Blogs, Tags and More: Making Sense (and Use) of New Internet Technologies
Wiki - what is it and why use it
Wikis are web pages that can be edited "live" using tools that exist within the page. This allows for collaborative web authoring and live updates. The wiki we'll create at TRLD will be called trldplayground.pbwiki.com
Understand | Explore | Decide | Find Out | Get Started | Next Steps | Learn More
 What is a WIKI?
A wiki is basically a simple set of web pages that can be easily created and edited using the tools that exist within the wiki site itself. No software is needed apart from a browser with an internet connection.
Most wiki services require that you sign up for an account (often free), using an e-mail address and password. Some services charge a fee for "premium" offerings, such as access to special features or an ad-free environment.
Wikis are usually hosted on a server separate from your computer. Usually, all the tools you need to add to, personalize or update your wiki are available from within the wiki pages themselves. This means you and others can work on your wiki from any computer with an internet connection. .
Many wikis are also capable of providing an RSS feed to inform readers and users of changes to the page's content.
Explore Educational WIKIs - Wikis can be used for many purposes, but to be successful, you must have a clear purpose. In education, teachers use wikis to communicate with one another, co-plan activities, share knowledge and provide a place for students to do the same in a collaborative fashion. Some wikis are more informative, while others are more editorial.
Wikis are useful for sharing a growing body of information that needs to be edited by more than one person, so they work well for people enrolled in a course together. Here is my own wiki, plus some quality examples of ways to use wikis with and for teachers and students:
Decide if a WIKI is right for you - To Wiki or Not to Wiki...
Compare a wiki to a standard web page, a blog, and a bookmarking service. Wikis are great for information that needs to be edited by more than one person at a time. Wikis do not usually have automatic management of entries via dates or tags.
Find Out About Wiki Services - To start a wiki, you need to sign up for a wiki service. Some services are aimed especially at educators and offer premium features for free. Other wiki services are free because they generate revenue for the provider through advertising.
Start Your Own Wiki - Use one of the services above.
- Know your purpose and the scope of your wiki
- Develop an outline of the pages and tags that you think you'll use (you can always add or edit them later, but this initial structure is important)
- Sign up for a wiki
- Follow the instructions provided by your wiki host.
- Go in and start editing!
- invite others to help add and organize the content.
Enhance Your WIKI - There are several ways to add features to your wiki, change its appearance, and more.
- Add Pages - In addition to blog entries
- Customize Appearance -
- Read the Help pages provided by your wiki service, or look at settings and options!
Learn More - use one of our wikis, http://trld2007.wikispaces.com/ or trldplayground.pbwiki.com
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