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Running head: WIKI USE IN PBL 1
Wiki Use in Project-Based Learning: A Collaborative Exercise
Mark DeFoor
Kennesaw State University
WIKI USE IN PBL 2
Introduction
Wikis are the new way for groups to collaborate and coordinate complex projects
(LeFever, 2007). Used in education, wikis make it easy for students to change the content of a
web page with one click of a button. It is as easy as edit, write and save. Wikis provide a
collaborative and constructive learning environment and are an effective tool for project-based
learning (PBL) (Parker & Chao, 2007). Although there are several definitions of PBL, critical
components of this instructional model are a driving question, or problem, and the production of
one or more artifacts as representations of learning (Adderley et al., 1975; Blumefield et al.,
1991). PBL actively engages students in a demanding process requiring the use of critical
thinking skills, collaboration with peers, and the ability to rely on past experiences to develop
and build competencies required of 21st century learners. Furthermore, PBL has been
demonstrated to improve students’ ability to reason and argue clearly (Stepien, Gallagher, &
Workman, 1993). Students in classrooms that incorporate PBL perform at least as well on
standardized tests as their peers in traditional classrooms (Thomas, 2000). Collaboration is
heavily emphasized because of its importance in group work. Group work is a trademark of PBL
and is a critical skill required of high school students as they become college and career ready.
A paradigm shift is underway in the workforce as employers place high value on prospective
employees who already possess skills necessary to solve problems in a collaborative
environment.
Enter the wiki. Wiki is a web site that allows users to easily edit content by creating and
editing web pages in a collaborative manner (Chao, 2007). Wiki is a highly valued tool that
helps students reach many of Bloom’s higher order thinking skills (Vanderbilt University, 2015).
Wikis serve several purposes in education. They serve as a repository for the documentation of
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student work and a place for teachers and students to post relevant course and/or project material.
The use of wikis in group projects is predicted to encourage equal participation from team
members since an electronic record is kept of every contribution to every wiki page (Elgort,
Smith, & Toland, 2008). Wikis are truly effective in a PBL environment when task instructions
are clear and concise, time is allotted for students to practice using them, and the complexity of
tasks start at a beginner’s level and progress in complexity over time. An advantage of using
wiki technology as a platform for conducting group assessment is that it can make the quantity
and quality of each group member’s contribution more transparent; potentially encouraging
participation (Barkley, Cross, & Major, 2005). Course work and assessments are designed in
such a way that the success of an individual is linked to the success of the group (Elgort, Smith,
& Toland, 2008). However, research exists that contradicts the collaborative nature of wikis
comparing them to email exchanges and posts on discussion boards (Elgort, Smith, & Toland,
2008). In addition, studies show that forgetting to close a page after editing makes the wiki
unavailable to others and leaves students frustrated (Johnson & Sims, 2013). This type of delay
causes tensions among group members (Johnson & Sims, 2013). Notwithstanding, wikis have
proven to support the construction of knowledge by students participating in wiki based projects.
Instead of engaging in conversation about concepts and their application, wikis create action as
students focus on applying what they already know and have learned (Gentzler, 2005).
This study begins with an assessment of technology literacy skills of third grade level
students in the Lafayette, Louisiana school district followed by an assessment of a mathematics
lesson using wiki technology in an intact third grade class. Practical applications of wiki
technology were studied and analyzed for the purpose of discovering how effective wiki
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technology was in promoting collaboration among participants as well as their contributions to
group work.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to examine wikis as an effective collaborative tool for
students and determine if this technology promotes group participation in a project based
learning assignment.
Research Questions
Research questions addressed in this study are:
RQ1: What wiki tools promote collaboration and interaction in a PBL environment?
RQ2: What characteristics of wikis motivate students to participate in group work?
