I have now learnt all about the usefulness of a WIKI! I think it's great that you have the option of having it completely closed to non-members or open to everyone and that as the owner you get to choose who can do what. I must admit, although I have created a WIKI through WikiSpaces (originally I created one through WetPaint, but found my web page looked too busy), I am still trying to get my head around what to actually do with it now. I am sure once some ideas are generated, things will start to flow a little more and become more interactive. The WIKI I have come up with is called 'Time Management Ideas', as I thought this would be a very useful topic for many of us undertaking the GDLM course. We are all juggling many things, whether it be family and work or other interests.
The use of the WIKI technology is in line with Mode 2 way of thinking and supports the notion that we as future teachers will have to become expert in understanding the processes of knowledge production and use. Also, this reinforces the idea that the abundance of knowledge and the rapid change in its currency will greatly diminish the importance of the teacher as knowledge resource but enhance our role as a knowledge manager (Heath, 2001, p.9).
This is a prime example of how students can be meaningfully engaged in various learning activities through the interaction with others and worthwhile tasks, which is the fundamental idea underlying the engagement theory (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999, p.1). I love that the theory is based around the idea of creating successful collaborative teams that work on projects (such as the WIKI application we have just learnt about), that are meaningful to others outside the classroom.
I think that is enough about this topic from me for now. I am on information overload again, so I am going to take some time out to recharge those batteries!
References:
Heath, G.(2001). Teacher Education and the New Knowledge Environment: Paper Presented to the Australian Association for Educational Research Conference. Fremantle, RMIT University.
Kearsley, G., & Shneiderman, B. (1999) Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning.
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Hi Christine
ReplyDeleteI am also very excited about the application of Wiki in the classroom. So much more interesting for group projects then when I was in school. It will be so much easier to engage students in the subjects using tools such as this.
Rebecca