Last Thursday morning our class was beginning the day with circle time, and I mentioned to the students that I’d had pancakes with applesauce after school the day before. In response to my brief remark about applesauce, a first grade boy in our class noted, “I know how to make applesauce, because my sister knows how.” That boy’s comment stayed with me all day long, and I was impressed with how much the visage and the machinations of our society are really beginning to reflect the intuitive nature of natural human psyche as we develop collective consciousness and knowledge based on the contributions of everyone within our six degrees of separation. Teaching in a small, rural K-12 school pretty much necessitates that teachers remain flexible in their teaching assignments, and I typically teach math, language arts, and science in the configuration of K/1 in the mornings, and high school in the afternoons. My high school students enjoy our classes together, and I get a lot of positive feedback because I am really a kindergarten teacher in my approach to education, and the social constructivist nature of my high school classes involves the students to develop their auditory, visual, and kinesthetic representational systems in each lesson we have together. Essentially, our high school classes are organized and structured like kindergarten classes with enhanced high school knowledge content. I wish that all classes in our school were taught like kindergarten classes, and students would always reflect the positive comment of the grade one boy who claims a certain liberty of restricted evidential knowledge based on his reliance on a social network as being representative of his own consciousness. Today, as a I followed Joanne’s Trailfire links, I saw undeniable evidence that my hopes that students can learn within and from their social systems is becoming more of a reality each day. Wikis represent a collection of everyone’s will, and knowledge, by tying participation and abilities together to develop a new type of logic that is representative of Olson’s (1965) hypothesis arranged in The Logic of Collective Action: Public Goods and the Theory of Groups. The camping trip gear list allegory for wiki presented an otherwise unknown technology as a tool that I would enjoy using, since so many of my friends and family live in various countries around the globe, and organizing our knowledge and efforts can be made so much more holistic through the use of this tool.
There are certain trends that blogs seem to follow, and one of the habits I’ve developed is to promote and praise the works of Lee LeFever, and his In Plain English video series. This week’s In Plain English: Wikis video is probably the simplest explanation of any technological tool that I have ever encountered. The analogy of organizing a camping trip was well thought out, and there weren’t any gaps in the video that left me wondering, “where do I go from here?” I am grateful for the amazing video that Lee posted, and I feel charged to get involved in a wiki this week. Today, I spent a few hours reading wiki-related articles in the university databases to add to the wiki-consciousness I began to develop as a result of reading the links provided by Joanne’s Trailfire link.
From the get-go, I began to winder if it is necessary for each student in our course to find a site that hosts wikis, and for each of us to create our own wiki, or if it would be better for all of us to contribute to a central wiki so we can get practice editing and adding to others’ postings. There was one Trailfire link in particular, Guidelines for Effective Wiki-Editing that clearly explained some of the issues that arise for wiki-users. I appreciate that a list of quasi-problematic scenarios was posted, because it is difficult for me to think of possible situations that might arise with a technology I have never encountered before.
Monday
Much of the evening on Monday was spent reading articles I located about wikis, wiki-building, and how to effectively use wikis for teaching and learning.
As I was reading the articles I thought back to last week when one of my grade one students brought me a map of how to get to her house. Well, as a grade one teacher I get all kinds of maps, invitations, notes, and random creations on paper from students. However, the map given by this girl in particular, sparked a connection in my grey matter that almost made me want to drive to school in the middle of the night to get the map while I was reading about wikis. The funny thing about the map is that the girl told me I couldn't keep it because she didn't have any more paper at home, and she needed it back so she could make another picture on the backside of the map. I traded her three sheets of blank paper from my daytimer for the one sheet of paper that had her map on it. It seemed like a fair trade for her, but I think I got the better deal when the bargaining was over. Below you can see the map, and see how she understands, and how she sees her place in the world in relation to her family and friends.
Usually kindergarten/grade one students include landmarks in their maps, and have at least one identifiable intersection between school and home. This map is unique in its approach to identifying pathways that all appear to be terminal. And, while it is hardly genius in its logic, this map really represents the fundamental origins of any network-based system. I think I would be safe in saying that I could show where I think a Wiki could be placed on the map, just because no Wiki is dependent on one single person (terminal end); a wiki can exist because each person has their own entry point on the wiki; and, each person comes to a wiki with their own ideas, knowledge, and needs that have to be met in order for that person to return to the wiki to add their intelligence and participation to the network in order for the network to continue to exist. The greatest shame is that I cannot identify the student who created the work, but anyone who knows the girl, would agree that her daily problem-solving orientation is DIRECTLY analagous to this map, and when she has conversations, she talks in terms of the terminal ends that contribute to the dialogs and activities that make up her life.