Importance of the Study
In today’s society, groups routinely need to plan, organize and coordinate various
activities in an efficient way. The old way of communicating through emails and text messages
leaves critical information scattered and difficult to locate. Wiki technology enables groups to
coordinate their plans better by allowing users to edit, write and save information in one central
location (LeFever, 2007). Instead of communicating in a one-to-one relationship, wikis provide
a many-to-many communication method for maximum collaboration. Applying this same
approach to education, wikis have become an extremely useful tool in today’s classrooms. The
functionality of wikis make them an excellent tool for collaboration in an online environment
(Augar, Waitman, & Zhou, 2004). They can be used to facilitate ongoing, thought provoking
discussions about many topics over the course of an entire semester (Deters, Cuthrell, &
Stapleton, 2010). Instead of being customers of knowledge, students become consumers of
knowledge (Bullough & Gitlin, 2001).
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Used in PBL, wikis promote social interaction among students in and out of the
classroom. This marriage between teaching strategies and technology is consistent with the
desire of educators to flatten classroom walls and provide students an opportunity to take control
of their education outside of school. The structure of PBL and the capabilities of wikis create an
environment that promotes group work. Today’s students must improve problem solving skills
and become more adept at working in groups to meet the needs of a 21st century workforce.
However, research exists that contradicts the effectiveness of wikis as a collaborative tool.
Students seem to be willing to post information to wiki sites but not so willing to share
information and exchange ideas (Elgort, Smith, & Toland, 2008). Students express frustration
over having to wait to use wikis while other students edit pages. Students encounter
inconsistencies in feedback from classmates and instructors. They are also hesitant to critique
each other’s work. Even though this research exists, there are significant gaps in the literature
that do not explore these contradictions in depth. Therefore, this study would add to existing
research by examining the features of wikis and how these features are integrated into PBL
assignments. This study could potentially uncover breakdowns in group structures that would be
crucial in redefining the role of wikis and eliminating potential obstacles to learning.
Definition of Terms
Blended learning – Blended learning are courses/classes where a portion of the traditional
face to face instruction is replaced by web based online learning. Blended learning is also
referred to as a hybrid course (UCF, 2015).
Jigsaw – A collaborative learning strategy that divides an assignment or topic into
segmented parts with all students from each group volunteering to become experts on one of the
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parts. The experts then reassemble in their groups where they teach the other group members
(Srinivas, 2015)
Project-based learning (PBL) – PBL is an instructional strategy that requires complex
tasks, based on challenging questions or problems, that involve students in design, problem
solving, decision making and give students the opportunity to work autonomously over extended
periods of time and culminate in realistic products or presentations (Thomas, 2000).
Web 2.0 – Web 2.0 refers to web based applications used for collaborating, creating and
sharing user generated content online. Examples of Web 2.0 tools include Facebook, Twitter,
YouTube, Wikipedia, and various blog sites.
Wiki – A website that allows users to edit its structure and content in a collaborative
manner.
Review of Literature
Introduction
Today’s students must learn and develop skills that will allow them to succeed in a
competitive business environment. Educators need to teach what wikis and other social software
may mean to business, not as phenomenon, but as a skill (Evans, 2006). Web 2.0 tools have
become more popular with the proliferation of applications such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook,
Flickr, Pandora and Google Earth. PBL is described as student-centered instruction that occurs
over an extended period of time where students select, plan and produce a presentation that
answers and/or solves a real world problem (Holm, 2011). This instructional approach has
positive effects on students’ critical thinking and problem solving skills as well as their ability to
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collaborate and communicate with classmates. Today’s 21st century learner must master these
competencies in order to be college and career ready.
Wiki Technology in Education
The word wiki originates from Hawaii and means quick. Introduced by Ward
Cunningham in 1995, wikis were developed as a tool for collaborative learning (Leung & Chu,
2009). Wikis have since emerged to become a prevailing Web 2.0 tool for education that allows
students to take advantage of the Internet and engage in skills that are at the top of learning
taxonomies. Research suggests that wikis are ideal for knowledge creation and management
(Bruns & Humphrey, 2007). Due to an increasing presence of the Internet in education, a
paradigm shift to a student centered classroom is underway (Zafirov, 2013). Research suggests
that wikis involve students in their own construction of knowledge (Parker & Chao, 2007).
