Wiki Definition

According to Vanderbilt University’s Center for Teaching, a wiki is defined as “a collaborative tool that allows students to contribute and modify one or more pages of course related materials. (It) is a web page with an open-editing system.” While the teacher creates much of the course content, the students can use the wiki to collaborate and build upon the knowledge provided by the instructor. Collaborating via wikis can develop critical thinking skills and allow students to learn from each other.

“Wiki enables users to create a new page, and add, edit, or delete any content in an existing Wiki. In short, a Wiki is a simplified version of web pages that enables users to create and edit contents as well as link pages.” (MOJET) By using wikis in education, the learners are not just consumers of knowledge, but become the producers of content. It supports Bloom’s model of higher order thinking.

Examples:

Wikis would be a beneficial place for compiling websites or links to relevant course material, access to e-portfolios of student work, or a collection of documents or mini research projects. It is a place for students to collaborate and build something together. They help build learners’ confidence in writing and sharing. By sharing in a public space, it builds motivation. Learners want to produce something of quality if they know their peers are going to read it and respond to it. Wikis are best for projects where the collaborative outcome is more important than the learners getting credit for individual work. It provides a space to gather data and share ideas. Wikis are user-friendly and an easy tool to encourage collaboration.

Here are a couple of wiki websites: https://www.editme.com/ and https://moodle.org/

References:

Vanderbilt University. “Center for Teaching: Wikis.” https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/wikis/

The Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Technology (MOJET). “Using Wiki to Teach Part-Time Adult Learners in a Blended Learning Environment.” https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1086421.pdf