M. Coleman Computing

The 'Unveiling' - #6c

2006-04-22T11:14:00.000-04:00

I opted to go with PB Wiki primarily because I had some familiarity with it and with the time crunch, I wanted to have some beginnings of closure (an oxymoron indeed!). Given more time, I would also explore Stikipad and the following in more depth: Wetpaint, Writeboard, Mediawiki, and Seedwiki. The options for wiki software continue to grow and thus, it is important to keep ones eyes and ears open!

Since I’m not a nurse educator, I spoke with one of our nursing instructors who has been a supportive spectator in my wiki venture. We brainstormed some ideas and came up with a scenario on end of life issues that she will be teaching next semester. Again, in the interest of time, I developed a scenario that will likely need much tweaking before its official use, but I share with you now as a sort of culminating accomplishment of my wiki ‘expertise.’ This wiki is password-protected (lwit is the password), but I invite you to explore the editing features if you want to add anything.

A big thanks to my group members, Josh, Julie, and Marie Y. for all of your comments! Though, I may not have responded directly to your feedback, I did treasure the thoughts and the ideas – most of which are incorporated in both postings and the development of the upcoming blog paper! In addition, I’ve learned so much about e-portfolios, telecentres, and professional development in all of your postings – what a wonderful educational experience!

Wiki Software Part 2 - #6b

2006-04-19T07:05:00.000-04:00

To continue my thoughts on wiki software, Schwartz, et. al. (2003, p. 3-4), outline specific criteria for selecting a wiki for educational use, such as cost, complexity, control, clarity, common technical framework, and features. Though some of this technical information was beyond my scope, the authors’ list is a great framework from which to begin in-depth exploration. The obvious factors such as cost, user-friendliness (support, ‘sandbox’), password protection, archiving, WYSIWYG editing, hyperlink insertion and history tracking were all listed. In addition, such features as equation editor (if math-oriented), drawing whiteboard (diagram/drawing tools), polling, spell-check, and emoticons were also included. The authors found more similarities than differences in their comparisons. Since this article is dated (in Web 2.0 world), I decided to explore some of the potential wiki software myself.

The wiki matrix was my first stop - a nice comparison tool. Questions regarding features such as, history page, WYSIWYG, software v. hosted, domain, and corporate branding are part of the wiki matrix wizard, which yielded seven different wikis for my consideration. There is also the side-by-side compare available which allows a look at cost, hosting features (i.e., bandwidth, ads, storage), security/spam, support/technical and other special features (such as embedded video, image editing, statistics, feed aggregation and many more that I would not have thought about…). All seven met the basic features I was looking for, but I eliminated two since there would be a fee for more than five users and another one due to overall fewer features. I checked out the websites of the remaining:

Central Desktop – very comprehensive looking tool with many features well outside the basic wiki and probably more appropriate for business. Since it is much more than a wiki, it would not match my purposes for an educational wiki at this time. However, when more educational interfaces move into a web-based world, this type of social software has potential.
PB Wiki – currently pushing educators to try and provides education-related templates. I’ve had a little bit of experience with this software and have found it to be relatively easy to comprehend – like anything, one needs to try it!
Stikipad - this one looks promising as well, selling itself with various uses from planning a vacation to setting up a party to more serious work ventures. I like the personalization aspect, as well.
Wikispaces – free only to public and non-profit and is popular among many of the educational sites. At first glance, this one looks competitive, as well, however, I’m not sure that I would want to “invite” group members via e-mail (labor intensive), rather than just provide everyone with a password – perhaps there are settings to avoid that issue.

These last two postings have been important and practical tools for implementing a wiki. Consciously selecting a platform (despite possible similarities) for desired pedagogy and outcomes provides additional thought towards purpose of technology to support learning. I’m hoping to ‘unveil’ my LWIT wiki for practical nursing students in my concluding post!

Schwartz, L., Clark, S., Cossarin, M., & Rudolph, J. (November 2003). Educational wikis: features and selection criteria. Athabasca University Online Software Evaluation Report. Retrieved April 16, 2006 from http://cde.athabascau.ca/softeval/reports/R270311.pdf

Wiki Software - #6a

2006-04-17T20:51:00.000-04:00

On the practical side, once one has decided that a wiki is an appropriate technology choice for the educational environment, the next decision: what is the available wiki software? and which one is best for my purposes? I found a couple of articles and a website relating to these topics.

Both articles review some of the basic information about wikis previously shared in other posts, but they also extract some new material related to wiki software and potential use. I will share one in this posting and conclude in the second posting later this week.

Mattison (2003) brings up the feature of RSS aggregation and syndication, which at the time was apparently rare, but now appears to be more common – but certainly a feature to look for when comparing software. He also points out the characteristics of search and navigation tools within the wiki, which would be especially important for a large database of information (i.e., Wikipedia), but I’m not sure that it is that crucial in a class project. Eventually, he compares and contrasts various wikis, including Twicki and Zwicki, thus the title of his article.