Studies also show that cooperative learning, a form of group work, leads to positive
interdependence of group members, face to face interactions between students and improved
collaborative skills (Schaffert, Bischof, Buerger, Gruber, Hilzensauer & Schaffert, 2006).
Studies show that whether working face to face, or online, students feel class projects using
wikis provide a valuable learning experience (Elgort, Smith, & Toland, 2008). Messages are
easily posted for discussion and peer feedback is quickly provided on work regardless of a
student’s physical location.
Project Based Learning
Today’s workforce demands that students develop better problem solving skills and
become more adept at working in groups. Project based learning is a solution to address these
issues (Zafirov, 2013). Notwithstanding, research exists that shows challenges in implementing
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PBL. In particular, students must take newly acquired knowledge and apply it to solving
complex problems. This creates cognitive overload for most students (Ching & Hsu, 2013).
Although research is limited in this area, wikis are not always successful in education (Elgort,
Smith & Toland, 2008). For example, if collaboration is not required for a task, then using a
wiki is pointless. If the design of the task is not authentic, then the use of a wiki becomes
problematic. Further research suggests that wikis are limited with respect to students’ use of
collaboration to create knowledge (Elgort, Smith & Toland, 2008). Students seem willing to
post information to wiki sites but not so willing to share information and exchange ideas.
The review of literature supports PBL and wikis have similar characteristics and positive
contributions in education through collaboration, communication and group work. However,
limited research exists that explores the effectiveness of this technology in promoting group
participation among students conducting PBL activities. Even though wiki is considered an
effective tool for asynchronous learning in PBL and blended learning instructional models, the
benefits of this technology to education still remain unclear. By examining the use of wikis in
group work, additional research may determine how wikis can contribute to and improve
collaborative learning (Leung & Chu, 2009).
Research Methodology
This study was conducted using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design in a
third grade class. A wiki was used in a third grade classroom as an instructional tool to teach
students about fractions. Specifically, the lesson was about fraction halves, quarters and wholes.
All content related material, links to supplemental material, assessments, surveys and simulations
were embedded into a wiki hosted by Wikispaces.com.
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Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to collect and examine data. This data
was used to answer research questions identified as RQ1 and RQ2. Emphasis of this study was
placed on quantitative data. Data collected in phase one helped determine the volume of wiki
use and the attitudes of participants towards the use of wikis. This data was intended to be an
indicator of how students and groups contributed to the PBL assignment and if collaboration was
involved. Qualitative data helped explain patterns that developed in student to student
interactions and overall wiki use. The intent of the mixed methods design was that the
qualitative data would triangulate the quantitative data and provide greater accuracy for data
collected in the quantitative phase as well as uncover any unanticipated results.
A Technology Literacy Survey (Appendix A) was administered to all participants in an
effort to gather data and determine general levels of technology literacy. This survey provided
data about participants’ abilities to access and use technology to solve problems. Tracking
features in wiki software that show the volume of use and time students spend on the wiki site
were used to answer research question RQ1. Surveys using a Likert scale were administered to
students and faculty of the intact third grade class studied. These surveys were also used to
quantify the frequency and duration of wiki use. Finally, a post assignment survey was
administered to participants to measure their attitudes toward elements of wiki technology as
those elements were used in their mathematics lesson.
The second phase of the research consisted of student and teacher focus group interviews
to answer RQ1 and RQ2. Two focus group sessions were conducted during the study. One
interview session helped assess students’ opinions about wiki technology in a mathematics
lesson about fractions, and the second interview was administered to the teacher to obtain her
responses regarding the effectiveness of integrating wiki technology into a mathematics lesson
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about fractions. Attempts were made by the investigator to routinely monitor and track student
progress in real time. The monitoring process was designed to help determine success levels for
students participating in the PBL assignment.
