Techlearning blog

I love wikis. They're easy to create, anybody can update them, they're just fantastic for collaborative projects. In fact, just about anytime 3 or 4 people are going to be working on a web page together, I almost always begin to hear the word "wiki" being whispered.

That being said, more often than not wikis rarely live up to their potential. While anybody can edit them, generally only the original author does. The ease with which they can do so is still a boon and may justify the use of a wiki anyway, but there are usually other tools that would work just as well.

So let's put the wiki up on the pedestal and look at it from all angles. How can we maximize it's many strengths and above all, stretch our ideas about what's possible in the school setting.

I wonder what would happen if...

Your school's vision and mission statements lived on a wiki?
Typically a committee is formed to create these incredibly important passages. That committee takes the issues to the various stakeholders and gathers ideas. Then they craft out an initial statement or update, let it be argued about for an indeterminate amount of time, and upon completion it is signed off on, printed in the school handbook and possibly engraved into a plaque. In a few years, it is dusted off and the whole thing begins again.

What if instead of being carved into a plaque it was posted on a virtual chalkboard for all to see? With anybody (student, administrator, teacher, parent, grandparent) having the ability to pick up the chalk and eraser, make a few tweaks and then leave it for the next person. Perhaps a little corkboard next to it for people to add notes with their ideas for possible changes. You never know when somebody will note a connotation implied in a statement that nobody had ever considered before. Or when some student might realize that their particular group does not seem to be represented in the statements. Doesn't it make more sense for the Mission and Vision to be modified as needed, rather than some arbitrary schedule?

What if everyone at your school had an equal share of the responsibility to make sure the school was heading in the right direction... Sounds crazy, eh?

The next test you give is written in... pencil!
I see two ways this one could work. The first is to put to put the test for a unit up on a wiki at the beginning of the unit. Students can see it from the beginning so they know what you consider to be the most important points for them to learn. Then, as you actually go through things, they have the freedom to adjust the questions to reflect what THEY feel is most important for them to know. Radical idea, having students take control of their learning. Of course, you are a member of the class too, so you have the right to change anything back if you feel strongly about it.

Or perhaps you don't want to lose the surprise aspect of the exam. What if you handed out a test written in pencil, such that students had the ability to change the questions on the fly. Why would they? Think back to when you were a student. Remember what happened when you came to a question that you completely had no idea? You either left it blank, or made something up. Why not change the question to something that you DID know, so you could demonstrate what you have learned rather than what you haven't? Let's also be sure to recognize that just as students have different learning styles, students take with them different things from a unit or lesson. 20 different students could have 20 different ideas about what was significant about the unit. Why not give them the opportunity to demonstrate this.

One last point about tests in pencil (no pun intended)... When students take ownership of their learning, teachers often find that they have higher standards than the teacher would have had. If you ever give this a try, you might be surprised to find the students replacing your 'softball' questions with much more difficult ones. In fact, they may even use the internet to find questions intended for a much higher grade level. Only one way to find out of course...

Your class took notes on a wiki?
I know I know, only one person can be editing at a time, but what if every night one student put their notes up on a wiki page. Then the rest of the classes assignment was to fill in what they may have missed, correct any mistakes, add in hyperlinks and examples and so on... Minimum points for making a contribution, bonus points for creating new related pages and such. Certainly would make a wonderful resource for students at the end of the unit, when it comes time to study.

And let's face it, it'd also give you a lot of feedback about what you actually taught versus what you THINK you taught. It's always a surprise when that happens, but this could really be a great way to reflect upon your own practice.

These are just a few brief ideas that I've discussed with other people recently, but I'd really like to hear your ideas. Have you seen a wiki that really stretched the boundries? One that couldn't simply be replaced by any ol' html web page. Or have you tried any of these ideas in your own classroom? If so, please share your experiences for making the most of this ingenious tool!