I really hope that everyone has as much fun reading into this map as I did, and I look forward to hearing from others about their thoughts on the map. I think that if my student could attach phonetic symbols to each of the contributors in the social network, she would agree with
Tuesday
About creating a wiki... I decided to get straight the to core of Wikidom, and I opened a PBWorks account. I haven't created a wiki yet, as it is another time-consuming endeavor to add color to the background, upload a picture or two, invite others to paraticipate in the wiki, and to get a topic in place that will form the basis of my first wiki.
I've noticed that since beginning this course, I am finding it easier to speak my ideas and my intentions through the various tools we experiment with. And, my blog posts are getting easier to organize because I understand the tools better, and how I relate stories about my learning feel less contrived because of my confidence and the knowledge I am gaining in the use of social media utilities makes my ability to manuever between tools more fluid.
“A wiki, considered to be a “Web 2.0” technology, is fundamentally grounded in social and cultural aspects to support learning because it facilitates learning through social interaction: creating, editing, collaborating, and synthesizing multiple ideas.” (Twu, 2009, 16) Rather than joining a public wiki to edit their site, I set up my PBWorks account which proved to be uncomplicated, and I am hoping that by creating my own wiki, I can simulate Harris's research (2009, p.112) concluding that, "teams that wish to collaborate on the entire project from start to finish are more likely to make changes to the template. But they also have a clear idea of the minimum expectations for the project."
I am persuaded to use a PBWorks wiki, more than a WikiSpaces wiki, because of the recommendation of Mears (2009), Podcasts and Wiki's: Delivering Content Information to Students Using Technology, that "PBWorks has developed a platform specifically designed for educators. A Wiki site allows the educator to not only deliver Podcasts to students, but links students to websites containing information, deliver documents and assignments, and if desired, allow students to change or develop content for the site." (p.32)
Getting this information together was quite time consuming, and I am pleased with the progress and success of my efforts to develop a wiki so far.
Drop by again tomorrow, and hopefully my wiki will be more fully developed according to my themes, with attractive backgrounds, gadgets, and interactive tools for users.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
My pbworks account is still up and running, however, I ran into a glitch a few days ago, and it seems that I spent countless hours on Wednesday evening, Thursday evening, and Friday for a few hours, trying to get the problem solved. I have had a pbworks customer care representative working with me to solve the problem, but no solution has been found to allow me to integrate images into my wiki, or to change the background, or the font, or anything else about my wiki. (*wait*) I know you’re going to direct me to the AMAZING tutorials wiki offers in both html and video format, and then you will advise to me to read the AWESOME users manual pbworks includes with each account, but I’ve done that. …and so have the people at pbworks, but we are still trying other avenues to get the wiki editable beyond just adding text to the wiki.
During this ordeal the voice of reason DID speak to me through a comment posted by Nicola of Seven Summits Librarian blog, who reminded me, “It is true that an initial frustrating or negative experience with technology can turn people off using it, especially in their classrooms. I applaud your ceaseless efforts at creating a podcast (cf. wiki) despite everything working against you.” Thanks Nicola! Despite the frustration and reluctance I felt to pressing forward and persisting to get the problem resolved, I found enough tenacity to see this wiki through the good and bad, ‘til death do us part!
Reflections on the process of learning about the tool
Working with a pbworks wiki has been a very great learning experience this week. Although my wiki doesn’t have the exterior comforts of colors, images, icons, and full editing features, I am positive that I know each and every feature offered by pbworks. I have ‘played’ with my wiki more than any other of the tools we’ve explored, mostly out of sheer necessity to try to make this happen.
