In Chapter 4 the focus was placed on using Wikis. I like the idea that every person who goes uses a wiki has the power to be the “editor in chief” because I think that that is a powerful component of the success of sites like Wikipedia. Everyone has the opportunity to alter anything on the site that is seen by the whole world. I think that students would feel more responsibility having their own wiki that they are in charge of and can update when necessary. If I did use a wiki in my classroom I would definitely use a password protected one in order to make sure my student’s work would not be interfered with by someone outside of the class. I love the idea of having a wiki for students and being able to add my input as needed. I do think that it would have to be monitored very closely because students may post inappropriate content that is unrelated to school. My biggest issue would be students using the wiki more as a social networking place rather than a tool for their education. I would also consider using a wiki to work with students globally because I know it is something that everyone could be excited about and participate in. When the author referenced a teacher from Georgia connected with a teacher in Bangladesh I became immediately interested and think it would be a valuable learning experience for my students. The level of involvement with a wiki would vary according to what grade I taught. I do think that it can be incorporated into every age group in some way.
When the author of the book said that Wikipedia is a “really incredible” site I was a bit surprised. All that I heard when in high school and even in college from teachers is, “No using Wikipedia because it’s not a good source of information.” I have not used Wikipedia much and have only been told about the negative aspects of the website. Now knowing that people are working on the website all the time checking the credibility of the information presented, I feel more comfortable going to Wikipedia for information.
No comments:
Post a Comment