Dan McDowellWest Hills High School

NCSS - November 30, 2007wikiadventures.wikispaces.com

ahistoryteacher.com

CHOOSE YOUR OWN WIKI ADVENTURE Using wikis with K-12 students

(Version 2.3)

WHAT IS A WIKI?

• Easily edited web site• Edited by anyone - or at least by

members• Ability to trace history

of edits• Part of Web 2.0• Wikipedia

WHY USE WIKIS WITH STUDENTS?

• Let students edit pages online?• They already do it - blogs,

MySpace, Facebook, etc.• It is natural to them, they are

digital natives• They need to do it formally - social

interactions are much different!

WHAT THEY SAID

• Do you feel that using the Internet for this project is "natural" because of the other technologies or web sites you already use socially?

WHAT THEY SAID

• “Yes, I honestly believe that because so many of us are already on the computer a lot anyway, it helps. All I had to do is just take a break from talking to people and write up the pages and link them. I didn't have to go get my backpack or anything.”

WHAT THEY SAID

• “… this is obviously more formal than just typing up a myspace blog or something. maINly beCAUse MY TYPING DoesN"T look likE 6thiS.”

WIKI TOOLS

• Tools not defining - projects can be done on any of these!

• Free/Hosted Solutions - Wikispaces, PBWiki

• Self Installed - MediaWiki, TikiWiki

• Moodle!

LOGISTICS

• Open vs. closed systems• Need to regulate, keep students in

check• Individual or group login• Vandalism, spam, etc.• District network policies

LOGISTICS

WIKI EDITING 101

• A two-page job aid and 10 minutes of instruction. That’s it.

DESIGN PATTERNS

• Bernie Dodge, SDSU Professor• Similar to WebQuest Design

Patterns• Broader Patterns - Wikis as:

– Publishing Tool– Collaborative Project– Branching Simulation

PUBLICATION TOOL

• Students can easily publish their work

• Create collections of student work• Online/electronic/digital portfolios

WORLD WAR I POETRY

COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS

• AP World History Review• Created list of essential review questions• Assigned topics across all four classes• Groups researched single question,

posted response - everyone contributed• Groups validated at least two other

articles• AP World History Review Wiki Project

BRANCHING SIMULATION

• Holocaust Wiki Project• Essentially a WebQuest• Content depth vs. standards• Sensitive topic• Skill focus => Decision Making• Complex requirements

HOLOCAUST PROJECT PROCESS

1. Develop a family from assigned region

2. Research country, stages of the Holocaust

HOLOCAUST PROJECT PROCESS

3. Create Progression of Events Chart - Map of Branching Simulation

HOLOCAUST PROJECT PROCESS

HOLOCAUST PROJECT PROCESS

HOLOCAUST PROJECT PROCESS

4. Write the narrative

HOLOCAUST PROJECT PROCESS

5. Place in wiki, edit, add images

WIKI PROJECT CONSIDERATIONS

• Project Complexity / Time• Historical Accuracy• Decisions vs. Results• Using the Wiki

MAKE YOUR OWN WIKI ADVENTURES

• http://wikiadventures.wikispaces.com

• Developed to help teachers• Guides to help you integrate these

project wikis into your own classroom

• Want to collaborate? Just request to join the space!

CHOOSE YOUR OWN WIKI ADVENTURE

Dan McDowell, West Hills High School

Thank you for your time.

Presentation, links, and handouts at:

wikiadventures.wikispaces.com

Thanks to my students for their hard work and willingness to try new things (not that they had a choice)