Wikis for Elementary Students

[Lorraine Florczyk]

I am interested in using wikis for research projects with my elementary students. Do you have experience creating email addresses for students? My students don't have email addresses. What do you use? Was it successful?

[Tahira Ahmad]

Hi Gail,
I'm a Librarian at a small Private Sch. here in Methuen (MA). Our library is actually pretty small, but the idea of of making use of Wikis for research is a good idea. Could you please give me more tips....i mean how to create email addresses from epals, and what nots?

Take care.
Tahira :-)

[Lisa Brennan]

With Blogger it is not necessary for students to have email addresses to have accounts. You can sign up for a teacher account and add as many students as you'd like. It works really well.

[Tahira Ahmad]

Thanks Lisa, will give it a try.

Take care and have a great day, :-)

[Lorraine Florczyk]

Gail,

This sounds interesting. I will check out ePals.

Thanks for sharing.

[Lorraine Florczyk]

Lisa,
Does Blogger allow the editing capability of a wiki? Or is it just a continuous running comments that are added to the blog?

[Lisa Brennan]

Hi Lorraine,

You can edit your own comments and comment on comments. You can also set the blog up so that you (as the teacher, or "owner" of the blog) are able to read comments before they are posted to the blog and delete comments, as well.

I hope that answers your question.

[Johanna Riddle]

I've done a couple of things. Epals offers email addresses for students. I use wikis as literature circles for my fourth and fifth graders. We share the same sign on, and they specify their name when they log on. We use Quick Topic for our wikis. We've just begun one as a faculty to discuss where we would like to take reading next across our campus.

Wikis are very motivating for students, and an efficient way for busy teachers to exchange ideas. I'm glad you're incorporating it into the way you choose to teach!