In a Year 3 class Wikispaces. What is this Wiki thing anyway? Wikispaces defines their site as a place that “lets you create simple web pages that groups,

In a Year 3 classIn a Year 3 class

WikispacWikispaceses

What is this Wiki thing What is this Wiki thing anyway?anyway?

Wikispaces defines their site as a place that “lets you Wikispaces defines their site as a place that “lets you create simple web pages that groups, friends and create simple web pages that groups, friends and families can edit together.”families can edit together.”

Wikipedia defines wikis as “a collection of web pages Wikipedia defines wikis as “a collection of web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content… Wikis are often used contribute or modify content… Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites and to power to create collaborative websites and to power community websites.” 09/08/08community websites.” 09/08/08

Why have I dated this quote? Because Wikipedia is a wiki, and anyone can change this definition at any time! Imagine the possibilities…

Using Wikispaces in Senior Using Wikispaces in Senior ClassroomsClassrooms

Using Wikispaces in Senior Using Wikispaces in Senior ClassroomsClassrooms

So… what So… what does a wiki does a wiki look like?look like?

This…This…

……and and this…this…





……and and this!this!

So you can see, a wiki can look however you like. It’s just a website, but one that anyone you CHOOSE can go in and change.

Why use these in your Why use these in your class?class?Wikis can be used to display children’s work for Wikis can be used to display children’s work for

parents and the world to see!parents and the world to see!

They can be used to display topic learning, because They can be used to display topic learning, because you have the ability to insert all sorts of things, you have the ability to insert all sorts of things, including images, videos, sound clips and much including images, videos, sound clips and much more into your wiki.more into your wiki.

Children can have one place to go to find Children can have one place to go to find information – information that YOU have already information – information that YOU have already decided is appropriate. Much safer than using decided is appropriate. Much safer than using Google to do research.Google to do research.

You can create an online learning centre, and even You can create an online learning centre, and even make it interactive. Children can do their work make it interactive. Children can do their work straight onto the website!straight onto the website!

Wikis and MathWikis and MathYou can create a math learning centre by making links to You can create a math learning centre by making links to relevant math sites on the Internet. You can also link to relevant math sites on the Internet. You can also link to downloadable worksheets.downloadable worksheets.

Wikis and LiteracyWikis and LiteracyThe same thing applies to your literacy program. There are so The same thing applies to your literacy program. There are so many good websites out there, and a wiki is just a great way many good websites out there, and a wiki is just a great way of getting them all in one place!of getting them all in one place!

Wikis and Home Wikis and Home LearningLearningNo excuse for children (whose parents have computers at No excuse for children (whose parents have computers at

home) to not know what they’re doing for homework! home) to not know what they’re doing for homework! Keeping parents informed.Keeping parents informed.

The discussion tool also allows the parents (or students) to The discussion tool also allows the parents (or students) to ask about anything that is unclear.ask about anything that is unclear.

You can upload documents straight into your wiki You can upload documents straight into your wiki page, like homework sheets, work sheets or page, like homework sheets, work sheets or published children’s work. These can then be published children’s work. These can then be accessed from home!accessed from home!

Just Just click!click!

Wikis and Home Wikis and Home LearningLearningChildren can upload their works in progress, then access Children can upload their works in progress, then access

them at home to finish them.them at home to finish them.

And it’s so easy to use! Just like any word editing And it’s so easy to use! Just like any word editing program, you have a WYSIWYG (What You See Is program, you have a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor…What You Get) editor…

Click on “Edit Click on “Edit this Page” and this Page” and you get this…you get this…

ItalicsItalics Font Font colourcolour

BoldBold

UnderlinUnderlinee

Adding Adding linkslinks

Adding Adding picturespictures

Adding other cool Adding other cool widgetswidgets

Publishing opportunitiesPublishing opportunitiesBecause you are putting things on a website, there are many Because you are putting things on a website, there are many opportunities for publishing work in different media. This is a widget opportunities for publishing work in different media. This is a widget from a website that makes everything look like it’s written in a from a website that makes everything look like it’s written in a newspaper. It can then be easily embedded into the wiki.newspaper. It can then be easily embedded into the wiki.

Publishing opportunitiesPublishing opportunitiesVideos that children Videos that children have made, or videos have made, or videos you have found on the you have found on the Internet, can all be put Internet, can all be put onto your wiki.onto your wiki.

