Wikis as Education Tool Essay Example for Free

Wikis as Education Tool Essay With the development of today’s technology, it has allowed the creation and proliferation of information in a more convenient manner. Due to this, individuals have used this towards achieving competency and gaining the necessary foundation for learning that paves the way for improvement. Seeing this, instruments such as â€Å"wikis† have allowed the creation and further expansion of data. By taking into consideration the advantages of this mechanism in education, it can further harness the way educational goals are administered and achieved. The development of the term ‘wiki’ in education started in 2006. It is composed of information that is subject for changes and improvement on a particular subject given. â€Å"Wikis are more versatile than a class blog, because blogs are typically one way communication and Wikis are updated by teachers and students† (Wetzel, 2008, p. 1). Since this idea is powered by the internet, it allows people to actively collaborate and contribute both information and insights on a subject, thus widening the horizons for change (Baird and Nye, 2009). Its creation originates from a posting of a particular topic of interest. Under this, the user then allows his/her work to be subject to editing and updating on areas that need further expansion. â€Å"Wikis improve upon more traditional modes of writing collaboration like sharing paper and document files since a wiki page is shared on the Internet and easily accessed and edited online† (Baird and Nye, 2009, p. 1). At the same time, since its creation, it has adopted new approaches that have made this process more user-friendly and applicable to all. â€Å"The use of hyperlinks, tables, images, media, as well as incorporating the customized layout that we see with carefully designed web sites is present in wikis† (Baird and Nye, 2009, p. 1). Looking closely at the content associated with ‘wikis’, the topics offer a myriad of information that students can deem to contribute. It can look into areas of Natural Sciences such as Biology, Physics, Chemsitry, etc. or other topics such as History, Mathematics, Religion, and Sociology. The presence of this diverse subject matter exemplifies its potential in creating an active environment for learning and enhances educational goals and objectives (Elgort, 2007). That is why continuing strategies should be explored to actively tap on its strengths and capability as an instrument for teaching and facilitation. Realizing the relevance of such approach in education, I feel that it can be an essential device for intensifying training and facilitate learning. In doing this, I need to understand the parameters and scope of what my subject of interest would be. After this, I have to actively link this on how I wish to use ‘wikis’ to encourage cooperation among my target students. â€Å"Decisions need to be made not only about how information is structured but also what navigational support is provided to the reader, and these decisions are crucial to the ways in which the reader interacts with the wiki† (Elgrot, 2007, p. 234). I feel that this is an initial step in making sure that the initiative is in-line with the objective, needs and standards mandated. After this, the next step involves the creation of an active system wherein students can explore the meaning of the subject and point out their relative inputs and understanding based on the information provided. This means that communication and interaction via the website is an important agenda to consider. By highlighting areas wherein changes or modifications can happen, it can increase the likelihood of participation and further acquisition of knowledge and information. To conclude, the creation of wikis is one instrument that technology has provided to humans today. By actively exploring its capabilities, it can be seen that this setup can be applied to intensify and increase learning objectives. At the same time, as people realize the relevance of such practice, it can be an alternative approach in education which can make it adaptive to 21st century trends. References Baird, R. and Nye, M. (2009) Beyond Wikepedia: Wikis as Learning Tools in CITES EdTech.Retrieved May 11, 2009 from http://www. cites. illinois. edu/edtech/newsletters_articles/articles/baird/beyond_wikipedia-spr09. html Elgort, I. (2007) Using wikis as a learning tool in higher education in ascilite. [online] Retrieved May 11, 2009. 233-238. Wetzel, D. R. (2008) Using Wiki Technology to Engage Students: Educational Technology Strategies for Creativity and Collaboration. Retrieved May 11, 2009 from, http://teachertipstraining. suite101. com/article. cfm/using_wiki_technology_to_engage_students