Pam+Krambeck


 * EDU-636-1 Technology Toolbox for the Education Classroom **[[image:techtoolsforclassroom/wiki.gif width="315" height="175" align="right" caption="Source: http://cyber-kap.blogspot.com/2011/05/top-10-sites-for-creating-wiki.html"]]

**Student**: Pam Krambeck **Assignment #7A:** Wiki Response


 * Question #1: "How could a student use a wiki site for the classroom? **

Wiki sites can be an excellent forum for students to both consume and share their learning. One scenario might be for students to add pages on teacher established sites to share their learning or understanding. The wiki could be used to house a portfolio of learning that might include student contributed video clips of presentations, audio clips of reading and benchmark papers or files of student uploaded work. Students could share their learning goals and upload examples that show and support their learning. Providing a forum for students to consume information and then respond and interact with others makes a wiki site one that opens new communication links between students and teachers. The collaborative aspect of wiki sites takes them a step beyond the traditional web page by providing a forum for interaction, discussion and contributions. Students can be added as collaborators or editors on pages so that they can add their own content and share knowledge and learnings.


 * Here are a few examples of ways I see students using wikis in the classroom: **
 * 1) To summarize their learning by sharing drawings, notes, reactions, reflections, discussion input, links, video clips, pictures, etc.
 * 2) To provide a presentation of knowledge using pages of information rather than slides in a public forum where others can provide comments and feedback with a world-wide audience. There is something about putting a presentation on view to the public that makes students take notice and become more accountable.
 * 3) History or social studies topics/studies/reports where multiple students collaborate using a wiki with multiple pages (one for each student in the group). All can work on their own page anytime and anywhere there is internet access. I have had a problem when multiple people try and work on the same page at the same time and work is lost or edited over--wikispaces do not work like Google Docs with simultaneous users and simultaneous saves.
 * 4) In language arts a teacher could provide a reading or link to a reading and then have students use the discussion tab to react to the reading or pose a question to the group.


 * Question #2: "How could a teacher use the site? **

Wiki sites are a very useful tool in the classroom. Teachers can very quickly add links to sites for students to investigate and also upload or embed video clips for students to watch and react or reflect upon using the discussion tab that is available. Teachers can create a wiki and add a page for each subject (elementary) or unit of study (secondary). On the pages of the wiki a teacher could share information as well as links, videos, audio files, text files, downloadable presentations, homework information and discussion questions for each subject/unit of study so that the wiki became a launch pad for digital learning in the classroom. Together with two others in my department, we have put together a wikispace to use for our trainings that have become living, breathing documents that change as new material is developed and new resources are found. We love wikispaces! Here is our site: http://esu3.wikispaces.com