Participants
Participants in the mathematics lesson about fractions were selected from an intact group
of third grade students. They included 17 students (10 females, 7 males) and one third grade
level teacher. The ethnicity of the students included 8 Caucasians, 7 African Americans, and 2
Native Americans. The age of the students ranged from 8 – 10 years old. The makeup of the
participants represented the overall demographic population of student body in the entire third
grade which consists of 128 students. The teacher is considered highly qualified in her field and
has twelve years of teaching experience in elementary grade levels. None of the participants
were compensated for their participation in this study.
Data Sources and Collection
Data collection for this survey took place over a 2 day period. Several data sources were
used for this study including a Technology Literacy Survey (Appendix A), post assignment
formative assessment (quiz), post assignment attitudinal survey and an assessment tool in the
wiki software. The Technology Literacy Survey (Table 1, 2 and 3) was administered to the
entire third grade class (N=128) to determine:
Students’ access to technology
Students’ attitudes towards the importance of technology
Students’ use of technology with school related activities
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The Technology Literacy Survey was administered before any research was conducted in the
classroom. Because the survey was given to the entire third grade class, teachers were given a
two week time frame to integrate the survey into a class period to ensure that all third grade
students had ample opportunities to complete the survey. All responses to the survey were
collected through Google Forms.
A multiple choice quiz consisting of 6 questions was administered to the intact third
grade class (N=17) to assess students’ abilities to understand concepts of fraction halves,
quarters and whole shapes. The quiz was administered at the end of the second class session and
prior to the post assignment attitudinal survey. All responses to the quiz were collected through
Google Forms.
Qualitative data was collected through focus group interviews during the second day of
classroom instruction. Because of the small class size (N=17) and the limitations on time,
students were randomly divided into two groups for their focus group interviews. Students were
randomly assigned numbers 1 – 17 and were chosen for 2 groups using the Random Number
Generator feature on a TI-84 graphing calculator. Students that were assigned the first 9 random
numbers between 1 and 17 were assigned to Group 1 and the remaining 8 students were assigned
to Group 2. It is important to note that these groups were created for convenience only and not
to create an experimental and control group. Students were asked open ended questions about
the mathematics lesson that was conducted using wiki technology to assess their interest levels
and overall attitudes towards using wiki software to learn about fraction wholes, halves and
fourths. Data from both focus groups was recorded in a notebook over a 30 minute time period.
The classroom teacher was interviewed at the end of the second day of onsite research. The
teacher was asked open ended questions about the integration of wiki technology into her
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classroom lesson and her attitude toward the value of using wiki technology as a tool to
supplement face to face instruction.
Data Results
Data collected before and after the mathematics lesson using wiki technology was
assessed to answer the following research questions:
RQ1: Which wiki tools promote collaboration and interaction in a PBL classroom lesson?
RQ2: What characteristics of wikis motivate students to participate in group work?
Technology Literacy Survey
Data obtained from a Technology Literacy Survey is contained in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Figure 1 contains responses to questions about the availability of technology to students in and
outside of the school building.
Figure 1
Percent of Responses to Availability of Technology (N=128)
Survey Item Yes (%) No (%) Sometimes (%)
Is there a computer at your home? 76.6 4.7 18.8
Do you have internet access at home? 85.9 5.5 8.6
Do you own a smart phone, tablet, laptop or any other digital device that can access the school’s wireless network?
80.5 14.1 5.5
Do you participate in your school’s BYOT policy? 23.4 76.6 0
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Figure 2 contains responses to questions about the attitudes of students towards the importance
of technology to them.
