Evolution of Graphic Organizers within an Academic Wiki

Andrew MoshirniaUniversity of Kansas

Road Map

I. WikisA. Collaborative WebsiteB. Advantages

II. ProblemA. Text-Only Wiki Sprawl

III. StudyIV. Findings V. Follow-Up

Wiki – Definition an “interactive website where…

webpages are editable by …users.” (Wagner & Prasarnphanich, 2007)

Example- Wikipedia.org

Contrast with Web Master

Limited number of Editors The Gate Keeper Slow Change

Changed Website

Webmaster

Client Desires User Complaints

Wiki Advantages

Collaboration Exponential Growth Constructivist’s Paradise Easy to use Organization

But Input is a Problem

As is Navigation

Wikis are Text- Based

The Wiki Learning Curve

1% of users make 50% of pages

Wikipedia Founders Worried about Turning off new contributors

Study

9 month examination of the evolution of graphics within a student-driven wiki textbook

Participants

N=21, students in 10th and 11th grades

Latin courses at suburban Public High School

Wiki-Textbook required

Navigation Menu: Month 1

• Uniform Size Items

• Spatially Organizer for Outside Links

• Standard Approach to Wiki Navigation

Navigation Menu: Month 2

• Menu Increases in Size

• Requires Scroll

• Items Uniform in Size

• Greater Number of Spatial Separators

Navigation Menu: Month 3

• Number of Links continues to Increase

• Use of Non-Links as Organizers

• Users demonstrating better use of text tools

Navigation Menu: Month 7

• Differing Size of Links

• Use of Non-Links as Organizers

• Menu cumbersome and too long

Navigation Menu: Month 8

Navigation Menu: Final

Wiki Sprawl

User Comments

The navigation tool bar “has grown too large to be of use… [it] was originally a good idea … however, the toolbar has been continually added on, until it is difficult to find the right thing.”

“When I go to the wiki I don’t understand were to go.”

Solution: Templates and Graphics Based Editing

Benefits of Graphics

Easier to Understand Templates Limit Choice – Prevent

Overload Attractive Interface Affect

Benefits of Graphics

Benefits of Graphics

Implementation: Casestudies.wikispaces.com

Implementation: Casestudies.wikispaces.com

Further Research

Graphic Organizers within Wikis (Summer 08)

Specific Time on Task (Fall 08) Wiki as alternative LMS (Spring 09)

Conclusions

Convention: Text = Flexible Actual: Text = Tyranny of Choice

User Preferences Graphic Interface

Lower the learning curve