Wiki's in the classroom.

When most educators think of using Wikipedia in their classroom it is a strict no, no policy. The reason for this is because of the definition of a wiki.
     A website developed collaboratively by a community of users, allowing any user to add and edit content via a web browser.

 Although this is the definition of a wiki; this is not it scope. A wiki follows the limits that they designers sets. Yes, text can be edited by anyone; but mistakes can be easily changed. The creator can see a log of who changes the content of the pages and if it is not aligned with the designer wants you can quickly restore previous revisions. Watch lists can be made to prevent vandalism and it allows us to teach our children about validity.

Students thru the use of a wiki in the classroom create a constructivist educational setting in which the students collaborate a synchronously to make a product. This helps them to situate cognition. A wiki also follows the 7 aspects of meaningful learning.

1. It has to be ACTIVE.
2. It has to be CONSTRUCTIVE
3. It has to be COLLABORATIVE
4. It has to be CONTEXTUALIZED
5. It has to be REFLECTIVE  
6. It has to be  INTENTIONAL
7. It has to be CONVERSATIONAL

Blogs

When infusing technology into your classroom you have to think of it's affordance. What is an affordance you ask? Well it is how can the use of a specific tool help of better achieve our end goal.

A blog. When incorporating the use of blogs into your classroom think about how it can best meet your goals. For example, if your students are reading the book "The Crucible" have them take on a character that they can relate to and then have them to blog about the events in the book from that characters perspective. Next, if you were studying Revolutions you could have your students to blog their character analysis and then require them to respond to other students analysis to check and see if they are on the right path.

When using a blog in your classroom remember that it afford student to read, analyze, synthesize meaning, and evaluate the integrity of what is being stated. They also can communicate with writer which helps them to formulate opinions.

Blogs are also useful in a classroom/ school district that does not have Blackboard because you can post assignments, due dates, and videos. So if your school district does not have a big budget you can use this FREE resource to help in alleviating some of the issues.

Who am I?

My name is Antoinette Dempsey and I started my teaching career in the fall of 2004 in Washington, DC. I taught United States History at Spingarn Senior High School in Washington, DC from 2004-2008. In 2008 I began teaching at my current school TC Williams High School in Alexandria, VA. I graduated from Temple University, located in Philadelphia, PA in 2004. Currently, I am working on my master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction at George Mason University. Email: Antoinette_Dempsey03@gmail.com