Wikis

**What Is A Wiki?**
A wiki is a content collaboration tool that allows students to collaborate, exchange ideas, and share ideas. Anyone can set up their own wiki on a subject of their choice. Two of the most common platforms available to host wikis are pbwiki and wikispaces. The person that sets up the wiki determines who is allowed to contribute to the wiki by inviting users. Some wiki's, such as wikipedia, are open and anyone is allowed to contribute to the wiki. As an educator you may wish to only allow those who are invited or are members of the wiki to editing privileges.

**How Wiki's Support Learning**

 * Supports planning, collaboration, and critical thinking skills media type="youtube" key="-dnL00TdmLY" height="375" width="396" align="right"
 * Facilitates Inquiry
 * Encourages personal accountability
 * Provides practice in validating information
 * Encourages responsibile writing

**How Can I Use Wikis in the Classroom?**

 * Electronic Portfolio for organizing and collecting electronic resources
 * Portal, a space to house information.
 * Bibliography or pathfinder for research
 * Journal, notebook,
 * Course syllabus
 * Lesson summaries
 * Class hand-outs

**How to Create a Wiki**
Create your own wiki today. Setting up a wiki is a quick and easy process. Choose the platform that you wish to use such as [|Pbwiki] or [|Wikispaces]. Think of a name for your wiki and name your site, add the creator or administrators name and password, set the level of privacy desired such as who can edit and read the wiki. Begin creating.

For more information on how to set up your own wiki go to the [|Wikispaces Tour]

**Sample Wikis**
[|Wikis in the classroom]

**Tips For Educators**

 * Select a wiki based on your project criteria
 * Develop guidelines for student participation. Include requirements respecting the work of others, citing sources, constructive criticism.
 * Create a cheat sheet or editorial to help students navigate.
 * Send a letter home describing the purpose of the wiki, with the URL, and the objectives.
 * Develop an evaulation ruburc, with students, for assessing the content.
 * To add photos or videos to a wiki try using [|Photobucket]