Digital Tool 2 - Wikis Reflection

To view my wiki, click here.

I was very hesitant in creating and using a Wiki this week as its like a foreign language to me and I didn't enjoy our previous activity with it.

I believe that a wiki in the classroom could pose great difficulty, especially for teachers. From changing and designing to adding pages and documents can become more time consuming than blogs. I found it was a little harder in navigating where to change the design, colours and fonts.

All in all ( and if utilised correctly), a wiki can become a great learning tool for students. In saying that, it is important for not only teachers, but for students to understand the correct customs in using a wiki (etiquette).
This is so everyone has a fair say and equal rights when using and collaborating on a wiki.  Here are a few general rules for editing in a wiki.

In an music context, a wiki can become very useful. I could post videos relating to certain topics such as an example of Bebop, Cool Jazz and Funk and in a table students would have to analyse what the characteristics are and the differences of each style. For  another activity, students may be asked to find several examples of the music genres above in YouTube and add the links to a page created on the wiki. This is so other students can access the links and check it out for themselves.
In Instrumental Music, I could add warm up exercises for different instruments so students can access from home. I could also add videos of famous instrumentalists for students to see how technique is established. Also even a practice schedule so students can access and print it out in order to see what is expected for next lesson.

Below is a SWOT Analysis for the use of wikis.

Strengths

• Learning outside of the classroom
• Encourages students to take control of their own learning and interaction with others (Teamwork)
• 24 hr access for students
• Allows interaction in editing activities and comments
• Can upload many different tools eg. pictures, pdf documents, videos etc
• Connectivism - internet and other links

Weaknesses

• Cannot accommodate multiple authors editing at the same time
• Can become "messy" 
• Anyone can access it
• Students will need to be shown how to use a wiki
• Students (or anyone) can possibly edit, overwrite, or even remove content/information

Opportunities

• Students to learn and engage by themselves
• Can illustrate the progess of learning (evidence of content learnt)

Threats

• Internet security
• Cyber bullying
• outsiders access