A few years ago nobody had heard of a wiki, or if they did chances were that they were teachers who used the plastic colored wiki sticks to highlight words in student reading. Now almost everybody not only knows about wikis, but also uses them to find quick information through services such as Wikipedia. In technology terms a wiki is simply a document that is posted on the Internet that anyone, anywhere, at any time can not only access, but alter as well. It is the ultimate collaboration tool available.
As a digital immigrant I believed that there was only one use for a wiki and that was simply Wikipedia and that it did not have much to offer me in the elementary classroom. I have since than been proven wrong. As I checked around in my district I found multiple ways in which wikis were being used to enhance student learning and collaboration. Most of the projects / ideas listed used Moodle as the source for the wiki.
Ideas for Wiki Use:
• class story
• group editing skills check
• poems with peer responses
• daily or weekly class journaling
• group research project
I found it most helpful to talk to teachers and to find how they were using wikis if at all. I was surprised by their enthusiasm and the options available in the classroom setting. My favorite ideas for wiki use in the classroom are the poem / response and the group research project. When I use wiki in my classroom it will be through Moodle as it offers key requirements: controlled and restricted access, very important when working with children, and it is free.