Thing #14

The use of wikis to have students collaborate is a great idea. A 4th grade writing class could use a wiki to respond to each others writing. Instead of trading your paper with a fellow student for revision ideas the students could do it online. The use of technology in this sense would motivate several of the unmotivated students to write.
I just completed the Essentials Online Intel class where we used a wiki. It was basic compared to some of the wikis I previewed. After reading some of the student entries and seeing the interaction I feel I shorted my students last year. How much they (and I) would have enjoyed doing this! After creating a wiki for a class/group, I want to further pursue the use of photographs, charts, timelines by the students in the wiki. I was impressed with Go West and the third graders work. This site included all of the extras I want to try. It appeared each student could create using a tool(s) of their choice. (time-line, journal entry) This would address the learning needs of all students.
Another Wiki I liked was Welcome to Room 15. This demonstrated the interaction and collaboration between students and with the teacher. The wiki had several categories that students could contribute. A couple of these were the Classroom Journal and The Newsroom. I think this would allow students of varying abilities to be able to participate. The wiki also encouraged students and parents to edit work, so it was not limited just to the classroom.
The final wiki I want to comment on is the primary one Kindergarten Counting Book and Primary Math. How awesome to know that even the youngest of students can participate with technology. Most of my experience has been with primary students just working with software that was preloaded on a computer. It didn't allow for much creativity or imagination. I realize the kids had a lot of assistance but the opportunity for them to experience this is great. Hopefully, the rest of the primary grades would continues to use wikis to build on the students' knowledge. It will help the intermediate teachers to transition the kids to more advanced use of technology.