wikis

=What is a wiki?= A **wiki** is a quick, easy way to make an easy, quick website!. Creating content on a wiki page is as simple as clicking an "edit" button, then typing (or pasting a picture). In other words, a wiki is like a blank webpage you can write on with simple tools--text, photos, graphics, videos, links and more. ANYONE CAN DO IT!

Wikis are sometime used as collaborative websites because the owner can "invite" others to be members of the page. This gives the invitee the ability to add content to the wiki pages as well. Now THAT's collaberation

=Wikis in Plain English= Here's a short video that will help to explain what a wiki is and how it works:

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== =Using Wikis= One of the first, largest and most famous wikis is [|Wikipedia], a free collaboratively edited online encyclopedia to which you and your students can contribute. While there is [|much controversey] surrounding the use of Wikipedia as a research tool, it is an excellent example of what can be done with a wiki! More than a third of American adult internet users (36%) consult the citizen-generated online encyclopedia Wikipedia, according to a 2007 nationwide survey by the //Pew Internet & American Life Project//. And on a typical day in the winter of 2007, 8% of online Americans consulted Wikipedia.

Wikis are also being used to [|create textbooks and books] including some specificially [|for young people], and for those who may need textbooks in other languages. There is a compendium of quotations at [|Wikiquote], a [|Wiktionary] (free multi-language dictionary and thesaurus), [|Wikiversity] with thousands of learning resources, and even [|WikiNews]--news you can not only read, but edit and write!

Wikis are being used successfully in classrooms from Kindergarten through graduate school! Here are some examples that are sure to generate some ideas for you.

=Examples?=


 * ATN Reading Lists Over 1400 reading lists from **//All Together Now//** by theme, subject area, author and more. "By using wikispaces, the lists can be updated, added to, deleted from, corrected, etc. by librarians all over the world. How exciting is that!!"
 * [|Electronic Literature Organization - Library of Congress/Archive-It Project] Yes, the Library of Congress is using a wiki!
 * From the University of Calgary: [|http://pages.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/~saul/wiki/pmwiki.php]
 * My online courses at Metropolitan State University are offered as examples. Although these have taken some time to develop, they contain information, videos, screencasts, podcasts, assignments, tutorials and an on-line discussion board (open 24-7)
 * EDT 3010
 * EDT 3610

**Five Tools**
Popular tools for creating wikis are:


 * [|PBWiki](also known as Peanut Butter Wiki) (Ad-free [|for educators]).
 * WikiSpaces Offers free ad-free wikis [|for K-12 educators], embeddable easy -to-use [|widgets], frequently asked questions (and answers) from teachers, five [|quick tours] of WikiSpaces, and more.
 * [|WetPaint] Free wikis with a special section for educators and [|ad-free wikis], too.
 * [|SeedWiki] Another ad-free wiki site with a [|special classroom section].
 * [|PikiWiki] Free wiki space with drag and drop interface for some computers and some browsers. They offer [|10 great ideas] for using a wiki--specifically, of course, PikiWiki, but they apply to almost any wiki.

== =Learn It!= Click on the videos below. Remember, you can have the video AND your browser open so that you can follow along with me. But don't hesitate to pause the video, back it up or fast forward, depending on your need.  Thousands of widgets to put on your wiki: http://www.widgetbox.com/ http://widgets.yahoo.com/search/new http://www.widgipedia.com/ http://www.dashboardwidgets.com/showcase/details.php?wid=137 http://www.yourminis.com/ || Some cool stuff to do on your wiki (qualifies as widgets): http://gettingtrickywithwikis.wikispaces.com/ || Great fonts, a counter, and a wonderful newspaper inclusion: [|http://21stcenturyteaching.pbwiki.com/JAZZ up your Wiki] || http://workingonawiki.wikispaces.com/ Great wiki on making a wiki!
 * //**Topic**// || //**Feature film**// ||
 * //Creating your wiki (you're on the web!) // || [|My Wiki] ||
 * //The settings in your wiki// || [|Settings] ||
 * //Editing features// || [|Editing] ||
 * * //toolbar// || Toolbar ||
 * * //font changes// || Fonts ||
 * * //bullets and the separation line// || Bullets ||
 * * //linking// || Links ||
 * //Inserting// || [|Inserting] ||
 * * //documents and graphics// || Graphics ||
 * * //a new page// || New Page ||
 * //The Navigation Bar// || [|Bar] ||
 * //A jazz session// || Jazz ||
 * //Widgets// || [|Widgets] ||
 * More of a visual learner?**

**Sites to check out:** Susan Brooks-Young maintains the [|webtoolsforeducators] wiki where teachers can learn about Web 2.0 tools and see examples.

== =Learn More!=


 * Getting Started with Wikispaces
 * Getting Tricky with Wikis
 * [|How to Find Wikis] A screencast on how to find wikis on any topic in wikis.
 * [|How To Create a Wiki Using PBWiki] A slideshow that will walk you through the steps.
 * [|How to Make a Wiki] A wiki with downloadable Powerpoint presentations
 * Learn How to Get Your Own Wiki Tutorial for Wikispaces with movies
 * [|25 Tools: PBWiki] Activities designed to acqaint you with Peanutbutter Wiki (PBWiki)
 * [|PBWiki Educator Videos] A series of short videos about PBWiki designed just for educators
 * [|PBWiki Helping Educators] A video about wikis, PBWiki and how it can be used in education. Part of a [|series on PBWiki].
 * [|Wiki Walk-Through] A step-by-step guide to wikis for educators.
 * [|Wiki While You Work] A video tutorial (movie) by Mark Wagner
 * Wiki Sandbox Most wikis have a "sandbox" where you can play and explore. For WikiSpaces it is here.
 * Most wiki sites provide tutorials specific to that wiki, for example: [|WikiSpaces Tour.] They also have a presentation you can use to introduce wikis to teachers and some "getting started" handouts. Find them here.

== =More Info!=

For more about wikis:
 * Educational WIkis a wiki all about wikis
 * [|How would you use PBWiki in the classroom?]15 good ideas for using a wiki in education
 * [|Think WIkis] Basic info about wikis, how to use them in education, examples, hosting sites and more.
 *   [|Using Blogs and Wikis for Your Portfolio] A slideshow full of good ideas for creating your own professional portfolio--or for students to highlight their own work.
 * [|The Way of the Wiki: Building Online Creativity and Cooperation] from Edutopia
 * [|Wiki Tool Box--30 Wiki Tools and Resources]
 * [|Wiki Wisdom: Lessons for Educators]