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Lately there has been a lot of talk about wikis. A wiki is a Web software which allows users to add information, like on a forum. Moreover, anyone can edit the content very easily. Although wiki is a part of the new Internet trends (the Web 2.0 technologies), at the moment it is quite difficult to estimate how many of the Romanian universities use wiki and in what way: research or practice space, collaborative knowledge administration system, information management, academic lectures, etc. This paper comprises a description of the activities which were carried out, and of the topics the students debated in the wiki space OraDeInfo.wikispaces.com, during the first semester of the 2006-2007 academic year, at the University of the West, from Timisoara. This paper enforces the role of using wiki in education, especially as a platform for developing a virtual learning community.
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A Successful Pedagogical Experiment:
Using Wikis in Academic Lectures
Gabriela GROSSECKSenior lecturer, Ph.D.
West University of Timisoara
12-13 April eLSE07Bucharest
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
What is a wiki?
• Wiki =quick (in Hawaiian)
• A website in which content can be created and edited by a community of users (often without need for special privileges)
• Software that allows people with no knowledge of HTML or other
programming languages to create and/or edit a website
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
The largest wiki: WiKIPEDIA
• Best example is Wikipedia
• Wikipedia is: – A free encyclopedia– Multilingual – Web-based – Written collaboratively
by volunteers
• Most articles can be changed by anyone
• Wikipedia has more than 3 million articles
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Wiki technology
• Wiki ≠ Wikipedia• Enables people to work
collaboratively• You can learn to use a
wiki in 30-60 min.• Many different programs
to choose from• There are several free
sources for wikis (~200)
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Why wiki? / Why not wiki?• Easy to use
– Web-based– Simple software
commands• Anyone can make changes• Flexible and easy to add
content to• Harness collective
intelligence!• Can help develop a culture
of sharing and working together (cf. open source)
• The success of the Wikipedia may not necessarily be replicated elsewhere.
• Vandalism and spam• Disorganized • Too open/ not enough
control of content• There may be copyright
and other legal issues regarding collaborative content
• There is not (yet) a standard lightweight Wiki markup language
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Ways to use Wiki in education• Students can use a wiki to develop
research projects.• Students can add summaries of their
thoughts from the prescribed readings.
• A wiki can be used for publishing course resources like syllabi and handouts.
• Teachers can use wikis as a knowledge base.
• Wikis can be used to map concepts (brainstorming, linked network of resources).
• A wiki can be used as a presentation tool in place of conventional software.
• Wikis are tools for group authoring.
Victoria A. Davis, 2006
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Why I wanted to use a wiki
• Students experience a technology they probably hadn’t encountered before
• Students learn about collaborative “sense-making”
• Huge potential for building community
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Using Wikis to Build Learning Communities
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Why I use Wikispaces.com?
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
http://OraDeInfo.Wikispaces.com
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Why follow the “wiki way”?• achieving knowledge in efficient
use of the Internet• developing relational and
communication competences in virtual space
• forming of specific attitudes regarding the Web 2.0 technologies (wiki, blog, RSS, social bookmarking etc.)
• developing/improving digital competences for individuals and groups
• the students can exercise their most important competence - the competence of creating content
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Why follow the “wikispaces way”?• organizing, cooperating and interpersonal
relation competences
• developing formative and informative valences for the students, critical thinking and creativity
• involving the students in taking decisions
• participating learning and learning by discovering in on-line environment
• building a learning community!
Gabriela Grosseck, 12-13 April 2007 eLSE07 Bucharest
Lessons learned
• Don’t be afraid to experiment!
• Be flexible!• Get feedback from
users!• Don’t get frustrated!• Learn how to use
this powerful content management!!
Q&A
Thank you !
Gabriela GROSSECKWest University of Timisoara
Faculty of Sociology and PsychologyDepartment of Foreign Languages
and Social Informatics4 Bd. V. Parvan, office 029
300223 Timisoara, Romaniaphone: 0040-256-592.266
fax: 0040-256-592.320email: [email protected]
blog: http://grosseck.blogspot.com
