As institutions of higher learning, our top priority should be to create an environment that fosters sound, pedagogically centered teaching. Leveraging technology can often help us accomplish this goal. If you have found your way to this blog, the odds are you are looking for a solution to an educational problem. Many options exist, and chances are many of you have tried other technological solutions. The focus this month is on the potential power of wikis. Many institutions have started exploring wikis, whether integrated with a course management system, as an enterprise application, or simply as an individual installation. But the jury is still out on the pedagogical impact of such a technology.
The white paper described 4 principles that wikis can potentially support. What about the other three? Can you think of any way to leverage a wiki in your classroom in order to engage students in more meaningful faculty/student contact? Can wikis be utilized as a mechanism for providing prompt feedback? Can you think of any situation in which an educational wiki could emphasize time on task? What about the 4 principles discussed in the whitepaper—do you agree with the thoughts of the authors? Can you think of additional uses or ways to use the wiki to directly support these principles?
Too often a teaching problem is identified and the band aid that is instantly applied is technology. Wikis, as with other technologies, have no inherent pedagogical value. Pedagogy only arises when structure and guidelines are implemented and enforced on technology. Many people approach wikis with the mind set that, "if you build it, they will come". Why wouldn't one think that? Students these days have technology at their fingertips and are begging instructors to leverage resources that allow them to quickly retrieve information and reach goals. The reality is that networks students are involved in are highly structured. From Facebook to Wikipedia there are people monitoring the content and contributors to ensure compliance. Instructors need to take similar approaches. You wouldn't start a semester without a syllabus or a session without objectives. Write rules and regulations for your wiki and be sure to enforce them. This will require extra effort on the instructors part. While technology can help you solve a problem, it can also require more time and effort to maintain. Assessment is needed to evaluate the impact of any technology. As institutions become increasingly accountable for their actions, how can the implementation of a wiki be justified? How will (or have) you measure(d) the impact the wiki has on the teaching and learning environment. How do we know that the wiki is effective?
Finally, we would like to know if any of you have used a wiki before in an educational caliber? What worked really well and what was less than ideal? What challenges did you and/or your students need to overcome in order to make the experience a positive one? On the other hand, what advantages does a wiki provide that other technology-driven collaborative spaces do not?
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6 comments:
IF we assume that faculty and the students share one basic motivation: each wants the most out of the experience with the least amount of effort.
Then there is a fundamental flaw with adding more technology to the educational process.
The blog states: “Write rules and regulations for your wiki and be sure to enforce them. This will require extra effort on the instructors part.”
The more input or work required to get the same end result (passing student or a letter grade) we can reach a point of diminishing return.
Once you have reached the point of diminishing returns it becomes economically prohibitive to put more time, energy, resources in for the resulting output. Satisfaction with the process may diminish as well.
If the faculty member uses an additional technology that requires extra work, perhaps he or she should retire one to compensate for the total work the class takes?
Testdepth,
When you use a wiki or other technology in your course you are also exposing the students to a new tool that they can use in other situations. You are also giving them experience with collaborative writing.
I am not sure if you guys are aiming this blog at faculty or education technology specialists or what, but your readers will not have the same background. For example, I know quite a bit about wikis, but don't know about the seven principles you refer to in your white paper. Links would help.
:-) This is in addition to my previous "true" comment.
Mental note...login first then type in comment box, else type complete comment then login.
Short attention spans :-)
I agree teaching/learning tools are important in the classroom.
What causes heartburn for me is when tools become the front and center focus of the class and the purpose such as music appreciation takes a back seat.
Do students view the activity as collaborative writing or do they see it as blogging?
Are we headed towards the day when our "Skills Database" will include things as Blogging, podcasting, and wiki?
I have seen Powerpoint listed as a skill, instead of visual communication.
Or Excel listed as a skill instead of data or statistical analysis.
Wikis
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