-+for+teaching

 **__How a wiki can be used in a teaching program:__** Virtual portfolio: I would like to use wiki sites to develop student portfolios as they are able to contain a wide variety of media files that are created from a vast array of new technologies. Therefore, students would be developing simultaneous skills with digital and traditional technologies. They are able to upload various work samples and write reflections, about selected pieces, on the learning and problem solving they encountered. At the beginning of the year I would be teaching them about setting up and using a wiki site and jointly constructing assessment criteria. They would be encouraged to design the layout and navigation bar by selecting categories they intend to develop and contribute to. For example: These categories can include photographic work (montages, pictures of hard copy work, power point presentations, creative stories, research projects, etc). What goes on the site would be agreed upon between the student and teacher (to ensure it was appropriate). The ways work can be presented on a wiki site seem endless and originals do not need to be in digital format as students can learn ways to convert it to a digital medium (refer to examples__ ). __      Publishing on the Internet:      Students are able to publish and display their own work in a controlled virtual environment. They decide who can view and contribute to their work which gives them a greater sense of ownership. However, there needs to be explicit teaching and discussion about cyber bullying (Campbell, 2005) and how to safely publish on the Internet. Together we'd construct a checklist to help them assesses a piece of work in terms of Internet safety and privacy protection. The DEECD has published a [|tool kit] on SOFWEB which provides advice and activities for teachers and schools who wish to introduce Web 2 technologies in the classroom. Students should also be made aware of what to do or where they can go for help and advice should they become subejct to cyberbullying.  Develops skills: Using a wiki in class can develop students skills with new technologies. This includes computer navigation skills, knowledge and use of various software programs and media technology, development of technological language and their critical interaction with cyber society.  Connections: A wiki portfolio can develop connections between: Ø  **Home and school** (students, parents, siblings, teachers). Families can view a student’s work and even contribute comments to the site or site manager. This can be done directly onto the site or by using the ‘send message’ tool. This wiki has comments from my family and friends and I found that receving feedback made me develop a greater sense of pride in my work. I loved receiving messages, some of which made me reflect on my learning and the decisions I made in some work samples. This was confronting but also rewarding because someone had taken an interest in my work. I am certain that students would gain similar positive reinforcement about comments on their wikis. Ø  **Student and extended family/friends** (such as Grandparents living overseas) Ø  **Student and community** (students obtaining information from community groups and reporting on it; could also include interviews, community based projects, environmental studies, photographs etc). Ø  **Teacher and student.** The teacher can access the wiki site and also send messages to the student, providing them with valuable feedback in digital format. This adds to the student’s interactive and digital communication skills.
 * Home Page
 * Sports
 * Favourite projects
 * Achievements
 * Examples of work
 * Handy homework websites
 * Blogs

__** What teacher problems might occur ?**__  a.  Cyber bullying and Internet Safety are concerns for educators using Web based technologies. Campbell (2005) claims that cyber bulling is a new form of schoolyard bullying that can be far more damaging because the possible large scale assault and perpetrators can remain anonymous.  b.  Equity. Access at home or outside school is very limited for some families. They may need to be advised where they can go to access the Internet or receive instruction on how to use computers. These options include libraries and internet cafe's. Students would need to know how to access their wikis from sites other than school and may end up being the ones teaching their parents. Then of course their are some parents that would not even be interested in seeing their childrens work.  c.  There is a need for reliable and adequate numbers of computers within the classroom to effectively work on the wiki compilations. Ideally there should be one computer per student, but most public schools are not this well equipped. This would not prevent me from introducing the wiki portfolio. I would need to plan carefully to rotate students through the computers. For example, over a 3 week period all students would be allocated one or two sessions on the computer. This could be balanced out by having students plan, design and prepare the material for their site when it was not their turn on the computer. Students could also work from home or anywhere they can get Internet access. I am conscious not all students will have out of hours access, so it would be good to offer partial lunchtime access in the Library or an hour after school one night a week. I realise this would require the support of the Principal and other staff. An information night for parents would also be valuable. Students could explain what the portfolios were about and show parents how to respond to an invitation to join their site, and show them how to navigate around it  d.  The physical set-up of many well established schools is not conducive to a large number of computers and terminals. Those without wireless technology have even more issues to deal with as electrical cord locations can be a significant Occupational Health and Safety issue. The schools that I have been in locate their computers around the edges of the classroom. This makes co-operative learning difficult, children are faced away from the centre of the room, and often with their backs to the teacher inhibiting active listening.  e.  Some teachers may find it difficult to introduce a technology such as a wiki. This can be resolved relatively easily by taking the initiative to learn about the technology and how to incorporate it effectively in a teaching program. I have spent considerable time learning about wiki’s, what they can do and how it can benefit my students. As a result I am confident I could use the technology effectively in the classroom, whether it be as student portfolio or a jointly constructed class site.

__References: __

Campbell, M. 2005, Cyber bullying: An old problem in a new guise? //Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling// 15(1):68-76   Department of Education and early Childhood Development ,2007, //Website Tool Kit//,   [|http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/toolkit/protect/technology.htm]> accessed 06 May 2008.