Anyone using wikis to collaborate with teachers?

[Samantha David]

Anyone using wikis to collaborate with teachers? I am researching teacher and librarian collaboration using wikis and would like to know if anyone is using them to collaborate with teachers in their schools. If so, how is the process working for you?

[Terry King]

Hi Samantha. Take a look at:
http://kslibrary.info/Web20.htm
which is page on my wife's library website. She has used Wikis for 2 or 3 years to collaborate with teachers and students. I'm sure she'd be willing to correspond: [e-mail]

Regards, Terry King ..On the Red Sea at KAUST
[e-mail]

[Samantha David]

Thank you so much for this info. I e-mailed your wife after your post.

[Ribble]

Funny that you asked that question. I am working with an 8th grade teacher who is about to go out on maternity leave in January and Feb. I am working with one of her science classes 1 to 2 days a week. The students will be working in groups to develop a wiki page on a particular unit in science. They will develop everything needed for an end-of-year review. Since she will be at home, a wiki will be a great way to monitor their work.

[Samantha David]

Are you using this wiki to collaborate with her?

[Terry King]

Hi Samantha,

This is a different concept of using wikis:
http://test-research.wikispaces.com/

This assumes the collaboration between teacher and students takes place on the individual student wikis with which they are doing and documenting their research process. The wikis are initialized with the information students need, and the things/sequence they need to do. There is probably an overall-class wiki also, for mutual discussion etc.

This capitalizes on the Wikispaces facility to make it easy for teachers to see the CHANGES the students make in their work, and if wanted, get an email that alerts them to updates in student work. Especially in environments where students are doing "multiple drafts" or "Stepwise refinement" of work, this allows teachers to quickly see what has CHANGED.

...This is just a prototype of this idea: it has not been done with students yet, but I hope to use it later this year.. Other teachers have seen it and liked the 'idea', but I haven't heard of it applied yet...

Feel free to use this in any way in YOUR research...

Regards, Terry King ..On the Red Sea at KAUST
[e-mail]

[Samantha David]

Your idea is a great one and I like your lay-out. The suggestion offered by fogleman is percise though and you may find implementing his suggestion may make less work for you. I find that my project is in between your and your wife's wiki. Some elements are similar though. I have researched wikis this past semester and have found that your use of it is similar to some teachers' use; however the organization is tweaked somewhat to include other elements that would access student learning and growth. It seems like you are creating your own community of practice with a twist. I truly believe this wiki will work well for you and your students. Thank you for your invitation and would be more than happy to include some of your elements in my research.

[Barbara Jansen]

Yes, I use them every time we collaborate on a project. After we meet one time to plan, I create the wiki and pages and the teachers put in the task, which we have often collaborated on also. Mostly we work together on all aspects of the assignment. We introduce it and team teach everything, usually including the assessment as I assess the portions I teach. We use the wiki as a guide for the direct instruction, then the students have it as a reference for the group/individual part of the assignment. Sometimes the students contribute to the wiki (http://casteproject.pbworks.com http://sasgreekart.pbworks.com) and sometimes they build their own (http://sasbacteria.pbworks.com).

Examples of other collaborations:
http://sasbioendangeredspecies.pbworks.com/
http://sasspanish4.pbworks.com
http://sasunitednationsgoals.pbworks.com


(I often present to teachers and librarians on "Collaboration 2.0." The biggest obstacle is if the school districts block these participative tools)

[Samantha David]

Did you keep a journal or blog about the collaborative process or is finished product your documentation?

[Barbara Jansen]

The finished wiki is our documentation. The teachers and students really like it. I did write up the process for a presentation I have given several times to teachers and librarians. I can send it if you wish. --Barb

[Samantha David]

That would be great! I would really appreciate it.

[Barbara Jansen]

Here is a presentation I gave recently with the process and examples. Slides 1-12 are not part of the actual process. It starts on slide 13. Let me know if something does not make sense.
Collaboration process

The detailed steps below go with slide 13:
1. Identify a need for information and communications technology (ICT) skills instruction with a teacher's or team/department's unit of study
2. Meet once face-to-face (optional)
* Discuss content of unit
* Explain how the tool for collaboration (wiki) will work
* Discuss a timeline
* Determine teaching and grading responsibilities
3. If using a wiki, design lesson and assign permissions to teachers who are collaborators
4. Insert initial content
5. Finalize content, add graphics, files, and media
6. Introduce unit to students, teach needed skills
7. Students complete assignment with help as needed, including self and group evaluation
8. Teacher and library media specialist assess student results
9. Discuss what did and did not work, making adjustments on wiki and rubrics for further use