Wikis

=Exploring Wikimedia= In Hawaiian "wiki, wiki" means quick. A wiki is browser based software that allows multiple authors to quickly create, edit and update a web site. The [|Wikimedia Foundation] has the largest wiki - [|Wikipedia]. Wikis use a creative commmons license that allows multiple authors to contribute and edit work without any copyright infringement. Critics of wikis abound! Take a look at this [|Young Composers] wiki started by a music composer and instructor and de cide on the value of wikis to education. Many mor examples of wikis in education are here.

Wiki vs Blog
A blog is typically one author's post followed by comment, after comment, after comment by visitiors. The author's posts get pushed back chronologically. User's do not edit each others comments or the original post. A Wiki is leveryone in the community working on the same Word document. All the changes are logged and a history of the changes is always avaialble. Each time a person makes a change to the document that version becomes the current document.

Students and Teachers Using Wikis
Teachers and students can use a wiki to collaborate on a group report, compile and share data on a project, and easily create a co-authored web site. Teachers can use a wiki to co-author curriculum and maintain a course web site. Teachers and students need to develop and assign roles and expectations just like one would from a group project. A code of ehtics (see example)needs to be established and firmly adehered to. That way the project will be successful.
 * Examples of wikis in education.