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Martha Meloy

Internet Integration Research


Summer 2009
The World of Wikis

The World of Wikis

The power of using one of the new Web 2.0 tools, the wiki, is profoundly useful

in education, business and for personal use. There are many opportunities to collaborate,

create, analyze, synthesize, and share ideas through this new Internet tool. Today’s

Internet, known as Web 2.0, is not simply used for reading stagnant web pages, where

audience members are passive onlookers but it’s changing to an interactive environment

that allows users to become active participants who are immersed and absorbed in the

material presented to them (Park, 2007). Wikis facilitate this desired active participation,

which develops many higher-level thinking abilities in students and their contributors. It

is also noted that the Internet is the biggest revolution in information since the

development of the printing press in 1440, which has enabled a plethora of information to

be freely available to people (Badke, 2009). The nature of the availability of information

and the lack of time restraints allows users to continue conversations, collaborations, and

sharing of ideas at any time of day. It also provides an opportunity for students or users to

further investigate topics that interest them (Imperatore, 2009). Using a wiki allows users

to contribute to these topics of interest resulting in the student or user becoming part of a

community of practice. These communities of practice enable members to create viable

knowledge synthesis from the information given and allows them to participate with

others reaching a common goal of knowledge creation for others to learn from and

respond to (Wheeler, Yeomans, & Wheeler, 2008).


What exactly is a wiki? “A wiki is a collection of webpages whose content is

typically organized around a specific purpose or topic” (Knobel & Lankshear, 2009, p.

631). The pages of a wiki can contain text, images, tables, videos or hyperlinks. The

content in a specific wiki can be collaboratively authored by many users and edited at any

moment by a single user to create new and updated content. Consumers of the Internet

become creators on the web when using a Wiki (Lamb &Johnson, 2009). The pages in a

wiki are connected with hyperlinks to external pages on the web or, internally, within the

wiki itself. It is this connectivity or webbing to other pages that allow users to maximize

their learning potential by not only collaborating and creating for an individual site but

having the ability to connect to other places on the web, thus encompassing many

avenues to gain information. Wikis can be set up for private use, protected use or public

use to meet the needs of the facilitator. For example a teacher may choose set up a

classroom wiki using private use to protect the privacy of his or her students on the web

(Morgan & Smith, 2008). Members or observers of the wiki can monitor changes to the

wiki. Users can simply use the history options to see previous pages on the wiki and

compare the previous pages with the current page (Lamb &Johnson, 2009, p. 48). Thus

eliminating the user’s fear of making mistakes on the page or more importantly being

able to easily remove unwanted or irrelevant information on the wiki, especially within

the classroom setting.

Wikis are an educational asset to any classroom in that they offer an abundance of

educational advantages to the students who use them. One of the greatest advantages of

using a wiki in the classroom is to give the writer a sense of purpose when writing.

“Students feel a grater sense of ownership and pay greater attention to detail when their
works are published online” (Imperator, 2009, p. 30). Smith (2008) used a wiki for

classroom writing and several benefits were noted. By tracking the changes made to the

writings students could see how “the writing process became emphasized and revision

consisted of a continual process of slight collaborative modifications” (Morgan & Smith,

2008, p. 81). It was witnessing these revision processes and engaging with the text as

readers and writers that fostered an environment where immediate feedback and

collaboration occurred simultaneously to create an effective audience, purpose for

writing, as well as a defined structure for the writing (Morgan & Smith, 2008, p. 81).

Smith (2008) also observed how ideas were not set in stone before posting on the wiki.

Sometimes brainstorming ideas or preplanning stages were posted to the wiki and it was

the collaborative feedback that helped the simple ideas or thoughts blossom efficiently

(Morgan & Smith, 2008). Lambert and Johnson (2009) conclude wikis have shown an

increase in exploration as users “assimilate new information and draw inferences. This

leads to reflection and additional questions. This recursive process leads to increasingly

complex questions, more in-depth analysis, and deeper understanding” (Lamb &

Johnosn, 2009, p. 50). Wikis and their collaborative abilities establish the idea that

“combined knowledge of the group, also known as the wisdom of the masses, is assumed

to be greater than that of the individual” (Wheeler, Yeomans, & Wheeler, 2008, p. 989).

When using the wiki in an educational setting the potential benefits are great and

extensive.

I had frequented Wilkipeia for information many times before taking this class.

However, it was this class that actually enticed me to explore the wiki further. I knew a

wiki was a place where one could update information on a certain subject if desired but I
had no notion of the number of wikis that existed on the web or the actual benefits of

them. The first time I had posted on a wiki was for this class. At first I was very scared of

someone seeing me make a mistake and it made me nervous. To figure something out

that was somewhat unknown to me in front of others made me feel unsure about my

supposedly “tech savvy” abilities, which after this class, I now know were in great need

of an update. I found many wikis informative but I chose to dive into The Thousand and

One Flat World Tales Project, where young people write stories and provide feedback to

one another. There were many tabs and pages within the site that gave information about

the site, pages where you could see the responses of the students to each other and it was

so refreshing to see authentic learning taking place within a community of young writers.

