Wiki Rookie

I have never used a wiki before, but there are two things I have observed from exploring them this week. First, they are so new and so different, every one of them has instructions for use. Second, wiki is a fun word that everyone likes to play with, i.e. WikiWikiWeb, TWiki, etc.

This collaborative knowledge base idea seems very messy to my concrete sequential nature. But when I realize it is just a high tech way for a bunch of unrelated people to come to a meeting of the minds, I begin to see its value. I have been thinking about a bulletin board project for First Grade. I want to create a "pond" that groups of students can populate with plants and animals they found reading about the ecosystem. Imagine if they also did a wiki about ponds, with each group writing about what they learned and posting pictures of pond life! This could work, even for young students.

It is so important to teach teachers what is available in technology. Lots of traditional activities--like creating a bulletin board--are enhanced greatly with collaborative programs such as bookmarking, blogs, and wikis. I am eager to show my colleagues the value of what I have learned in this class. I know I will be met with resistance. Few people at my school feel comfortable with technology beyond the use of e-mail and the word processor. As new teachers begin their careers, and veteran teachers see them embrace technology in the classroom, I am sure we will see a move toward a more constructivist style of teaching. Maybe we could have a wiki about that...