Well, I found it interesting to watch the video and learn more about Wikis. After watching, I know that we could use a Wiki to organize our family camping trips, although I would want change the format so that we knew who was going to bring what. That thought led me to think of one way that I could use a Wiki in my third grade classroom. It might be helpful to use a Wiki when organizing a party during the holidays. I have room parents who take a list of what I want, and then call parents to coordinate what each parent should contribute. A Wiki would make that much easier, but you would have to go with the understanding that all the parents have computers and know how to edit and save things on the Wiki. My guess is that many would not know how to do it.
After reading the articles, I had more ideas about how a Wiki could be used with the students. However, I get nervous thinking about giving students free reign to edit other student's writing. I think that it could create a problem letting students write things without anyone knowing who wrote them. What if a student writes something mean or hurtful. There would be know way to follow through with consequences. I liked the idea of a continuing story, but again was worried about a student writing something in appropriate. I guess elementary teachers like to have a bit more control.
One other way that I think would be fun to use a Wiki, would be to create a class recipe book during the holidays, such as Thanksgiving. Each parent could add a recipe that they like to make at Thanksgiving, and then you could publish it for the whole class. I assume that it is possible to print what's on a Wiki. Is that right?
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I can't seem to get my comment to post on Megan's blog, so I am pasting it here so you know I did one. I agree with both of you that wikis are easier to use with older students. Megan, I agree that letting a third grader edit another third grader's writing would be a problem. They may actually change something that's right to make it wrong. Also, I had heard something about not being able to use Wikpedia as a source.
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