Hi everyone!
Wiki Pros 
- Not only is it the first one I mention, but it is also the number one reason I see for using Wikis - they are a great collaborative tool for small group projects. (Hazari & Moreland, 2009) (King & Cox, 2011) (Park, Crocker, Nussey, Springate, & Hutchings, 2010), (West & West, 2009)- Students learn as much from each other as they do from the research.
- I have used wikis for both face-to-face classes and distance learning classes. The ability to work synchronously and asynchronously lends itself well to both modalities. (Hazari & Moreland, 2010)
-Wikis can also be used in conjunction with other learning tools like discussion boards. (Hazari & Moreland, 2010)
- Students have different learning style preferences, wikis give students the freedom to be creative or sequential on their page, to be more reflective or active, or sensing or intuitive. When students work together they can bring their strengths to the project. (Park et al, 2010).
- Wikis "open the door to brainstorming, group problem solving, critical evaluations, synthesis, idea refinement, and group consensus (West & West, 2009, p. 5)."
- Most Wiki programs are intuitive to learn to use and free or almost free (King & Cox, 2011).
- Students get out of the project what they put into it.
Wiki Cons 
- Technology does not always work correctly (Park et al., 2010).- Group work is not always completed equitably amongst students. (Park et al., 2010, p. 317)
- When Wikis are posted to the web, there is a hidden audience to an editable document (King & Cox 2011, p. 123).
- Wiki users have a collective perspective, so have a collective bias (King & Cox, 2011, p. 123). Most higher education institutes will not allow you to use a wiki as a reference source and now they are asking a student to create one as a source of collaborative knowledge?
- Students get out of the project what they put into it.
Wikis can be a great collaborative learning tool with caveats. An instructor needs to know how to guide the students in startup and through technical issues. It does not need to be the only learning tool, not everyone learns well in groups. And, feedback is important, as it is in any learning tool.
In my experience with Wikis both face-to-face and online, my group partners have always assisted and did their part. Everyone used their strengths and the products created were better than what would have been created by an individual. I personally learned from my own research and my partners. Communication is key to the learning process. Without it, it is just a document that several people put information on. What has been your experience?
References
Hazari, S., North, A., & Moreland, D. (2009). Investigating pedagogical value of Wiki technology. Journal of information systems education. 20(2).King, K. & Cox T. D. (2011). The professor's guide to taming technology: Leveraging digital media, web 2.0, and more for learning. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing Inc.
Park, C. L., Crocker, C., Nussey, J., Springate, J., & Hutchings, D. (2010). Evaluation of a teaching tool--wiki--in online graduate education. Journal of Information Systems Education, 21(3), 313-321. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.er.lib.k-state.edu/docview/815957876?accountid=11789.
West, J. A., & West M. L. (2009). Using wikis for online collaboration: The power of the read-write web. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
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Hi Vee!
ReplyDeleteThanks for submitting your two cents - I agree with your pros and cons and especially agree with your statement that communication is key to the learning process. I found that in my course last semester, communication, or lack thereof, played a major role in the success of our group. We held weekly meetings, and although several of us had never created a wiki before, we found the group dialogue helpful in submitting an educational and well-thought through project. I originally missed the sentence ‘students get out of the project what they put into it’ from the ‘pros’ section and was not sure why it would be listed as a con - however, it is very relevant on both sides of the spectrum - so, great point! It is most definitely true; I had not worked with wikis prior, but I ended up formatting the page for our group, and I learned a lot throughout the process.
Sara
Thank you for your response Sara. Yes, I agree, working through the wiki technology on the LMS is very intuitive (thankfully). I learned just as much from my Wiki partners as I did my own research, which is saying a lot because I like to research. Everybody plays off their strengths which brings so much to the projects. I put the comment "students get out of the project what they put into it" from experience. There has only been one person on the four Wikis I have worked on so far who did not contribute a fair share, all the rest of us I think really felt like we learned a a great deal, she was the only one disgruntled about the project to the end. I am glad you have had a good experience, I have too.
ReplyDeleteVee
That is great to hear! Thanks!