Figure 2
Attitudinal Responses to Importance of Technology (N=128)
Survey ItemStrongly disagree
(%)
Disagree (%)
Somewhat disagree
(%)
No opinion
(%)
Somewhat agree (%)
Agree (%)
Strongly Agree (%)
Technology is important to my daily life.
0.8 3.1 5.5 14.8 17.2 30.5 28.1
Learning about technology will help me get the job I want.
3.1 9.4 7.8 10.9 15.6 26.6 26.6
I enjoy learning about technology.
1.6 1.6 2.3 1.6 11.7 24.2 57
I feel confident using technology to solve problems.
4.7 3.9 3.9 8.6 27.3 28.9 22.7
Figure 3 contains responses to students’ use of technology towards the completion of school
related tasks.
Figure 3
Percent of Responses to Technology Use for School Related Tasks (N=128)
Survey Item Never Almost Sometimes Weekly Daily
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(%) Never (%) (%) (%) (%)For school work, how often do you use a computer to send or receive messages?
32.8 9.4 26.6 7.8 23.4
For school work, how often do you use a computer to view or download digital media?
42.2 13.3 24.2 7.8 12.5
For school work, how often do you use a computer to send or share digital media?
49.2 13.3 13.3 12.5 11.7
For school work, how often do you use a computer to create a presentation?
43.8 15.6 26.6 7.8 6.3
For school work, how often do you use a computer to play games or run simulations?
3.1 4.7 21.9 25 45.3
Post Assignment Attitudinal Survey
Data obtained from this survey is contained in Figure 4. The survey contains data about
the attitudes of students towards the use of wikis in a mathematics lesson about fraction halves,
quarters, and wholes.
Figure 4
Wiki Reflection Survey (N=17)
Survey ItemCompletely Unhelpful
(%)
Somewhat Unhelpful
(%)
Somewhere in the
Middle (%)
Somewhat Helpful
(%)
Very Helpful
(%)How helpful do you think each of the following elements are to your learning?
Links to supplemental content 0 0 42.9 14.3 42.9
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Simulations or interactive animations 0 0 0 28.6 71.4
Review or prepare to test/quiz online 0 0 28.6 42.9 28.6
Taking test/quiz online 0 0 0 57.1 42.9
Working in groups with technology to solve problems 0 0 28.6 42.9 28.6
Assessment of the Wiki Assignment in Elementary Mathematics
Data collected from focus group interviews involving the teacher and intact class are
provided in Figure 5. The data was analyzed and coded using notes made during the focus group
interviews and from student observations made during the classroom lesson. Broad themes were
discovered from trending ideas that prevailed during data analyzed from notes recorded during
the focus group interviews and student observations.
Figure 5
Fractions – Equal and unequal parts, halves and fourths
Trending Idea(s) Occurrences Themes
TeacherLiked the openness and accountability of wikis 6 Wikis are transparent
Easy to add content 4 Basic wiki features are easy to use
Easy to store material for reoccurring use 4 Wikis serve as a repository
for storing data
Like ability to link online assessments 3 Assessments can be
integrated into wikis
Blogging features are difficult 5 The blogging features of
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to incorporate into lessons Wikispaces are difficult to use
Not practical for elementary age students to use outside of class
5Wikis are more practical for middle school and high school ages
Students were curious about working in groups using technology
3 Students are interested using technology for group work
Students
Like Prezi presentation 15 Audio visual presentation engages students
Like YouTube video 12 Audio visual presentation engages students
Like the idea of communicating with peers outside of school
17Students are interested in learning outside of the classroom
Like the online assessment 10 Students feel comfortable taking online assessments
Like using technology 11 Self-efficacy in using technology to learn
Discussions of Findings
Limitations
There were limitations in this study that should be mentioned. Time was a limiting factor
that prevented participants from learning more about wiki technology. There was not enough
scheduled classroom time to integrate blogging into the assignment as a tool for participants to
push their own thinking (Saka, 2007). Blogging is an essential feature of wikis in today’s digital
age where students’ voices can be heard without cost (Ferriter, 2009). Blogging is a part of wiki
technology intended for collaboration among groups and is a key component in determining
students’ willingness to participate in group work (Thomas, 2009). Limited time also played a
critical role in introducing the ability for participants to access the wiki outside of the classroom.
