By Tiffany Metz and Judy Lim

What is a Wiki?A Wiki is a website that users can create.

It allows users to add, remove, and edit web pages using a web browser on the internet.

Users can “link” pages together. This enables many users to have access to edit the pages within the Wiki.

Therefore, Wikis are ideal for working in groups with multiple people on projects.

Advantages of Using a WikiUseful for Writing. Formal writing and editing can

take place after initial thoughts are written down in the Wiki.

Instantly Collaborative. It is easy to keep the group focused and enables the group to work together easily without having to constantly email information or documents back and forth to each other.

Easily Accessible. A Wiki can be accessed and used anywhere with a web connection.

Archived. It is ideal for writing and rewriting because every page revision is kept on file by Wiki.

Empowering. Wiki ideas can be transferred among group members immediately and everyone can easily share their ideas within a Wiki.

Disadvantages of Using a WikiViewable by Anyone. Wikis are open for anyone on the

internet to see, unless a user pays for their plan, and then have the ability to make the Wiki private.

Messy Without Maintenance. A Wiki must be maintained by the user(s) or ideas and prewriting pages can build up and make the use more difficult and confusing.

Terrible Content Management System. Wiki does not format grammar, spelling, or the like. This creates more work for the user, to manually edit and format their work.

Required Understanding of Technology. Users must be fairly tech-savvy in order to be able to navigate and use a Wiki.

Anyone Can Edit. Anyone that a user allows to edit their Wiki can make changes without any kind of approval, and ideas can become skewed and valuable information can be lost.

Teacher Uses of WikiEnables effortless communication between teachers

and students.Allows teachers to share lesson plans with other

teachers.Lets teachers easily share resources.Teachers can see which students are paying attention

in class.Example: A teacher can post a study guide on the class

Wiki and students are able to answer the questions on it. The Wiki enables the teacher to see who contributed to the study guide. Comments that the students make are documented by Wiki – the student’s name is posted on the page, saying that they edited it.

Student Uses of WikiWiki makes student group projects easier because

there are no e-mails back and forth between students.

Students and teachers can communicate quickly and effectively.

Students can share information with each other or take information from other students’ pages.

Wiki enables students to effortlessly start a debate on a subject.

Students can market things by posting videos and pictures on Wiki.

Editing/Linking Your Wiki:Finding the Class Website

1. Sign into Blackboard.

2. Go to ECD 313 announcements page.

3. Highlight the URL under August 27, 2009 and click “copy”.

4. Open a new tab.5. Paste the URL

into the URL bar.

Locating the Class Wiki Link1. Find “Wetzel”, and

across from that, the “ASU West ECD 313”. Across from that, click on the “Fall 09” link.

Viewing Your Wiki and the Class Wiki

1. Go to the upper right hand corner and click “log in”.

2. Type in your email address and password for PBworks.

Creating and Editing Class Wiki Page1. Go to the upper

right hand corner and click on “create a page”.

2. A box comes up asking you to name the page – name it after your innovation.

3. Edit your page by typing in “Created by” and your group members’ names.

4. Click save .5. At the top of the

page, click on the home page:“ecd313fall09wetzel”.

Linking Your Page to the Class Wiki1. Click on the edit

tab, next to view2. Find your innovation

and highlight the name of it.

3. On the right hand side of the page, you will see your innovation name in the scroll box

4. With your innovation highlighted, click on your innovation name in the scroll box.

5. Click save.6. Now your innovation

on the left is a link to the page that you created.

Editing Your Class Wiki Page

1. To edit your page, click on the link to your innovation.

2. Then click on edit next to view and you can edit your page for everyone to see.

3. When you are finished editing, remember to click “save” to save your changes.

Finding the Settings Page

1. To edit your settings, click on the upper right hand corner, where, under your email address, it says “account”.

2. At the top of the page, you will see three tabs – click the “home” tab.

3. Now you will see both the class Wiki link and the link to your Wiki page. Click on the link to your Wiki page.

4. In the upper right hand corner, just underneath your email address, click on settings.

Setting Your Settings/Finishing Your Wiki

1. To the left, you will see a settings menu with various options. This is where you can click on any of these links and change your settings. Always remember to “save” at the bottom of every screen, after making changes.

2. Lastly, remember to “sign out” of your Wiki at the top right hand corner of the page.

3. Now you know how to edit your Wiki! You can add new information to your Wiki, right away!

References“PBWORKS” - http://www.pbworks.com“What is a Wiki (and How to Use One for Your

Projects)” - http://www.oreillynet.com/lpt/a/6646“What is a Wiki” -

http://www.sitepoint.com/print/what-is-a-wiki/“Curriki, the Wiki for Teachers”

-http://www.edtechreview.net/uncategorized/curriki-the-wiki-for-teachers/

“For Teachers New to Wiki” - http://writingwiki.org/default.aspx/WritingWiki/For%20Teachers%20New%20to%20Wikis.html