The word, "wiki" is the Hawaiian word for "quick-quick" or hurry. Some of the benefits that make the use of wikis so attractive are:
- Anyone (registered or unregistered, if unrestricted) can add, edit or delete content.
- Tracking tools within wikis allow you to easily keep up on what been changed and by whom.
- Earlier versions of a page can be rolled back and viewed when needed.
- Users do not need to know HTML programming language in order to apply styles to text or add and edit content. Very nice! In most cases simple syntax structure is used.
As the use of wikis has grown over the last few years, libraries all over the country have begun to use them to collaborate and share knowledge. Among their applications are pathfinder or subject guide wikis, book review wikis, ALA and CSLA conference wikis and more.
Discovery Exercise:
1. For this discovery exercise, take a look at some library wikis and blog about your findings. Many have been created and stay in use, while others fall to the wayside once it's usefulness is over -- like a specific project or event. Here are a few examples to get you started:
- SJCPL Subject Guides – a pathfinder wiki developed by the St. Joseph County Public Library system.
- Read If You Like wiki by Heather Gruenthal
- Book Lovers Wiki - developed by the Princeton Public Library.
- Library Success: A best practices wiki
- CSLA Conference wiki – an example of a wiki created to support a specific event.
- The Albany County Public Library Staff wiki – an example of a wiki created for library staff to document procedures.
- Library Bloggers Wiki
- Sample school wiki
- Sample Literary Circle Wiki (10th Grade English)
- Sample AP World History Wiki
- http://teacherlibrarianwiki.pbwiki.com/
- pbwiki for educators and librarians
- Other library wiki examples such as library instruction.
2. Create a blog post about your findings. What did you find interesting? What types of applications within libraries and schools might work well with a wiki?
Discovery Resources:
Use these resources to learn more about wikis:
- Wiki, wiki, wiki - from the Core Competency blog of the Public Library of Charlotte-Mecklenburg County.
- Wikis: A Beginner’s Look – an excellent short slide presentation that offers a short introduction and examples.
- What is a Wiki? – Library Success wiki presentation.
- Using Wikis to Create Online Communities – a good overview of what a wiki is and how it can be used in libraries.
Curriculum Connections:
Wikis can be made for any classroom!
- Idea #1: Collaborative note-taking. Students pitch in and add a fact or two about a topic. Teachers can encourage students to include opinions, challenges, and appropriate criticism. Students would then write essays using only these notes. Make sure that each addition includes a citation to website, book, or database, including page numbers so that it can be checked.
- Idea #2: History. Students can compile a wiki of famous artists, architects, writers, and other key historical figures from a city, state, or country. Each student could create a page or contribute a specific section to each page.
- Idea #3: Create "top 10" lists and supporting material. This could include scientists and their discoveries, top writers and their books, ... you get the idea. One list per wiki page.
- Idea #4: Mission trading cards (see Week 3), once completed, could be added to a class wiki.
So what's in a wiki? Find out by doing some exploring on your own.
Suggested "tags" or labels: wiki, wikipedia
[Note: Please remember to include WEEK# and THING# in your heading posts.]
