Wikis+and+Blogs

** Blogs & Wikis for Beginners **
Blogs and Wikis are both quick and effective ways to have students communicate with you and/or each other using the Internet. Blogs usually start with one person posting a question to which others respond. Wikis can be more collaborative, with multiple people editing the same document. Wikis are often used now to construct websites because of the ease of adding multiple pages.

While both blogs and wikis are used to help students communicate and collaborate, they are different--as described above. If you have time for a fun look at blogs and wikis, view the video clip of famous politicians debating the formats. It's a great demonstration of creative video production. media type="youtube" key="AsFU3sAlPx4" height="364" width="445"

Using Blogs and Wikis in the Classroom
Take a glance through these sites to get some ideas from teaching colleagues on just how blogs and wikis can be used in the classroom. Dawn Hogue has put together a [|website] that’s a fantastic guide with links to Web 2.0 technology, including blogs and wikis, along with many other technologies. [|Summercore 2008] produced several pages of great ideas as well. Wikis and blogs have been used as homework collaboration zones, as assignment bulletin boards, as journals, as essay exams, as classroom discussion extensions, and more. They are best used for two-way or group communications but can often begin with a teacher posting notes and assignments without any student interaction.

General Considerations when Planning a Blog or Wiki
A number of factors should be considered when you begin thinking about creating your site. These include the following: After you have considered those questions, you can learn how to actually create a wiki or blog!
 * What is your academic purpose in wanting to create this site? Are these sites the best means to that end?
 * What are your expectations for student academic achievement and performance?
 * How technologically astute are your students? How much access do they have to technology? Where?
 * How will you assess student contributions?
 * Do you want the students to respond to each other or to you or both?
 * Do you want the student to collaborate or converse or both?
 * Do you need a "conduct guide" or is this covered in the school's computer use policy?
 * Do you need to get parental permission for participation?
 * Will you control the content or will you allow students to control the content? Will you review their comments first?
 * Will you create the student accounts or will you expect the students already to have their own email addresses ?
 * Will every student need to have his/her own unique login?
 * How will students identify themselves online? Initials? Fake names? First names?
 * Will you create a separate blog/wiki for each section?
 * How will you protect student identity?
 * How long will you keep the site online?
 * How will you handle violations of your conduct code?

Wikis
A CFF site gives a great overview on everything wiki. This one site can take you from the idea stage to the final product. Start with this site.
 * Why Use a Wiki?**

The two most commonly used sites to create wikis are [|pbwiki] and wikispaces. Both are free and have special educator accounts that minimize advertising and maximize security. This wiki has been made on wikispaces.

If you want specific ideas on how to use wikis, the Classrooms For the Future program has developed a list of ideas for using wikis.

This PowerPoint has a good overview of why and how a wiki could be used. I like the material after slide 31. media type="custom" key="7243061" width="240" height="240"


 * Wikis Can Have Different Purposes**
 * **Teacher Website --** no interaction; just teacher to student: post documents, Example: Avella Social Studies Teacher ; Mrs. WrightBrown's page
 * **Student Individual Portfolio Site (AKA Knowledge Building Center)**-- students use this as a hosting site storing their notes, rough drafts, reflections, teacher comments; Example: Senior Project
 * **Class Discussion Board** -- Interaction and discussion among students in one or more classes: Mrs. Duffy's class
 * **Group Project Site** -- students can collaborate in a group and create a project; Example: Mr. Lawrence's election project student work
 * **Professional Development**--Teachers teaching Teachers; Example: Librarian Conference

Plan it out before you actually create the site. Sometimes planning the wiki is the hardest part. You have to design it on paper or in your head before you actually begin. Look at the questions above. View some sample wikis. Think about what you want to do with your wiki (Begin with the end in mind).
 * Designing a Wiki**

How to actually make the wiki depends on which site you choose to host your wiki. Wikispaces has a good guide for beginners. Don't miss "Wiki Walk Through." PBwiki also provides beginner [|instructions.] Helen Mongas-rallis has created a page with very specific instructions although they are somewhat dated.

PT Teachers' Wikis Gina Cardamone Duffy's 08-09 All Quiet on the Western Front wiki -- freshmen discussed a novel with students from Hampton HS Caryn Kuhn's English 10 Honors Book Review Wiki -- sophomores post reviews of books they've read to give other students a guide to good reading
 * //More Sample Wikis//**

Other Wikis Wikispaces has put together an alphabetical list of wikis created on their site. Examine the many great examples of work done by other teachers. Another wiki provides a list of teacher created sites. Village Square list: librarians: http://librarianpatty.wikispaces.com/Front Page http://scleelibrary.wikispaces.com/Online+Book+Club Combining a blog and wiki: [|Mrs Miller's wiki,].

Been There, Done That
If you have conquered the basics, go to the next level. Find ways to improve your wiki- Getting Tricky with Wiki

Here are some other ideas for getting tricky: Add a **Tag Cloud**: @http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-include-a-tag-cloud-in-a-wikispace-page
 * Coding Tex**t: http://help.wikispaces.com/Wikitext
 * Navigation Bar Formatting**: http://help.wikispaces.com/Navigation+Bar

Passwords You can require a password for a specific page. Details are in The Tricky with Wiki site.

Blogs
Blogs work more like an online discussion board and as such are very popular with political pundits. The two most commonly used blog sites are [|Blogger] (owned by Google) and [|Edublogger]. Two guides to setting up your blog are the ones created by [|San Diego State University] and by [|Saint Mary.] The website [|SupportBlogging] is a one stop shop for information about blogs, but interestingly made on a wiki.

//**Sample Blogs**// Derry Area SD posts two [|blogs] created by students. Several PTHS teachers have blogs, some of which are completely private and therefore can't be included here. However, English teacher Mrs. Hitchens created a fine [|example]for use with her sophomores. The PTHS student newspaper, directed by Mrs. Sitler, also uses a [|blog]. Engish teacher Mrs. Kocan has structured a [|blog] on her website. Librarians use blogs to create online book discussion groups, such as this [|one] at Lindero Library and this middle school library [|blog] that has a great avatar (with sound) and a Shelfari.

** This person said it better.... **
Explanations I love-- Andrew Halter, Hampton -- Wiki about Wiki's