On the Internet everyone is a reader and more recently, everyone can
be a writer. Online collaborative writing tools such as Wiki Webs
and Blogs are changing the nature of the Internet, and have
the potential of changing the classroom collaborative experience.
These tools allow students to work in a shared digital space to
collect resources, write collaboratively, and provide feedback to
each other. In these collaborative environments, versions can be
tracked and participation monitored.
The activities in this project
will introduce future teachers to some ideas for educational
uses for Blogs and Wikis. Although further experiences
with Wikis and Blogs could be useful in other lessons, the purpose of
this RWLO is to introduce the technologies and provide some
additional reading material and reflection. Students will produce and publish a
collaborative Web page (Group paper) using a free account on http://www.writely.com
– a simple, password protected collaborative writing and publishing
environment. (Wee Wiki)
The Group paper will consist of
three parts:
1, Group Definition of Wiki and
Weblogs. Everyone in the group will be able to read and edit the
definitions. This product and process will be in the format of a
Wiki.
2. Each participant will provide
a hyperlink and post a short review/summary (one paragraph each) of two
online articles: One on Weblogs in Education and the other on Wikis.
They will be provided an extensive list of links to choose from so a
variety of articles should be reviewed.
3. Each participant will provide
a idea for the use of one of these technologies in a lesson plan.
This activity will introduce
future teachers to both of these emerging tools and to
collaboratively produce and publish on the Internet an evaluation of
these technologies for the classroom. The published product will be
produced using a form of Wiki that allows for a collaborative
writing by invitation.
Web-based wikis are designed to let you add,
edit, and delete content quickly, with minimal technological
understanding. Wikis allow for non-linear organization. Unlike a
blog, which is intended to be viewed in order (the most recent post
to the oldest post), wiki content is intended to be fluid, easy to
move around, and quick to link from other pages, much like any HTML
Web site.
