions to send an email requesting conversion to an ad-free space. Follow in-context help to configure the wiki just the way you want it or simply play to learn the EasyEdit toolbar. Add and edit pages using the Page Toolbox, invite new members, explore the options for "templates" and "styles," and decide how you will use the To-Do list and Discussion Forum. See the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through for practical management and safety tips. Students do not need email accounts to have individual log-ins. You may want to become familiar with the tool as a teacher-created site at first so you know its capabilities before turning students loose.
Safety concerns: Decide who will be able to SEE your wiki and who will be allowed to edit it. The Discussion Forum could be problematic, if you are not pro-active in how you monitor it and how you permit it to be used. This could be a great place for students to reach consensus before making actual wiki page changes. Spell out policies about this and the use of "widgets" with your students. You may want to involve older students in generating a code of conduct for your own wiki. Make sure you are within your school's Acceptable Use Policy. We also recommend having parents and students sign a Wiki Warranty (downloadable here), spelling out wiki behavior and consequences |
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