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A Guide to Using Wikis in the Classroom

**What is a wiki?**
**A wiki** is a Web 2.0 cloud-based applicaition that fosters creating, editing,and sharing of work, ideas, pictures, links, video, and more. Wikispaces is social media used in education. A great educational wiki for students and teachers is

For **Wiki Basics** view the video below:
media type="youtube" key="O1QFP4J-VJw" height="283" width="378" align="left"

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**With wikis, teachers and students can:**

 * 1) Access wikis from **anywhere** using any device with a browser and Internet connection.
 * 2) Use **tools to create** media-rich posters with text, links, files, widgets (videos, calendar, spreadsheet, RSS Feed, map, etc.), tables, and more.
 * 3) Add to, change, or update your poster or anyone else’s with his or her permission.
 * 4) Save every edit or revision.
 * 5) Maintain web-based sites that are **safe and secure**.
 * 6) **Educate** with [|project-based learning], lesson plans, student assignments, e-portfolios, [|classroom discussion]s, feedback, distance learning, curriculum planning, and [|staff development].

**For more ideas:** Classroom 2.0: Wikisgives uses of wikis in education. [|5 Ways You Can Use Wikis] in the classroom. [|Wiki Walk-Through]” shows how wikis are used in subjects. [|SLSD Apple Wiki Service] and [|Schurkamp’s Introduction]

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====**Best educational Wikis of 2011 and [|**more**]…. Click on the images below.**====


 * ====[[image:slsdwikisandblogs/studentmathmovies.png width="114" height="80" caption="Math Student Videos" link="studentmathmovies/home"]]==== || ====[[image:slsdwikisandblogs/Educational-Blogging.png width="104" height="78" caption="Blogging" link="educational-blogging/home"]]==== || ====[[image:slsdwikisandblogs/educational-origami-1.png width="131" height="82" caption="Technology" link="edorigami/home"]]==== || ====[[image:slsdwikisandblogs/ICTmagic.png width="116" height="79" caption="IT Resources" link="ictmagic/home"]]==== || ====[[image:slsdwikisandblogs/resourcesforhistoryteachers.png width="120" height="79" caption="History Resources" link="resourcesforhistoryteachers/home"]]==== ||

**Need to refresh your wiki skills? Go to [|Wikispaces videos and tours]**
**A Guide to Using Blogs in the Classroom** **What is a blog? Web + Log = Blog** According to Wikipedia, a blog is a usually a web-based journal where an author “posts” entries. However, blogs are much more; they allow for social networking when visitors blog or add a post to contribute to what has been blogged. This fosters engaging online learning!
 * =[[image:slsdwikisandblogs/Classchatter2.jpg width="180" height="67" align="left" link="http://classchatter.com/"]]= || =[[image:slsdwikisandblogs/glogster.png width="173" height="45" link="http://www.glogster.com/"]]= || =[[image:vt_logo_.png]]= || =[[image:slsdwikisandblogs/edublogs_logo.png width="120" height="48" link="@http://edublogs.org/"]]= || =[[image:slsdwikisandblogs/21classes.png link="@http://edublogs.org/"]]= ||

**With blogs, teachers and students can:**

 * 1) Access a blog from **anywhere** using any device with a browser and Internet connection.
 * 2) **Control acces**s to a conversation, a demonstration, etc.
 * 3) Use **tools to communicate** with others using videos, webcam, phoning, writing, graphics, links, audio, and more.
 * 4) Add to, change, or update your post.
 * 5) E**ducate** though collaboration, demonstration, sharing, lesson plans, presentations, conversations, thoughtful discussions, newsletters, responsible journalism, publishing, analyzing, e-portfolios, and more.
 * 6) Join a **fun, global event** hosted by EduBlog: [|Student Blogging Challenge]. This free and collaborative 10-week project is offered twice a year.

**Fantastic tips from:**

 * [|Blogs Basics] from TeachersFirst,
 * [|Beginner Series] provided by Classroom 2.0 LIVE!
 * Classroom 2.0: Blogging
 * [|10 Ways to Use Your Edublogs] from EduBlog

**Blog Websites:**
1. SLSD blogging sites:
 * [|Glogster]
 * [|21 classes]
 * [|ClassChatter]
 * [|SLSD Apple Wiki & Blog Service] and [|Schurkamp’s Introduction]

**2. Additional blogging sites:**
 * [|**VoiceThread**] is a multimedia collaborative Web 2.0 tool. VT is also accessible to those who are deaf and have ADD.[|100 Ways to Use VoiceThread] from VoiceThread.
 * VT is working on a version called[| VoiceThread Universal] for the blind or visually impaired, utilizes screen-reading software and other assistive technologies. View a [|VoiceThread demo].