Never in the past have I had to contact a customer care representative before, and that in itself has been a learning experience. The first few times I responded to their emails, I did my best to explain the issue I was having with my wiki, but there was a communication breakdown between us, and we were stalled in trying to figure out if we were talking about the same things. Eventually, I made screenshots of each screen I navigated through to get to the page where the problem ended my navigability through wikidom. I wonder if Joanne knew this type of problem could confront a student when she wrote that we should
Harris (2009, p.111), presents wikis in a simple light, with simple user instructions, “One solution that can make the most of a group’s time and energy in a collaborative writing assignment is Wiki software. Wikis were invented to foster rapid collaboration with a minimum learning curve. Using two buttons—Save and Edit—they allow members of a group to take turns editing a web page and saving it for the next team member’s contribution. A short film by Lee Lefever that demonstrates a group of friends planning a camping trip using Wiki software…” Harris was right on the mark about how easy it is to add to a wiki. And, as I found through troubleshooting and trial and error this week, adding users is as simple as entering the user’s email address, and using a drop-down menu to determine what level of access each user can have to the wiki account.
Despite the turbulence I’ve had with completing and customizing my wiki, I will keep on the wiki until it is done, so I feel a greater sense of accomplishment and confidence in dealing with this tech-tool. At first, I wasn’t exactly sure if I would find it particularly useful for my lifestyle, and the types of interactions I have with friends and family, but working closely with my wiki for more than a week, I have imagined a hundred and one uses I have for this tool, and how to use it to get my friends and family involved in my life despite the large geographic distances that separate us.
Discussion of the tool in terms of my own personal learning
My own personal learning about wikis seems to be a rollover from my process of learning about the tool. Here I go old school again…. When I travel, my favorite method of communication with friends and family is still postcard. In my wallet, I carry a piece of paper with two lists: one list is Summer, the other list is Winter. And, from September through March, the ‘winter’ people get postcards from me, and April through August is for the ‘summer’ people. It can be quite difficult to fill-in 45 postcards if I am only in Calgary Alesund , Norway , and I was trying to meet up with him, as well as a friend in Geneva , and another friend in Berlin Oakville Hamburg a couple of years ago, and got a ride to Bodensee on my way to Zurich
>rich-text editing environment,
>organizing and refactoring services,
>change monitoring and alerting,
>access control and approvals,
>spam prevention, and
>target use cases. (Byrne, 2009, p.8)
And, having played extensively with the features listed above, wikis receive Rob’s stamp of approval!
Discussion of the tool in terms of teaching and learning
Learning about the tool in terms of teaching and learning was supported by the ‘play’ time I had using my wiki, but the learning was substantiated by the professional readings I did about wikis. There are innumerable applications for bringing wiki teaching and learning into the classroom, as I will share from my readings.
Typically, in thinking about advanced technology integration, like wikis in the classroom, I would have assumed only a place in high school teaching as an arena for encouraging wikis, but Hudson (2009, pp.66-67) in her article How to Teach With Wikis outlines several ideas for bringing wikis into elementary teaching as well. “find ways to use wikis, collaborative websites that any user can edit, to help kids push further and think deeper. Create your own math book; Rewrite a classic tale; Go back in time (in history); Learn Spanish (or any language); For that science center (parallel wiki learning to the development of science).” This brief excerpt does not justice to the article, which I am including with links below because it offers practical, inspiring ideas that can be integrated with great success to increase student engagement and learning.
Another important application I envision for wikis, is what DiPietro, Drexler, Kennedy, Buraphadeja, Liu and Dawson (2010, p.25) talk about as offering “best practice strategies, suggest(ing) possible technology tips regarding wiki implementation, and seek(ing) to better scaffold future scholars and/or mentors seeking to effectively participate in or plan for collaborative qualifying examination preparation.” With great pleasure I recall the endless hours I spent with friends studying for exams, and found that a lot of exam prep in a group setting was allocated to getting organized, and working collaboratively to identify what each person thought was of most importance to learn about for exams. Lengthy discussions, wasted hours, and feelings of frustration and confusion sometimes arose is trying to reconcile what I felt was of importance with what another group member wanted to focus on. A wiki would eliminate the set-up time involved in group study periods if each member posted their ‘agenda’ before the group would meet, and each person’s contribution would be prioritized and identified by everyone else before actually getting together, which would save time, and increase effective group networking skills.
