Whackypedia is Not so Wacky!
Wikipedia is just another example of how one person’s ideas
can revolutionize the world! My thoughts
on Wikipedia have completely changed after reading this chapter. I was one of those teachers that said
Wikipedia is an unacceptable source for research due to the fact that it can be
changed. I was unaware of the Wiki
police and their system of checks and balances.
I was also ignorant of the benefits of using a wiki in terms of the real
time collaboration that takes place. I
examined some of the wikis listed in the chapter; however I was a bit confused
by how they were set up. After setting up a wiki myself, I found it to
be user friendly.
My goal is to have students create a wiki on plate
tectonics. They will travel around the
world virtually and assemble a unit on ”real time” plate tectonics. This will allow them to monitor volcanic
eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis and discuss the science behind them. I think it will make the unit more engaging for
my students. I think if I have a wiki
for each class, then they can collaborate with approximately 25 of their peers
in the process. I think that may be
easier to monitor rather than one wiki for 142 students. Just like anything you try for the first time, it will be a process of trial and error to determine what works best.
My opinion has also changed because I always thought that maybe all the informatin was not true. We were always told not to let the kids use wikipedia. Now I know it is at least a beginning tool that we can use.
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