Children can then easily Children can then easily find these to watch them find these to watch them again, or to share them again, or to share them with their family!with their family!

How is the Wiki being used How is the Wiki being used to support learning in to support learning in

Room 12?Room 12?

I have a I have a blog. Is the blog. Is the

wiki a wiki a replacemereplaceme

nt?nt?

It depends on what you want to do.It depends on what you want to do.

A wiki can be used like a blog, like so…A wiki can be used like a blog, like so…

Or you can import blog entries from your blog (or Or you can import blog entries from your blog (or any blog!) straight into your wiki, merging the two.any blog!) straight into your wiki, merging the two.

Or they can be kept completely separate. That is Or they can be kept completely separate. That is what I do for now. My blog is for the kids to just what I do for now. My blog is for the kids to just write in. They don’t have to worry about formatting write in. They don’t have to worry about formatting anything. The wiki is for sharing of topic work, anything. The wiki is for sharing of topic work, though we do have some PUBLISHED writing though we do have some PUBLISHED writing sharing in there, too.sharing in there, too.

BlogBlog

WikiWiki

PMIPMIWikispacesWikispaces

• You can You can make make pages for pages for each each different different thingthing

• Lots of Lots of people can people can edit and edit and contributecontribute

• It’s non-It’s non-linearlinear

• Slightly Slightly more more complicatecomplicated to use d to use than a blogthan a blog

• If you have If you have the ability the ability to edit, to edit, you have you have the ability the ability to deleteto delete

• Widgets Widgets and ad-ons and ad-ons can be used can be used in bothin both

• It’s similar It’s similar to using to using Microsoft Microsoft WordWord

• Pages can Pages can be locked be locked or unlockedor unlocked

Setting up a WikiSetting up a Wiki

So then, once you’ve figured out why So then, once you’ve figured out why you want a wiki and what purpose you want a wiki and what purpose your wiki is going to serve…your wiki is going to serve…

How on EARTH do you go about How on EARTH do you go about setting one up?setting one up?

(It’s a bit of a process…)(It’s a bit of a process…)


Join Wikispaces and create a space.Join Wikispaces and create a space.

(This bit is really easy.)(This bit is really easy.)

Just go to Just go to www.wikispaces.com and fill in and fill in these bits these bits here!here!

http://www.wikispaces.com/

http://www.wikispaces.com/


Once you’ve chosen a name for your Once you’ve chosen a name for your wikispace, it’s time to start putting it wikispace, it’s time to start putting it all together.all together.At first, your At first, your wiki will be wiki will be pretty boring pretty boring looking.looking.

To jazz it up To jazz it up just click here.just click here.(This box is in the top left hand corner of (This box is in the top left hand corner of your page.)your page.)

Setting up a WikiSetting up a WikiThis is where This is where you can set the you can set the colours for your colours for your space.space.

Click on Click on Look Look and Feeland Feel to set to set your your background, background, your text, your text, colours, upload colours, upload a space “logo” a space “logo” etc.etc.


Cool, your wikispace has now been Cool, your wikispace has now been created! The next thing to do is to created! The next thing to do is to create pages within your wikispace.create pages within your wikispace.Think about what you Think about what you want each page to be want each page to be for…for…

•MathMath

•LiteracyLiteracy

•TopicTopic

• BlogBlog

•GalleryGalleryTo make a new page, just click on To make a new page, just click on New New PagePage..


So now you’ve made a page!So now you’ve made a page!

Now is the fun bit.Now is the fun bit.

Editing your page so that all the ‘stuff’ Editing your page so that all the ‘stuff’ you want is on there.you want is on there.

It might be examples of work, or links It might be examples of work, or links to cool websites or learning activities. to cool websites or learning activities. You can even put images and videos You can even put images and videos on your wikispace, too.on your wikispace, too.

The possibilities are limitless.The possibilities are limitless.

Class or Team?Class or Team?Because wikis Because wikis are are COLLABORATIVE COLLABORATIVE websites, you websites, you don’t have to don’t have to embark on this embark on this adventure alone adventure alone if you don’t if you don’t want to. Wikis want to. Wikis are perfect for a are perfect for a TEAM to use!TEAM to use!

Documents

In a Year 3 class Wikispaces. What is this Wiki thing anyway? Wikispaces defines their site as a place that “lets you create simple web pages that groups,