As a teacher, to see true collaboration with a willingness to help each other among young

people was beyond wonderful. On the site are areas to subscribe to feeds for recent

updates using RSS software and an area that was protected that did not allow me to

search through. I also investigated many other wikis online and found that they are very

useful for collaboration with teachers, students, and even between the two. While trying

to find information on fall classes on the Georgia Southern webiste, I noticed a place that

listed the titles of the books used for the fall classes. When I clicked on the link it brought

me to a wiki. It was one of the great uses of the wiki. All of the professors in the

department could update their booklists, as they become available. There is no getting

individual book information to the one person who posts a stagnant page but it’s an ever-

changing document that can be adapted and updated as needed. The benefits of using a

wiki in education and as well as for personal use are very apparent to me.
Wikis develop a community of learners and it serves as a storehouse of

knowledge created and enhanced by students or other users of the site. Higher-level

thinking skills and socially rich activities are a few of the experiences that come from

student centered learning and the use of the wiki (Wheeler, Yeomans, & Wheeler, 2008).

It is also noted that some students will not contribute as much as others in a wiki

environment but studies have shown that learning can take place from reading the

dialogue posted on the wiki known as lurking (Wheeler, Yeomans, & Wheeler, 2008).

The simple act of reading the posts on the wikis develop stronger reading and writing

skills (Imperatore, 2009). Some of the social aspects of the wiki include the use of

tagging sites using software such as Delicious. The social tagging that occurs are

cohesive with the wiki topic and allows users to alert others to locations of information

and it’s quality, which replaces the traditional means of hierarchy. This social tagging is

reflective of the group, known as folksonomy, which provides a more fluid and accurate

representation of the group. (Wheeler, Yeomans, & Wheeler, 2008). Some students who

don’t always speak up in class may be more adept to speak up on the Internet (Imperator,

2009). It should also be noted that sometimes the novelty of a wiki could dissipate, so the

types of questions posted should facilitate discussion. Open-ended essential questions are

effective to get responses if discussion is desired. By partaking in such vast areas of

knowledge and the potential social communities students can get involved with, student’s

abilities to grow academically and socially are clear.

Along with the benefits of using wikis in education, there are a few limitations

associated with using a wiki. Since it is led by a collaboration of entries it is important to

highlight is the issue of accuracy. “The sheer audacity of creating an information resource
of this scope, essentially controlled by no one and everyone, is mind boggling” (Badke,

2009, p. 54). This statement sums up one of the big concerns for obtaining information on

wikis and some of the sites available to young readers. “Students need to lean to navigate

the sea of information that surrounds them” (Badke, 2009, p. 55). Badke (2009) suggests

that students be taught information literacy when seeking information on the web and

suggests that using the CARS checklist (Credibility, Accuracy, Reasonableness, Support)

will ensure that they understand how to evaluate the vast amount of information

presented to them (Badke, 2009). Another concern with the wiki is the issue of ownership

and intellectual property (Wheeler, Yeomans, & Wheeler, 2008). Students are happy to

post their ideas but they feel they should have credit for their work and they can get upset

if their work is altered or deleted by others (Wheeler, Yeomans, & Wheeler, 2008). Due

to the fact that wikis are free software there are a few technical issues with posting data.

Postings can get lost or deleted if two people are posting at the same time. (Wheeler,

Yeomans, & Wheeler, 2008). There are a few impasses to overcome with wikis but the

overall positive benefits out weigh any negative dilemmas.

The vast opportunities that wikis offer to users on the Internet are amazing. Our

world is changing and technology is changing right along with it. The World Wide Web

is no longer a stagnant place for onlookers to view but an interactive place where users

are active participants with the new technologies (Park, 2007). Students will become

better critical thinkers who can contribute, collaborate, take criticism and revise ideas

appropriately. The amount of higher level thinking that occurs when students not only

read information but synthesize the information and have a desire to contribute to it all

have profound effects on the thinking process. If we can use wikis in education on a more
regular basis, with appropriate funding for more computers in the classrooms, schools

will become borderless. Not only will students be able to communicate with students in

another school in the same county, they can communicate and collaborate with students

in other countries. Professionals can be summoned for input and advice on different

topics and issues for all to see as well as the sheer value of working together can not be

underestimated. It is vital that we grab this opportunity to get our students ready to

partake in this great advancement of technology. If not, we are doing them a disservice

by not making them literate in the technologies offered. Grab hold to the “world of wikis”

and see how global your students can become. Isn’t that what we want as educators? For

our students to be the best they can be and achieve leaps and bounds. How can we expect

this greatness, if we deny them the opportunity to collaborate, create, synthesize, realize,

contribute and analyze information on a global level through the use of the World Wide

Web and the wonderful wiki? ☺


Reference List

Badke, W. (2009). Stepping beyond Wikipedia. Educational Leadership, 66 (6), 54-58.

Imperatore, C. (2009). Wikis and blogs: your keys to student collaboration &

engagement. Techniques: Connecting Education & Careers, 84 (3), 30-31.

Knobel, M. & Lankshear, C. (2009). Wikis, digital literacies, and professional growth.

Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52 (7), 631-634.

Lamb, A. & Johnson, L. (2009). Wikis and collaborative inquiry. School Library Media

Activities Monthly, 25 (8), 48-51.

Morgan, B. & Smith, R. D. (2008). A wiki for classroom writing. Reading Teacher, 62

(1), 80-82.

Park, J.Y. (2007). Empowering the user as the new media participant. Digital Creativity,

18 (3), 175-186.

Wheeler, S., Yeomans, P. & Wheeler, D. (2008). The good, the bad and the wiki:

evaluating student – generated content for collaborative learning. British Journal

of Educational Technology, 39 (6), 987-995.

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