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ReplyDeleteHi, Vee--your comments that learners division of labor may be inequitable and that learners get out what they put in caught my attention.
DeleteOn the first, I wonder if this is really a Con to wikis or is it one of the strengths? Consider Lari's (2011) note that a wiki allows people with converging interests to interact about "something they do and learn how to do it better (p.124)," and that "learning can happen in a social process in which people can participate at different levels (p.124)." These statements caused me to view wiki as something in which everyone can contribute what they have to contribute, but those with greater expertise, skills, or experience will inevitably "contribute" more. Each person will get something unique and different from the wiki creation experience.
That makes a nice segue to the second point. I wonder if learners getting out what they put in is necessarily a Con? If we accept Houle's (1961) contention that some learners are goal-oriented and learn until their felt need is satisfied (and I do), and Knowle's (2015) assumption that adult learners prefer to be self-directed and take part in problem-centered learning, it makes sense to me that some adults collaborating on wiki development would work on it until their problem is solved or their goal is met, then leave the project.
Best
--Les
Houle, C. O. (1961). The Inquiring Mind, 2nd Ed. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press.
Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2015). The Adult Learner, 8th Ed. New York: Rutledge.
Lari, P. (2011). The use of wikis for collaboration in higher education. In King, K. P. & Cox, T. D. (Eds). The Professor’s Guide to Taming Technology: Leveraging Digital Media, Web 2.0, and More for Learning. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Les,
DeleteOn your first point, you have very sound arguments. I would only argue that when a Wiki is used in the educational experience, those with less expertise in navigating the end product can and should be allowed to do so but, everyone has a strength and is able to contribute something. Communication is key especially in the beginning as expectation management. Collaborating on a Wiki is just like forming a group and can go through problems as a group and emotional intelligence is key a group getting through those problems.
On your second point, I listed "a student gets out of it what they put into it" as both a pro and a con. It is a pro for so many of the above reasons. I personally have learned as much from my peers as I have learned from my own research. I have been exposed to new perspectives that I may not have been exposed to if I had just researched and written my own paper.
But I do think there is a con side of students who do not put the work in. There are individuals who do not care what the goal of the project is as long as the person sees his or her partners have done enough to get the individual a good grade. They may have competing interests with life, other school work, etc., but this will still hinder their ability to get much out of the project. This is why I have it listed as both a pro and a con.
I am enjoying the play on words with WIKI. However, finding what is quickie about a WIKI is a bit challenging. While I have navigated WIKIS in other courses, I find them to be cumbersome. Also, formatting and creating links exploit my technical inabilities. Granted, the Sandbox offers safe practice space for entering content. Some populations choose to limit the use of technology which suggests a learning curve in the overall use usage, self-included (Pew Research, 2017).
ReplyDeleteAlthough, continued practice with Web 2.0 technologies improves the capabilities to navigate through the web-based platforms. The overarching theme of a WIKIS is collaboration, but that does not mean groups divide the work into parts of a project and each do their part and then attempt to present a finished product. WIKI collaboration is synthesizing concepts within the group to marry a cohesive body of work from the group.
Reference
Pew Research Center's Internet & Technology division rolled out a new report, "Tech Adoption Climbs Among Older Adults". (2017, July-August). Information Today, 34(6), 22. Retrieved from http://link.galegroup.com.er.lib.k-state.edu/apps/doc/A497271376/AONE?u=ksu&sid=AONE&xid=6a655240 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Rhonda,
DeleteI have to agree with you, I do not think there is anything quick about building a Wiki. But, my personal belief is that the term was coined because of the ease of adding, editing, and deleting information on an already created body of knowledge. I can attest to how quick it is to delete information...and lose it. I must admit that the current Wiki project is my fourth, and they all have been made on the Canvas learning management system. That being said, I have become a bit more proficient navigating them, and by default a little quicker. I am not a tech savvy individual but I do pick up processes pretty quick and I have learned not only problem-solving collaboration through the Wikis, but also tips and tricks to building the Wikis themselves.
