Teaching Innovations on Wikis: Practices and Perspectives of Elementary School Teachers

Chun-Yi LinIndiana University. cl17@indiana.eduLena LeeMiami University, Oxford, OH. LEEL@muohio.eduCurt BonkIndiana University. cjbonk@indiana.edu

Ed-Media 2009, Honolulu, HI

The Age of the WikiEveryone has been to Wikipedia and millions use it.

Wiki use exploding in educational, business, and informal learning settings.

Minimal research; especially in K-12 education.

Pre-Kindergarten Wikis Pre-Kindergarten Wikis in Ohioin Ohio

Kindergarten class wiki Kindergarten class wiki (view homework, calendars, student work, videos, plan (view homework, calendars, student work, videos, plan

parties, ask q’s); parties, ask q’s); http://mrstaylorkinder.pbworks.com/http://mrstaylorkinder.pbworks.com/

2nd Grade Wikis for Monster Writing

(student collaboration)

Webster: 2Webster: 2ndnd & 3 & 3rdrd grade class grade class wiki (global sharing); wiki (global sharing);

http://mswebster.wikispaces.com/http://mswebster.wikispaces.com/

Littlewood 5Littlewood 5thth grade wiki: grade wiki: Pictures taken of plants in Pictures taken of plants in

environmental center; environmental center; http://littlewoodnatureguide.wetpaint.com/http://littlewoodnatureguide.wetpaint.com/

Wikis for Teachers to ShareWikis for Teachers to Share

Wikis for Children Writing and Wikis for Children Writing and Reading Continuous StoriesReading Continuous Stories

Research QuestionsGoal: to investigate how wikis

are integrated in k-6 classrooms1. What are the teachers’

motivations to create class wikis? What are their teaching goals by integrating wikis in teaching? What are their personal beliefs behind their teaching innovation?

2. In the class wikis, how do teachers, students, and parents contribute to wikis?

Study Participants

Recruiting participants: (1) identified class wiki owners 115 existing wikis from Wikispaces, Pbwiki, and Wetpaint. (Criteria: created by or for k-6th classes)(2) Requested well known K-12

educators to invite more potential participants

108 total survey responses (response rate undeterminable)

Participants Participants

teachers

Technology coordinators

OthersTechnology facilitator, Instructional technologist,Technology teacher,Technology staff developmentfacilitator

librarians

administrator

What’s your title/ occupation?

Participants Participants What grade level do you teach or work with?

1st grade kindergartenpreschool

Others: multiage k-5, k-8, preschool-5

6th grade

5th grade

4th grade3rd grade

2nd grade

ParticipantsParticipants

6M-1Y4-6 M

1-2 Y

1-3 M

More than 2YLess than 1M

How long have you been using wikis for educational purposes?

MethodologyMethodology• Survey

• Multiple choice items• Open ended items

Goals and Motivations

Target audienceInstructional goalslearning areas and approaches promoted

Motivations

Target audienceTarget audienceWho is the target audience (or major participants) of the wiki?

Students

ParentsColleagues & teacher communities

Others

Primary audience

StudentsParents

Colleagues & teacher communitiesGeneral Public

Administrators

Others

Secondary audience

Instructional goals

children’s

What are your primary instructional goals when using wikis in the classroom? Check all that apply.

(Next slide)

Instructional goals (continued.)

Others: Integration of 21st century skills and

learning; To teach students to be effective producers of media; lifelong learners (10 responses)

To give parents insights into our daily learning ; to promote home-school links (9 responses)

To collaborate and discuss(4 responses) Reading/ writing; classroom news(2

responses)

What are your primary instructional goals when using wikis in the classroom?

Learning areas promoted

Best promote 2nd best promote 3rd best promote

Which of the following learning areas do wiki promote?

Learning approaches Learning approaches promotedpromoted

Best promote 2nd best promote 3rd best promote

Which of the following learning approaches do wiki support?

MotivationsMotivations What were your initial goals or motivations for creating or participating in the class wiki? Check all apply.

MotivationsMotivations

I am motivates by having an easy way for students to collaborate and create works in an online fashion. I am able to easily monitor what they are doing and others are able to view and leave feedback.

The parents find the wiki very helpful for knowing what is going on in the classroom. We use it on a daily basis

Wikis have been successful with kids. Wikis are easy to use for kids, simple interfaces.

What motivates you now to continue the efforts?

MotivationsMotivations

The wikis help students stay organized in research and feel as if there is a wider audience for their thinking and their work..

I enjoy using the Wiki, because it is an easy way to have a classroom website, web-based projects and eprofolios. The students enjoy seeing their work online.

What motivates you now to continue the efforts?

Motivations Motivations (cont.)(cont.)

