Schools+(k-12)

Schools (K-12)
In today's world, children are being raised using computers. These children, therefore, become very comfortable using technology, sometimes more so than their teachers! This recent trend is causing teachers to place an emphasis on not only becoming aware of and learning how to use certain technology, but also how that technology can be incorporated in to their curricula. One way that teachers are using technology to connect with their students both inside and outside of the classroom is through the use of wikis. Wikis can be used by both teachers and their students to discuss topics and questions. Teachers are challenged to be creative in gaining full learning potential from the use of wikis.

Wikis can be used in a number of ways. Students can use wikis for student group projects, collaborative textbooks, collective writing, research projects, data collection, and organization of projects and assignments. [|In one example], students were asked to use wikis to create their own online texts and notes from their classes. The students then used the wikis to create their own textbook based on the information they learned in class. The excitement in the classroom as the students began to see their work come to life was a wonderful thing to see. The students began to come to class early and stay after school to work on their textbook pages. There was genuine classroom interest in the material being taught as well as additional research going on outside the classroom. It was terrific to see how this technology brought learning to life for these students. This development of student-written on-line textbooks is just one way that wikis and technology have been used to facilitate furthering the education of students in schools.

Another idea for the use of wikis in the classroom came from a middle school teacher. The teacher had the students create their own periodic table of elements. Each student was assigned an element to research and then placed this information onto a wiki. The wikis were then linked to one web page where clicking various element symbols directed you to individual students' wikis.

Wikis can also be used to connect students to the rest of the world. We all come to school having grown up in different contexts with different experiences. Through learning circles, students have the chance to connect with other students around the world to approach and build bridges of knowledge on a variety of topics, including social issues.

Wikis have also improved collaboration in the classroom. Students are no longer bound by the walls of their room. Writing, reading, math, science, and social studies (the list goes on...) can now be taught and shared at a distance. Students who have never met can be group member and work collaboratively toward a goal. If you want to learn about third grade classrooms in Australia, all it takes is the click of a button to be connected.

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