Thing 18: Wikis

Yeah!
I'd first heard about Wikis at the TCEA conference in Austin a few years back...never really got it until I saw the great You Tube video explaining it....then it occurred to me that Wikipedia was a WIKI, too! (an aha moment....or a DUH? moment) Not soon after, I decided (with the complete support of my ITS person, LaDonna) that I wanted to play with a WIKI with my students...you know....let them share in my "aha" moment, too!

So.....my plan was to approach my most willing guinea pigs....my third grade team. They were planning on doing a unit on the United States and wanted the students to research each of the states and create a travel guide for the state. So....being the non-humdrum librarian, I one-upped them and suggested that we randomly divided up 101 students into pairs/trios and each person would independently research his/her state, then collaboratively (but not simultaneously) compile the information onto a Wiki page! VOILA!....my teachers had the same look on their faces that I had when I'd first heard the term....I felt so good explaining what it was and sharing my "aha" moment with them.

Needless to say...the project was a huge success and we now have a complete US website with a Wiki travel page for each state! I love WIKIS!!!!