Wikis
There are many new and innovative ideas floating around the internet. The list goes on and on with little chance of slowing down any time soon. Wikis are one of these new ideas. The wiki came into existence in the mid-1990s. The main use of the wiki is to allow multiple people to collaborate in a common space without the need to meet face to face to accomplish a common goal. When using a wiki the group must understand that all material posted is accessible to anyone who has been granted access. The wiki is most appropriate for any material that does not need to be protected from editing which has not approved by the contributing members.
As you begin to think about the possible uses of a wiki you might be surprised to find that they can be used in all disciplines and areas. There are no limits on the ways in which this tool can be used. When considering use of a wiki in the Media Center of a school the collaboration between teachers and students offers great opportunities. It offers an innovative venue for sharing news updates as they happen in the Media Center and around the school. It allows students to make responses to the latest posts and correction any material previously submitted . Students can post reviews of books which they have read and feel might be interesting to other students.
While there are any positive uses for a wiki you must keep in mind that there is a possibility for spam and inappropriate language to be posted. There must be provisions in place to check for these violations on a regular basis. The teacher will find that the wiki can serve as a good form of communication ,satisfying one of the requirements for teacher evaluations. The availability of lesson plans which correlate to books found in the media center can also prove to be an effective caviat to getting teachers to use the wiki. When there is greater teacher buy in there will be more use of the wiki. There will be more reviews of books and lessons along with suggestions of other books that can be added to cover certain standards.
With the introduction of using a wiki to the teachers and the students in the media center the school environment will begin to change. Students will begin to feel more comfortable using the Internet and its various tools. They will begin to raise their expectations to match the availability and possibilities of the Internet. Project-based learning will begin to be used more in the classroom and assignments turned in electronically will begin to increase.
Wiki spaces have a definite place in the Media Center. As we move into a new era of education we must give the wiki some serious consideration in our Media Center programs.
Well,I am a little embarrassed to admit, I had not thought of a Wiki in the media center, but once I started reading this article, I frantically started jotting ideas to create a Wiki for my library. I love the idea of using a Wiki for book reviews. Why had I not thought of that?! Also, adding lessons related to books for teachers would get them started using and hopefully adding to the Wiki. I most definitely will have a section for suggestions on books to purchase. I am always having students jot down little notes with book titles but sticking those in a folder is not the best way to keep up with those ideas. The idea that students become more comfortable and interested in ideas presented and that they can respond to electronically is definitely a reason to use Wiki.
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