Wiki Wonderland

During my weekly summaries of the educational innovations I will stick to the format of

1. Title
   
2. Description of technology
3. Some issues
   
4. Educational applications
5. Other thoughts.
   

1. Title: 'The Wiki"

2. Description:
A wiki is basically an easy way to share information on line that the readers can comment on, edit, or even start their own ideas.
It is a web based way of publishing work similar to a 'blog' but the key difference between a wiki and a blog is that the wiki can have many authors and is aimed as a collaborative tool.
It is a web based platform for discussion, sharing or even just demonstrating ideas.
It takes the idea of blogging one step further and allows much greater contribution for collaborators. While still being maintained and guided by one main entity ( this can be an individual or sometimes be a group of authorised hosts) the Wiki platform can be used to do as little or as much in allowing users to add their own threads posts and other ideas to the site.

3. Some issues:

• If any old Joe blow can edit the wiki, how accurate may the information on the posts be? While this is true the publishers accuracy is not questioned at the time if publication, being a public document untrue or unwanted information can be quickly and easily removed.
  
• With all Internet security concerns that are relevant to web based sharing platforms is it safe to use? The access is determined by the creator of the wiki, in other words if you only want authorised people writing or reading the wiki this is easy to control. The consideration needs to be made however that by putting shackles on the access of the wiki you are also limiting the potential of contribution and overall visitors to the site.

4. Educational benefits/ applications

• The wiki gives the students ( and the teachers) and boundary limited only by their imagination (and undersized classroom budgets) to create and publish work.
• The wiki's focus on reader input can give the students ownership of the work and adds to the engagement level of another 'same old' lesson.
• Collaboration with wiki's can mean within the classroom, school, community or even another country.

5. Other thoughts
I remember in the 1980's my parents conducting 'teleconferences' with other groups across Australia and I remember thinking that was a pretty impressive feat. Back then they used to limit the conferences to once a month for about 1 hour due to the large cost of conducting the teleconference.
How things have changed, looking at WEB 2.0 applications like wiki's that are freely available for use for the public that cost the same weather you use it once for 5 minutes or if you spent an entire week collaborating with another group online.
That price again.........freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Gotta Love it!

by Simon Wright