You are correct, collaboration does not necessarily mean dividing the work into parts of the project for each to do, unless that is what is communicated in the beginning. There is much more to it. The collaboration part comes when the group forms and they are able to learn and play to the strengths of each individual. Each part of a problem is going to build on another part and to have a cohesive end product, members have to communicate how to synthesize the information and present it. Communication is a key component to collaborating on these projects. Otherwise, you will have either a chopped up document that does not flow or you have a project that is one or two people's idea of what the end product should be.
Vee - I really enjoyed your post and points. I appreciate that you noted students getting out of the project what they put in to the project as both a pro and a con. I totally agree. It's the interesting thing about a course in general - the MD who graduates bottom of her class is still someone you call "doctor", in the same way that everyone will get points for playing on a wiki. From the perspective of adult learning at least, I find that the responsibility is on the learner to decide what s/he wants to get from the project. Those who engage and contribute will carry skills out into their work that will award them greater opportunities from demonstrating competence than those who don't, even though most will still earn their credentials.
ReplyDeleteI also appreciated your point that a wiki is a great tool for distance or traditional classrooms. I so often consider only the distance approach (as I have taken every course in this program online from TX!) but overlook the impact it might have on in-person learners who have different styles and preferences.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you KLM. You have a great point that even the bottom of the class will graduate with the same degree as the top of the class. And, you are right, it is the responsibility of each adult learner in any course, project, or personal growth to decide how much they want to learn from the what he or she is trying to learn.
DeleteMy post is from what I have learned through research and what I have learned as a "learner" from using Wikis as a collaborative educational tool. I found them just as effective in a face-to-face setting. Students only have a limited amount of time even in traditional brick and mortar institutions to interact. The Wiki project is another tool to allow students to collaborate outside of class time. The Wikis I have been participated in were used in conjunction with discussion boards which has allowed me as a less vocal person in a face-to-face classes to participate in discussion more. I say from my own personal experience using them, I think they are a great additional tool for educators to bring more skills to an adult learner. It is not just the content (which is important) but allows for students to work on teamwork, acceptance of others' perspectives, and a realization that when a task needs to be completed, the members of a group can make up for any one person's weakness because it is may be the strength of another.
Good afternoon Vee,
ReplyDeleteI have limited experience in creating a wiki. When I started the wiki project, I was nervous about utilizing different technology tools, but after spending time exploring the format tools, and embed tools I was able to realize how a wiki could be a helpful tool in higher education. I agree a wiki can be used similarly to a discussion board and it provides a great place for brainstorming, problem-solving, developing ideas and coming to a group consensus (West & West, 2009, p.5). A disadvantage to using wikis is not all team members make an equal contribution. According to Forment, Pedro, Casan, Piguillem, & Galanis, 2012, “some students fake edits, abuse copy and paste, or alter their participation in other ways” (p. 75). When an instructor is designing the requirements for the wiki assignment, it is crucial to provide clear expectations.
Colleen
References
Forment, M.A., Pedro, X.D., Casan, M. J.,Piguillem, J;& Galanis,N. (2012). Wikis in collaborative educational scenarios: Integrated in LMS or standalone wikis? International Journal of Distance Education Technologies. 10(4),72-81. DOI:10.4018/jdet.2012100106.
West, J. A. &West, M. L. (2009). Using wikis for online collaboration: The power of the read-write web. (1 st ed). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Colleen,
DeleteOne of the reasons I took a course on integrating technology was because it is one of my weaker areas of expertise. If I expect to have a large and varied "toolbox" of tools for teaching, I need to know my options. And, these pros and cons blogs are a great opportunity to help me make informed decisions on what tools I would like to use in the future. In terms of technology, these blogs have helped to apprise me of what issues I may run into while trying to utilize the tool. Reading others' blogs and the opinions on my own blog has been invaluable.
In the subject of those who "fake" edits and abuse the project in other ways. I have not used Wikis as an educator so I do not know what technology tools are available to check for this. But, I have had peer critiques associated with the Wikis that I have completed in the past, and as long as the peers are honest with their feedback of contributions, it will help the instructor know some of the behind the scenes working of the project.
Expectation management is crucial to a Wiki project, both with the instructor and the team members. The only way to have a successful project is communication and teamwork. Thank you for your thoughtful insights
Vee