Yeah right! Wikipedia says go ahead and try to 'edit' their pages. You need sources upon sources to change even a misspelled word on one of their sites. Unlike years ago, when anyone could change the spacing, add a few minor white lies, or change the page completely...Wikipedia has stepped up their game. Why not use it in a paper? Who's to say it can't be a sited source of perfectly good information?
But yes, I know what you're thinking- there is more to Wikis than just Wikipedia. Wiki's are very common. They are online tools that can be used for many people to collaborate, gather, and share information. What is neat about them is that you can give access to people to use it, so it is a controlled environment. BUT (always a but) once the person had the ability to sign in, he or she can edit, correct, add or change anything in the wiki at any time.
I had the honor of experiencing this first hand during the "SnowChi" storm in Washington, DC over February 12th. We are receiving 12+ inches of snow and our professors thought otherwise of having us travel to campus when, you know, we are learning about collaborative online tools- WHY NOT USE THEM. So I came home, hoped into my PJs with a glass of wine and edited a Wiki! Yepp, but I had to wait until the other person in my class, who happened to log on first to edit the page, when finished. I could 'steal the lock' but I thought otherwise- as even though this was online class this week...its face to face next week.
Overall, it was a good experience and I learned plenty of things about collaboration using this online tool. Here's a few items I came across as I was working with my classmates during the snow storm.
Connections
- Build greater connections between new and old knowledge by allowing student-created structure for the information and ideas.
- Build on the best of Bloom: Students use synthesis and evaluation constantly and consistently when they work on a wiki.
Creativity
- Build creativity skills, especially elaboration and fluency. Build creative flexibility in accepting others’ edits!
- Encourage “hitch-hiking” on ideas (a type of creative elaboration and analytical thinking: If X is true, then what about Y?).
- Introduce and reinforce the idea that a creative piece is never “done.”
Engagement
- Increase engagement of all students.
- In lieu of being passive “consumers” of their peers’ presentations (where they doze and ignore), wiki makers respond, change, and improve.
- Culminating projects no longer have to end.
Interpersonal
- Develop interpersonal and communication skills, especially consensus-building and compromise, in an environment where the product motivates interpersonal problem-solving.
- Develop true teamwork skills
Writing
- Improve the most challenging phase of writing process: revision, revision, revision!
- Increase flexibility to consider other ways of saying things.
- Build an awareness of a wider, more authentic audience.
Metacognition
- Stimulate discussion and self-awareness.
- Help students articulate issues about ownership, finding, different conceptualisations of the same content.
