By the pricking of my thumbs

By the pricking of my thumbsSomething wikied this way comes

It has nothing to do with Ruben Wiki

WikisIt has nothing to do with witchcraft either.

However a wiki can save you from toil and trouble. If you really want to combine the eye of a newt with the leg of a frog then a wiki will make it easy for you to do so.

If you want to get a team working together then a wiki can help you too.

Organising questionsWhat is a wiki?Why are we going to use wikis?What can a wiki do that we cant do already?

The name wikiThe word wiki comes from Hawaiian wiki-wiki meaning quick.Chosen by Ward Cunningham, the inventor of the wiki, to suggest a type of web page which is quick and easy to produce.

So what is a wiki?Wikis in Plain English

What is a wiki?A wiki is a collection of web pages which all members of a defined group can edit.It is like an index cardcontainer. You can:add new cards,write information on the cards,link one card to another, sort the cards,copy the cards,keep track of all the changes.

A wiki is a collaboration toolWikis are used by virtual teams to work on a project without the constraints of time and space.This makes them ideal for group work in distance education.

The New Zealand CurriculumThe justification for wanting to use wikis in our teaching comes straight from The New Zealand Curriculum.

Key competency 2Using language, symbols and texts...They confidently use ICT...to access and provide information and to communicate with others [Page 12]

Key Competency 4Relating to othersThis competency includes the ability to ... recognise different points of view.. and share ideas. Students who relate well to others are open to new learning and able to take different roles in different situations.... By working effectively together, they can come up with new approaches, ideas and ways of thinking.[Page 12]

Key Competency 5Participating and contributingThis competency is about being actively involved in communities. Communities include ..those based, for example on a common interest.

This competency includes a capacity to contribute appropriately as a group member, to make connections with others and to create opportunities for others in the group.[Page 13]

An example of a wiki run by teachers

Technology resources for schools

The ICTs in English wiki

Wikis in English

Using wikis in the classroomUsing wikis in the classroom

Of Mice and menOf mice and men

Why not just stick with email?An email is easy to createquickly formattedalmost anyone can create oneone to one communicationone to many communication

A wiki can do all that and also:is a central place where every one can work at once,many authors can work on the same page,pages can be linked,many to many communication,can be used with students in class wikis,

What do we do next?Go into the English Ropu wiki and read the page on using wikis.Discuss with your colleagues the essay by Cathy Matthews.What does she identify as the weaknesses of using a wiki in a distance education setting?

Now add your pennY worth by posting your opinion on the wiki.