Creating a WIki

The Wiki creation I found was exciting, frustrating, fun and then challenging. I acknowledge that it can definitely be a great learning tool in the classroom but I really wonder if it would create the type of learning I would expect it to. I decided to conduct a SWOT to help me decide either way whether I could see its advantages in a classroom environment.


The strengths of a Wiki

1. Allows greater access for all students
2. Promotes learning in a collaborative environment
3. Allows teacher to be "Big Brother" and monitor and evaluate the learning process
4. Readily available, easy to use for teachers and students and low or no set up costs associated for users.

Weaknesses of Wiki

1. Messy, untidy and can be confusing
2. Students may accidentally erase your thoughts creating angst
3. Confusion for the marker/teacher in trying to determine who had participated
4. Vandalising of the workspace by outsiders of the learning environment (BMC Medical Journal 2013)
5. Can increase the use of plagiarised content, copyright and privacy terms of the original author may not be referenced correctly or not at all (BMC Medical Journal 2013)

Opportunities

1. Encourage different learners to try something they may not normally engage in
2. Identify learners understanding of the topic being discussed in a more relaxed environment
3. Compliment, improve and add to collaborative learning that reaches beyond the classroom environment (BioMed Central Journal 2013).

Threats

1. Cyber bullying or physical danger if appropriate legal and ethical requirements are not implemented by teacher and learners
2. Possibility that students may not engage in the activity.

My other concern regarding the WIKI is does it engage the TPAK framework effectively. As I understand using the TPAK framework I must ensure I know all content, I must know how to deliver it so that the students gain the knowledge I am waiting them to. I wonder whether the wiki would be the most effective tool here. I would most probably use a blog where I can effectively devise the lesson plan, content, outcomes and evaluate the outcomes. Additionally the student would still be able to use the blog and add comment buy not alter the structure.

The lack of security, privacy,openness and the ability to not really know if students work is their own and that the wiki has not been compromised by others outside of the learning circle are my biggest concerns as a new teacher do not really make the WIKI one of my favourite technology tools. However I do acknowledge that steps could be taken as an administrator of a wiki to ensure the learning wiki is a safe environment for the learners.
Rather than just rely on my individual feelings I decided to pursue further research into the benefits of wiki as a learning tool in the classroom that goes beyond collaborative learning, sharing of ideas and being able to access no matter what your location. I found that wikis can be used to interlink and share information between webpages and blogs. the wiki also is readily available and flexible in the learning process also surprisingly research indicated that collaborative learning can have a significant impact on lower achievers learning. This occurs because the student is able to read, digest and evaluate what other learners have inputted and improve on their own knowledge base. Even more interesting reading was that the wiki can be used in a two dimensional approach breaking down the wiki into smaller groups to encourage more facilitated learning which may also reduce the anxiety of losing inputted materials (Sulisworo 2012).

In conclusion I can see see the benefits of a wiki I believe that my own learning would need to be improved to ensure I could properly facilitate the learning outcomes I was intending to achieve.

Bio Med Central Journal 2013

Designing the Online Learning using the wikispaces Sulisworo, D 2012
accessed online
http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.cqu.edu.au/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=f066f57f-2ec4-47d5-9257-83f7a3f073bc%40sessionmgr198&hid=102ollabarative