The interactive nature of the wiki and blogs are conducive to constructivist learning and uses technology in a way that is multi-purpose.

The students have responded very well and I want to keep them interested. With a constantly changing world via Web 2.0, it's important they know and understand the basics of all technology so they are not left behind.

What motivates you now to continue the efforts?

Contributions of Teachers, Students, and Parents

Participants’ rolesStudents’ contribution (when, how, and what)

Parents’ contributions

Major Role in the WikiMajor Role in the WikiWhat is your major role in the wiki?

Con

tent

pro

vide

r

Edi

tor

or m

anag

er

Gui

de o

r fa

cilit

ator

Hos

t

One

of t

he le

arne

rs

Oth

er

Students’ contributionStudents’ contributionDo your students contribute to the class wiki?

yes no

If your students contribute to class wikis, when do they usually contribute?

yes

Mostly during classDuring class and other time at school

Mostly after class

Both at school & at homeStudents do not contribute

Other

Students’ contribution continued…

If your students participate in the class wiki, how do they contribute?

Read

Comment

Add content on wiki pages

Edit content (add and delete)

Create new pages

Organize docs/ folders

Do not participate

Other

Parents’ contributionParents’ contributionHow do parents participate in the class wiki? Please check all that apply?

Read

Comment or post feedback

Add content

Edit (add and delete)

Organize docs/ folders

Do not participate

Other

FindingsChallengesPerceived benefitsBeliefs

Challenges Challenges EncounteredEncounteredWhat difficulties have you encountered in using wikis? Check all that apply.

Inappropriate to children’s developmental level

Insufficient computing facilities

Lack of administrative support

Lack of student familiarity with wikis

Lack of teacher learning

Lack of time to maintain

Most of the generated content is not useful

Not sustainable use of wikis (e.g., lasting only one year, existing for only one project or/and event, etc.)

Parental complaintsTechnology itself is frustrating and difficult

Other

Others: no problems( n=5); laws about posting student work without permission; embedded tools are blocked at school; students don’t have access at home; only one person can edit a page at a time; lack of computer time

From open-ended questions: * No or not much computer access at home and school* Age 13 to be member in the wiki while a teacher teaches 10-11 year olds* No personnel to monitor posts which may have inappropriate contents

Supports ReceivedHow do you overcome the challenges? Check all that apply.

Ask a principal for help

Buy books/ go to conferences

Communicate with parents

Give more instruction to students

Receive training

Search solution online

Talk to colleagues

Write to wiki company

Give up

Other

*“Other” includes: Figure it out myself (n=5); write grants (n=3); talk to tech services (n=2); ask Students to help solve inquires; Twitter, Skype, blog with colleagues worldwide; beg other teachers for their computer time

Benefits to ChildrenWhat are the benefits of using wikis with young children? Check all that apply.

Encourage them to be familiar with technology

Fosters collaboration and sharing

Help them become producers of content (ownership and leadership of their learning)

Provide more learning motivation and fun to children

Show their personal growth over time

Their parents learn more about what happens in school

Other

From open-ended questions:* Children are very proud of their work in the wikis!* They work almost SILENTLY!* The wiki helps them develop a new kind of literacy.

Benefits to TeachingBenefits to TeachingWhat are the benefits of wikis for your teaching? Check all that apply

Encourage students to be familiar with tech

Encourage students to interact with the other schools’ students

Encourage students to share their learning

Personal action research so that I can improve my teaching or share the results with others

Provide more learning motivation and fun to children

Share ideas with other teachers

Share knowledge that I find with my students

Other

From open-ended questions: * It revolutionalizes the way of teaching: "I will never go back!"

More Teacher BeliefsMore Teacher Beliefs

Yes 100 95.24%

No 5 4.76%

Yes 101 96.19%

No 4 3.81%

Yes 102 97.14%

No 3 2.86%

Teachers can offer global educational opportunities with wikis that were not previously possible.

Teachers can offer cooperative learning activities with wikis that were not previously possible.

I feel that my use of wikis has contributed to my professional growth as a teacher.

From open-ended questions: * It revolutionalizes the way of teaching: "I will never go back!"

Still More BeliefsStill More Beliefs

Yes 26 25.00%

No 78 75.00%

Yes 83 78.30%

No 23 21.70%

Yes 93 88.57%

No 12 11.43%

Wikis offer just more of the same old boring, drill and practice type of curriculum.

Do Wikis represent a learning revolution in the education of young children?

If you want to improve school retention and motivation, are wikis part of the solution?

Still To Do…Respondent interviews.Survey data analysis comparing k-3 and 4-6th graders.

General data analysis.Other…

QuestionsQuestions

Note: We have posted many wiki papers to the Wiki-RIKI site:

http://wiki-riki.wikispaces.com/