Our school is a trilingual school, and it is oftentimes difficult to begin dialog with teachers of other languages because of the direct involvement a teacher has with students, materials, responsibilities, and teachers of their common language of instruction. However, I still have teachers of English and French approaching me with questions about how I am achieving such positive gains and forward successes in my classroom, when so many students don’t understand the language of instruction. I see that a wiki will be valuable for creating and maintaining dialog between teacher s who would like to collaborate when time permits, and to share ideas, beyond materials and resources, about how to integrate new activities into their classroom activities. I am excited at the thought of using a wiki to post ideas and to have other challenge those ideas, with different perspectives for making student learning a greater priority. Wiki technology and the return to rigor (Roe, 2010, p. 21), suggests five uses for wikis in a professional development paradigm
“1. Support the development of our professional learning community;
2. Make our processes and work open and transparent to the community and one another;
3. Equip teachers with technology that could add more time and rigor within and without the classroom;
4. Allow students to create online portfolios and evidence of their learning;…”
A few years ago I asked a member of our school division’s central office if it would be possible for teachers to have access to a threaded message board on which we could discuss ideas in a professional milieu. Unfortunately, the idea was never acted upon, but now seeing the greater value of a wiki, I am much more likely to pursue, with success the implementation of collaborative learning via an intranet for staff members.
As a side note, I remember an undergraduate professor remarked to me, “Rob, when I wrote my 200-something page dissertation, I had to use a type writer, and if I made just one error, I had to remove the page from the machine, and start that entire page over. So, if you think I will let you get away with making a spelling error in your essays in this age of spell-checking, copy and pasting, white-out, and computers printers, you are in for a big shock. And, in retrospect, I’m sure that many of my hang-ups related to proper language use would find their genesis in my close relationship to that person, I value the sentiment, and now find myself thinking, that with so many tools like wikis available, surely students must be able to get their work completed on-time, and with sufficient depth so as to evidence signs of originality and creativity considering they literally have the entire world, and the entire collective knowledge of human civilization at their fingertips!
References
Byrne, T. (2009). Wiki tools are not all the same. KMWorld, Nov/Dec, 8-9.
De Groot, J. (2010, February 14). Trailfire: Wiki information Message posted to http://trailfire.com/joannedegroot/trailview/61579
DiPietro, J., Drexler, W., Kennedy, K., Buraphadeja, V., Liu, F., & Dawson, K. (2010). Using wikis to collaboratively prepare for qualifying examinations: An example of implementation in an advanced graduate program. TechTrends 54(1), 25-32.
Harris, M. (2009). Technology review: Teaching writing for the workplace? Try a wiki. The community college enterprise, Fall, 111-113.
Hudson, H. (2009). How to teach with wikis. Instructor, Sep/Oct, 66-67.
Kuhn, N. (2010, March 3) Random videos, articles, & podcasts I've found to help me understand podcasting this week: 501 podcasting blog post [Msg 1] COMMENT POSTED TO CNRGRADIO.BLOGSPOT.COM retrieved from link http://cnrgradio.blogspot.com/2010/02/d-podrandom-videos-articles-podcasts.html#comments
LeFever, L. (Producer). (2007, August 6). Wikis in Plain English. Common Craft. Podcast retrieved from http://trailfire.com/joannedegroot/trailview/61579
Mears, D. (2009). Podcasts and Wiki's: Delivering Content Information to Students Using Technology. Strategies, 23(1), 29-34.
Roe, M. (2010). Wiki technology and the return to rigor. Leadership, 39(3), 20-22.
-rob
n.b. Monday after assignment was due
As a complete side note, I'd like my readers to see a smile on my face right now because my wikiblues were cured this evening when a new pbwroks CSrep emailed me with some suggestions about how to solve this problem that had even the wiliest of wikiworkers stumped... Well, the wiki is now editable, and I will continue to upgrade, update, uplift, and upsomething else my wiki because I am very pleased with this experience, and the great feeling of satisfaction I'm having now.
Shouts out to J-Rock for the extra special help I received this week!
~rob
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Thanks, Rob. I love how you are able to connect what we are doing each week to your experiences working with primary students. Your student's map was brilliant! I'm sorry too, to hear that your wiki caused so many headaches for you this week. I certainly hadn't anticipated so many problems with wikis (I know podcasts can be a challenge, but wikis are usually a more straightforward learning process). I'm glad you persevered and it is working now.
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