**Additional resources for blogs:**
 * 1) [|Top 100 Educations Blogs]
 * 2) Kathy Schrock’s: [|kathy’s ed tech blog picks]

What is ? Graphical + Blog Glog= Glogster is a Web 2.0 cloud-based application for the creative presentation of and skills used by people the world. Glogster’s online multimedia whiteboard is simple enough for primary grade use, but complex enough for older students to utilize. **With Glogster, teachers and students can:** > ======== **Some of the BEST educational Glogs, click the images to view and [|more]…**
 * 1) Retrieve your Glog on **any** device with a browser and Internet connection.
 * 2) **Utilize tools** to add graphics, text, images, videos, sounds, drawings, links, and more
 * 1) **Update** your Glog.
 * 2) Maintain web-based sites that are **safe and secure.**


 * ~ [[image:slsdwikisandblogs/writing_tenses.jpg width="104" height="139" align="left" caption="Writing Tenses" link="http://mabelsepu.edu.glogster.com/glog-writting-activity/"]] || ====[[image:slsdwikisandblogs/the-hobbit.jpg width="107" height="149" align="left" caption="The Hobbit" link="http://rheeter.edu.glogster.com/the-hobbit/"]]==== ||= ==== ====

[[image:slsdwikisandblogs/moon.jpg width="108" height="145" caption="Moon" link="http://rheeter.edu.glogster.com/the-hobbit/"]]
||~ || ==== ====

[[image:slsdwikisandblogs/japan-tsunami.jpg width="102" height="143" align="left" caption="Japan Tsunami" link="http://tehescmarts.edu.glogster.com/the-2011-japan-tsunami/"]]
|| ==== ====

[[image:slsdwikisandblogs/respiratory-system.jpg width="103" height="139" align="left" caption="Respiratory Syst." link="http://tehescmarts.edu.glogster.com/respiratory-system/"]]
||~ ======== || **Glogster tutorials:**
 * 1) Excellent [|teacher training tutorial videos]by Russell Stannard. They are usually 2 to 3 minutes long.
 * 2) Tracy Blazosky has [|24 tutorial screens] to get you started.

**Reflections** This activity fulfills the requirements for

I.D. Research, problem solving and product development of technological applications including:
 * Basic principles of instructional design associated with the development of instructional technology materials.
 * Designing and publishing on-line documents that present information and include links to critical resources

The activity was to create a guide for teachers to use wikis and blogs in the classroom. This activity fulfills PDE requirements by utilizing the basic principles of instructional design while constructing the guides. “Instructional design incorporates learning strategies…into instructional experiences which make the acquisition of knowledge and skill more efficient, effective, and appealing” (Merrill, 1966, p. 2). These concise guidelines were purposefully designed to be an appealing and effective way to present information for teachers and provide access to critical resources about wikis and blogs.

These documents will be published on the district’s website so teachers can quickly view the guide to help in using wikis and blogs in their lessons. First, a brief definition explains what the Web 2.0 tool is and how it can be used. The added links allow for in-depth exploration. The guide concludes with examples of the best educational wikis and blogs as well as optional refresher course links. I also included a brief guide for Glogster.

Two of the District’s goals in the Educational Technology Plan were to develop 21st Century skills in students and meet the needs of diverse learners (SLSD, 2011, pp. 10, 17, 36, 48, & 53). Wikis and blogs foster in students the 21st Century skills of creativity and innovation, communication and collaboration, research and information fluency, critical thinking, problem solving, decision-making, digital citizenship, and technology operations and concepts. Wikis and blogs meet the needs of diverse learners with different learning styles (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2011).

When teachers create and use wikis and blogs in various ways, they are //modeling// to students how to use them. When students create and use wikis and blogs, they are //applying// what they have learned.

I have used both wikis and blogs in the past and was aware of some educational uses. As I learned more about them, I discovered many more benefits. Web 2.0 tools are an essential implement for any teacher’s technology toolbox.

**References** Merrill, D. M. (1966). //Reclaiming instructional design.// Retrieved from http://mdavidmerrill.com/Papers/Reclaiming.PDF

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2011). //Framework for 21st century learning.// Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/1.__p21_framework_2-pager.pdf

Southern Lehigh School District. (2011). //Educational technology report.// Retrieved from http://slsd.org/files/filesystem/Ed%20Tech%20Plan.pdf