What's+It+All+About?

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What is this thing?
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 * “Wiki” is the Hawaiian word for “quick.”
 * A wiki is essentially a web page with an "edit" button allowing users to add and edit information. This provides a very useful, and sometimes powerful, way for the wiki users to collaborate on projects.


 * In a wiki, anyone and everyone gets to decide what will be said (content), how it will be said (organization), and whether it will be said (dissemination).


 * Of course, the only wonderful attribute of a wiki is that it is just simply...simple. YOU can make a webpage. Your students can make a webpage. Your content department or grade level colleagues can make a webpage. It is simple to make, simple to update, simple to host. And that's something we've never really had before. Oh, we've had the ability to create webpages for a long time, but they involved lots of complications. This is just...simple.

Watch these two quick videos (no pun intended!) media type="custom" key="866231"

What Could I Do With A Wiki?
You can use wikis for:
 * Class Website
 * Class Notes
 * Podcasting
 * Parental / Student Communication
 * Lesson Summaries
 * Handouts
 * Course Syllabus
 * Course Links and Resource Notes
 * School or class calendar
 * Collaboration of Notes
 * Concept Introduction and Exploratory Projects
 * Dissemination of Important Classroom Learning Beyond the Classroom
 * Teacher Information Page
 * Student written books
 * School Newspaper
 * Showcase for student projects
 * Platform for peer review of student work

Can I see an example?
To select "just the best" to share with you is like asking someone the best color to paint a livingroom: each wiki has its strengths and shares very different information with the viewer. So, I will share some classroom wikis that I enjoy visiting. Scan through the list, then choose about ten sites to visit, noting the structure, content, creativity, and overall appeal of each site. Choose a partner and look through several wikis below to determine what you like, appropriate content, and to get some ideas about YOUR wiki.

http://educationalwikis.wikispaces.com/Examples+of+educational+wikis


 * DPS Classroom Wikis **

http://msfrachetti.wikispaces.com/

http://corylibrary.wikispaces.com/ [|http://mrcroghan.wikispaces.com/] [] http://bradleyauthors.wikispaces.com/ https://invasivespecies.wikispaces.com/ http://linleybiographies.wikispaces.com/ http://k12libraryresources.wikispaces.com/ https://mrsbeej.wikispaces.com/

Jan Abernethy's 5th Grade Class A fabulous site from a gifted teacher and her amazing CyberChickens! [|Elementary Math. Patterns] Several elementary classes collaborated on this wiki about patterns. [|The 100th Day Project] Mrs. Lowe's 4th Grade Class Where the Red Fern Grows Book Study Wiki Parent and Student Book Study. Mrs. Lowe's 4th Grade Class. McWhorter Elementary Wiki 4th Grade Wiki examples (Dave Sherman) - The students in Sue Barwick's 4th grade class really got excited about the Wikis. Here are some outstanding examples of student work on a Wiki that is directly connected to the curriculum. Students were adding information on their own, without the teacher asking them to.
 * Elementary Wiki Classroom Examples **

Viet Nam Research Project High school Viet Nam war research project all built into a wiki. [|Missouri History Chapter Wiki] A review of Chapter 3 of Missouri Then & Now. Cheerleading Student created page. Lots of data. KS3 Maths SoW (Dan Stucke) A scheme of work on a wiki for a Math department in Manchester, England, teaching 11-14 year olds with these resources Science Rules This is our virtual classroom and a place to explore our solar system. ([|Miguel Guhlin]) Collaboration Nation (Paul Bogush) Our class wiki used for 8th Grade Social Studies. Learning Latin America (Kristin Hokanson) 9th Grade Humanities classes collaborated to demonstrate and teach their understanding of Latin America. From Jerusalem to Montreal A collaborative project between Neveh Channah High School students (Israel) and LCC (Montreal) - (Karen Guth, Reuven Werber, Sharon Peters)
 * Secondary Wiki Classroom Examples **

Other Wiki Uses
[|Faculty Meeting Notes] One person takes notes right in to the wiki at the meeting. Others can easily change any missed or misunderstood details. Notes are online for those who weren't able to attend DPS Librarian Tool Box Created by Antonio at ERS, this is a new place for DPS librarians to access resources and share and swipe best practices. [|Brush Schools] a "curriculum management system wiki" ([|Miguel Guhlin])

[|WikiMatrix] allows users to compare nearly 100 wiki services and their features side-by-side. Includes popular services such as PBWiki, Wikia, and Wikispaces, as well as several lesser-known wikis. Getting Tricky With Wikis Terrific page on how to do special things with your wiki See also Wiki While You Work.
 * Support sites to check out **