Mccully's+blog+posts

The following was originally published June 20, 2009 at http://smccully2009.blogspot.com/2009/06/wikis-in-my-classroom.html I have thought long & hard on how to include a wiki into my classroom, with great deliberation. I can honestly say…I’m not sure! I think that wiki’s have definite places in education, as evidenced by the video explanation by Richard Buckland, but in a High School setting, the uses need to be carefully weighed. For my classroom, my students are asked to journal their clinical experiences, but I am unsure if that would be an appropriate use of the wiki due to the open nature of the site itself. The greatest potential for my class is using the wiki for group projects, which I do a lot in my classroom. The nice feature of the wiki is that group projects that are started in the classroom can be extended out of the classroom, therefore allowing students more time for thoroughness and creativity. Because High School students notoriously have issues with group projects, the wiki can be utilized to help keep all parties honest and on track. Also, the wiki has a wonderful, built in advantage….no more excuses! No more, “Mrs. McCully, I forgot my homework at home”, or “I left my notebook in the car”. The wiki allows for a more streamlined, and fair way to manage students during group or individual work. I’m still working on the details on how, really, to utilize the wiki in my classroom, but the opportunities are endless with some planning and incite.