Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Thing # 8
Wikis are a new and uncharted territory for me. I looked at several of the educational wikis on the list, and the variety of form and function was both amazing and intimidating. The "codeblue" wiki seems to be just a list of links, and though I am sure that is useful, I don't quite get how interactive it is. I saw the list of topics in the left frame, but I was not particularly intrigued because of the very "flat" look of the site. The "1001 Flat World Tales" site was much more engaging because it had a great look and the function of the site seemed organic and useful. I love the global educational opportunities this wiki offers, and it makes me want to create something like it, if only on a local/schoolwide scale; I can envision a vertical project like this one being successful in my department or school. The "Discovery Utopias" wiki is another site that is an epiphany of possibilities for student engagement. The nature of the site i.e. the discussion tab and left frame topics creates a rich and complete "world" in which students can be creative. It is the cure for the disease of lost creativity I bemoaned in an earlier post. All of the wikis get me thinking about ways in which I can use a wiki to enhance the educational experience of my students, but I have so many random ideas that pop up (everything from an ongoing writing workshop on rhetoric to an interdisciplinary wiki site that connects writing/literature and art) that I will have to explore more wikis and really plan for the learning outcomes I want. I know that I don't want something thrown together and half-baked; I believe that discourages wiki-curious teachers from giving wikis a shot.
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Great minds... I, too, liked the 1001 and the Utopia sites as they both had practical applications that I could use in the class room. These two sites provided a place for the students to create and share, and isn't that our goal? There are so many possibilities that it is a bit overwhelming. I think your idea of a rhetoric/writing workshop is a great idea. You could even upload (if this is the correct term) some commercials or advertisements, so that the kids could discuss the rhetorical/sales techniques used. That English Blog has some political cartoons and newspaper clippings that could be used to analyze rhetoric. I just think that it is going to take some time and sacrifice on our parts to get a wiki up and running. It is like a shot; it just stings for a minute, but the benefits are everlasting.
ReplyDeleteIt would also be cool to actually have one of these wikis that had MHS English policies and procedures on it for essay writing. Kids could then use the cite to find links to easybib or ottobib or the MLA cite, etc. to help them construct a better research paper or whatever. I'm afraid for me it's more like a tattoo than a shot--a long drawn out bloody pain, but then a permanent achievement.
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