Wiki of Web 2.0

I will admit that I was not excited about using a wiki at first with having to dive in to so many new things at once—blogging, Skype, Facebook, GoogleDocs—it was all a bit daunting, and being a Web 2.0 latecomer certainly did not help.  Initially, the wiki seemed to be a chaotic workspace with everyone adding and editing at the same time, but I gradually came to appreciate certain benefits of using a wiki as a learning tool, one of which is ease of use.

Wikis can be a great way to collaborate on group projects that require a number of individuals to contribute to the composition or completion of a document, or for simply collecting and sharing learning resources, as my cohort did.  In each one’s own time and space, documents and comments may be added to the wiki and modified as needed to enhance project outcomes.  In this way, everyone also has an opportunity to learn from one another. This approach to constructing a work product makes it easy for a group to take advantage of the strengths and talents of individual group members.

Phillipson’s wiki taxonomy (as cited in Caverly, & Ward, 2008) offers some insight on additional ways to use a wiki in a learning environment.  In addition to the resource and presentation wikis mentioned above, a gateway wiki is identified to enable discussion and/or debate about a set of data, which may include offering support in varying forms for individuals’ views and conclusions.  This differs from a forum in that various media can be incorporated, and is an important way that students can collectively construct their own understanding about a topic, rather than relying solely on a professor.

As educators increase the use of wikis for collaborative learning, it may become more challenging to determine how to evaluate individuals for their participation and input (Trentin, 2009).  Grading fairly should remain a priority, especially for group projects.

One additional observation is that wikis have the potential of staying in perpetual disarray.  Without some ground rules and a commitment among collaborators, it could become difficult to maintain order.  Thankfully, in the case with my cohort’s first wiki, order emerged.

Caverly, D. C., & Ward, A. (Winter, 2008). Techtalk: Wikis and collaborative knowledge construction. Journal of Developmental Education, 32(2), 36-37.

Trentin, G. (2009). Using a wiki to evaluate individual contribution to a collaborative learning project. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 25(1), 43-55. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2729.2008.00276.x