WIKI USE IN PBL 17
Not being able to assign individual usernames and passwords for all participants made it
impossible for them to access the wiki at home.
Another limitation to this study was the assessment tool in Wikispaces that tracks
participants’ use of wikis in real time. Wiki users with proper permissions can use this tool as a
real time formative assessment to track the contributions of students based on 4 actions.
No activity while participant was logged into the wiki
Participant(s) reading a wiki page
Participant(s) were writing and/or editing a wiki page
Participant(s) were saving content to a wiki page or creating and saving a new wiki page
The major limitation to the assessment feature is that it only tracks the most recent 30 minute
segment of participant activity and does not archive usage beyond the most recent 30 minutes.
There are also no provisions within Wikispaces to print an activity report showing usage during
or beyond the 30 minute time period. The teacher has to make a conscious effort to routinely
monitor the wiki assessment feature to accurately evaluate participant and/or group activities
during an assignment. Ideally, the wiki assessment tool would work best with a co-teacher
monitoring and recording data in real time as participants used the wiki.
Summary of Key Findings
Wikis Allow Users to Easily Add and Edit Content
Throughout the notes recorded during the teacher focus group interview (Figure 5),
repeated mentions were made of how easy the wiki was to use with regards to adding and editing
content. Specific statements made by the teacher suggested the wiki was easy for users to add
content:
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“It was as easy as copying and pasting things in a word document.”
“All I had to do was cut and paste the url to the YouTube video.”
“I found the file I wanted and clicked the upload button.”
“It was easy to add and store content.”
There are no findings in this study that indicate ease of use for students regarding adding or
editing content because the mathematics task they were given did not require them to add or edit
content to the wiki.
Wikis Encourage Collaboration
Data obtained from the Technology Literacy Survey (Figure 3) suggests the majority of
students (67.2%) of the entire third grade class have communicated with classmates by sending
or receiving messages electronically for school related activities. This demonstrates a level of
technical literacy and ability to use collaborative tools associated with wiki technology.
Furthermore, data collected from the post assignment attitudinal survey (Figure 4) suggests the
majority of participants of the intact class (71.5%) believe that working in groups with
technology to solve problems is important to their learning. To further support this belief, an
emerging theme from focus group interview (Figure 5) indicates participants like the idea of
communicating with other students outside of the classroom. It is important to note that during
the mathematics lesson, participants did not use technology to communicate with other groups
and/or students in or out of the classroom. The data collected in this study simply indicates a
propensity for participants to adopt wiki collaboration tools such as blogging, if those tools were
made available to them in their instruction.
Wikis Promote Group Work
WIKI USE IN PBL 19
Data collected from the post assignment attitudinal survey (Figure 4) indicates
participants like the structure of wiki pages by having access to content, simulations, assessments
and surveys in one central location. This is important because the structure of the mathematics
lesson made it practical for the teacher to use a jigsaw cooperative learning strategy and easily
divide the assignment into equal parts for participants. The jigsaw approach was used to
demonstrate the process of participants solving problems using strategies associated with group
work by having them work individually on parts of a task then re-group and share knowledge to
complete a culminating assessment. Emerging themes in data collected from focus group
interview (Figure 5) indicates participants liked the individual components of the wiki site. It
would seem to make sense that if they liked the individual components of the wiki, such as
watching a video and/or Prezi presentation, then they would be willing to share knowledge they
acquired from those presentations with group mates. Does this necessarily mean that this type of
interaction among participants should be considered the formative stages of group work? It
cannot be determined that participants would have arbitrarily participated equally in the
mathematics assignment if the teacher had not used a collaborative learning strategy. As
suggested by Elgort, Smith, & Toland (2008), it cannot be determined that the mathematics
assignment and assessments were designed in such a way that the success of the individual was
linked to the success of the group. Although the mean score for the mathematics quiz was 96.9,
it is difficult to determine how these individual scores are linked to the success of the groups.
