Wikispaces

OK so for week three we are learning about 'tools' we can have that are web 2.0 based. That is programs, websites and possibly apps that are defined as web 2.0 as the content is able to be added to, changed or manipulated in some way by the people who visit the site. Overall control of the pages though does come back to the original creator of the pages.

One such 'tool' that we have already begun is this blog which so far I think I have done okay with. There are many things yet I want to try like; video posts and such and will get around to them as soon as I can. That way I can say I have at least given the full blog experience a go.

The second 'tool' for this week was to create and maintain a Wikispace. Mine can be accessed at:
https://amys-managing-e-learning.wikispaces.com/
Please feel free to browse it and please leave some comments or add to the pages.

I have also done a SWOT analysis on Wikispaces in learning and the link to that is:
http://www.wikiswot.com/SWOT/4_User_Generated/Amy_s_Managing_E_Learning_Pote.html
Please feel free to add to it also. I will be added more to it and the SWOT on blogs in learning as I go and think of more things. I also used a Wikispaces site to do the SWOT analysis so I could have a bit more experience in using these types of sites. It was an easy to use and follow site that was a great resource to keep in mind whenever I need to complete a task such as that.

So far my exposure to Wikis had only been the task for week two in contributing to the class Wiki on mobile phone use in classroom as a learning tool using the De Bono's thinking hats to scaffold our thinking and answers. Now I have also created my own Wiki.

I can see the advantages to using a Wiki in a classroom, in the fact that as with our class task in enabled many people to provide their thoughts, ideas, concepts and knowledge on the questions asked in a way that allowed everyone a say. It also let there be debate on the answers and gave confidence to answer the questions  for people who find it had in classroom where everyone would look at you.
Wikispaces could be used in many ways like the blog could be that I have already posted about. Such us:

• Making a wiki that allows students to record information and continually add to and improve what is there.
• It makes collaborative learning an easy task to set up.
• It allows the teacher to use scaffolding to keep students on track but gives them the freedom to answer in different ways, like; text, pictures, videos and web links.
• It  can be accessed by students when not at school giving spur of the moment ideas a place to go.
• It can be used with other schools or classes around the world or in the same school to collaborative on learning.

There are many more ways it can be used and again I am finding myself saying that really the only limit is the teachers imagination in the ways it could be used. It could also be a great way to involve the students in a task by asking them ways in which it could be used in the subject and allowing to contribute to how they want to learn.
A great video from our course material page was this video which explains in a fun and quick way the benefit of using a Wiki to collaborate with other people on a task.


That is all for now but please check out my Wikispace and add some info or just comment if you want I would love some feedback.
Thanks
Amy