Directions for Future Research
In general, the results of this study support the idea that wikis are likely to promote
collaboration and group work among students in a third grade elementary class. However, at the
WIKI USE IN PBL 20
third grade level much responsibility falls on the teacher to effectively structure assignments that
require students to use wikis in a sequential manner thereby missing out on opportunities to
make decisions on their own and exercise critical thinking skills with classmates to solve
problems. Future research in the K-12 realm of education should focus on wiki use in middle to
high school grades where students are better prepared academically and socially to work on their
own, access technology away from the classroom, blog in an effective manner, and work in
groups where the structure of the group is formed from within; with little guidance from the
teacher. It is important for these students to transfer the knowledge they obtain from working
with wikis to how this technology, as well as the act of working in groups, can be used to solve
problems in real world scenarios.
Conclusion
As Tapscott and Williams, (2008) write, a power shift is underway and a tough new
business rule is emerging; harness the new collaboration or perish. Those who fail to grasp this
will find themselves ever more isolated, cut off from the networks that are sharing, adapting, and
updating knowledge to create value (Tapscott & Williams, 2008). This philosophy not only
applies to businesses and individuals, but more importantly, high school students that are
preparing themselves to become college and career ready. Wiki technology serves as a tool that
when integrated with PBL is a strategy educators need to teach students as a skill and not as
some phenomenon. There are deficiencies in wiki technology, but prior research indicates these
deficiencies are more technical in nature. As wiki technology improves, it is expected that many
of these deficiencies will be eliminated for users. The majority of existing research focuses on
wiki technology in PBL and blended learning environments in post-secondary education. The
demands of college and many career paths for high school graduates are focusing on those who
WIKI USE IN PBL 21
can effectively collaborate with colleagues and contribute to groups to take advantage of pooling
resources (Root, 2015). The inclusion of wikis in the workplace increases the attachment of
employees to companies and as a consequence, productivity and product quality (Tapscott &
Williams, 2008).
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Appendix A
Technology Literacy Survey
1. Which one of the following best describes you? Select only one choice.
o Whiteo African Americano Latino/ao Asiano Native Americano Other
2. Is there a computer at your home that you use?
o Yeso No
3. Do you have Internet access at home?
o Yeso No
4. How often do people in your home speak to each other in a language other than English?
o Nevero Occasionallyo Half of the timeo All or most of the time
5. Do you own a smart phone, tablet, laptop or any other digital device that can access the school’s wireless network?
o Yeso No
6. How much do you disagree or agree with the following statements about technology? Select one circle in each row.
Strongly disagree Disagree No
opinion Agree Strongly agree
Technology is important to ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
WIKI USE IN PBL 27
my daily lifeLearning about technology will help me in the future ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Learning about technology will help me get the job I want
○ ○ ○ ○ ○
I enjoy learning about technology ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
7. For school work, how often do you use a computer or other digital technology for the following activities? Select one circle for each row.
NeverRarely during
the year
Rarely during the
month
Rarely during
the week
Daily or almost daily
Send or receive messages (e-mail, text, instant, blog) ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
View or download digital media ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Create, edit or organize digital media ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Send or share digital media ○ ○ ○ ○ ○Create a presentation ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
8. Away from school, how often do you use a computer or other digital technology for the following activities? Select one circle for each row.
NeverRarely during
the year
Rarely during the
month
Rarely during
the week
Daily or almost daily
Play games or run simulations ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Search for information on the Internet ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Maintain a website or blog ○ ○ ○ ○ ○Participate in online discussion forums or social networking sites
○ ○ ○ ○ ○