So what did he conclude? In his words, “You can lead just about anyone to a wiki, but no one who's not sufficiently bold or has had previous wiki experience will take that first tentative step at changing someone else's creation. So group dynamics in a wiki require a dedicated group to start and keep the wiki alive as long as it's needed. Group or community wikis are first and foremost about collaboration: That's the whole point of the radical (and still controversial), open editing solution devised by Ward Cunningham” (Mattison, 2003). His comments are well taken, and though there is no one great wiki software, the need to think deeply about the use (i.e., collaboration), the wiki experience, and the group dynamics will help determine the success of whatever wiki software used. This goes back to the idea of the purpose being more important than the technology, per say. I’m still convinced there is an appropriate use for wikis in the post secondary vocational tech center environment and I want to commit to the best software to make the process as easy for first-time users, as possible.

One more note: Mattison (2003) exemplifies an excellent contrast between blogs and wikis to consider, “Wikis are by default open to anyone within the domain served by the wiki, but can be secured against unauthenticated (uninvited) users. Blogs by default are secured against open collaboration, but can be managed for limited collaboration, usually via appended comments or a threaded discussion forum.”

Mattison, D. (April 2003). Quickiwiki, Swiki, Twiki, Zwiki and the Plone Wars Wiki as a PIM and collaborative content tool. Information Today, Inc. 11, (4). Retrieved April 16, 2006 from http://www.infotoday.com/searcher/apr03/mattison.shtml

More Wikis! - #5c

2006-04-12T10:41:00.000-04:00

Though blogs have been showing up in the news media both as a topic of discussion and as an avenue for interaction, the wiki phenomenon has yet to make the same splash!  Just recently, however, I’m seeing them as the subject in educational articles.

At the University of California, San Diego, wikis became the focus of an article in the online student newspaper.  It seems some tech-saavy students decided to use a wiki as a “study group” to “compile [their] answers” in preparing (or was it ‘cramming’) for their final exam.  The article reviewed some of the same issues posted previously in this blog, to include:  ease of use, collaborative (including contributors v. “freeloaders”, and openness versus privacy control (i.e., password-protected).  In addition, the article indicated that due to the potential for inaccuracies in the content, the wiki has risks (just as face-to-face study groups) and that due to the “sharing” nature and possibility of academic dishonesty, code of conduct policies may need to be addressed.

The Education Week article describes wikis in use at various schools.  The issue of security and privacy is once again determined a bit of dilemma, but the password protection or “internal secure wireless network” are seen as appropriate solutions.  The one emphasis I really applauded is the need to expose students to this technology tool not only for developing and constructing content-specific knowledge, but also to discuss ethical principles for social software.  The importance of future connections is also key as the author pointed out the increasing use of wikis “in the business world for tasks such as tracking projects, brainstorming, and writing and editing documents online, negating the need for back-and-forth emails and meetings” (Borja, 2006).

The continuing publication of wiki usage in business and in schools is helpful to make them a recognized tool for collaboration, but also to discuss the appropriate uses – again trying to address the when, how and why questions.  I am further encouraged in developing the proposed wiki in my educational institution.  I plan to explore different wiki software and develop the framework for my wiki as next week’s goals.

Borja, R. R. (April 5, 2006). Educators experiment with student-written ‘wikis’: Malleable, open-ended web sites seen as aid to collaborative learning. Education Week. Retreived April 12, 2006 from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2006/04/05/30wiki.h25.html?querystring=wikis&levelId=1000

Kogan, V. (April 2006). New technology makes studying more wiki, less wicked. The Guardian Online (University of California, San Diego Official Student Newspaper).  Retrieved April 12, 2006 from http://www.ucsdguardian.org/cgi-bin/features?art=2006_04_03_01

Wiki Textbooks - #5b

2006-04-11T21:35:00.000-04:00

Thinking back to the introduction of online newspapers, I remember my negative reactions to the prediction they would take-off in readership. No way would I give up my daily morning dose of turning newsprint to discover the world’s current events! Well, life played out differently for me – though I still hold on to my Sunday newspaper, I let my fingers navigate through the online version of the local paper (and oftentimes, the Miami Herald and the New York Times – which I would not be buying in print!) the remaining six days of the week.

So can wikitextbooks be a viable alternative to the current paper textbooks adopted and used in our schools today? Can we morph from a linear resource to a hyper-text collaboration? There are some in existence (and presumably in use) already – as exemplified by the South African curriculum (physics – media wiki), Wikijunior (Everything from Ancient Civilizations - Aztecs to Dinosaurs) and Wikiversity. No doubt the interactivity of wikis is a double-edged sword with interaction not only opening the doors for increased learning, but also allowing for the potential ‘wiki grafitti.’ However, the thought of being able to update content to reflect current information and knowledge, as well as the lower cost should invite further inquiry.

In the U.S., there is an emerging venture to use wikis for online textbooks in educational institutions. Education Bridges’ Wikitextbook Project is in the early stages of promoting wikitextbooks as online, free, accessible content which also involves the social construction of knowledge with students as active producers of knowledge (not passive recipients). In addition to “expert” links, there would be current information that would be fluid and collaborative. The obvious hurdles include: maintaining “authoritative” stance and preventing bad information; issues of social disparity and access; acceptance by teachers, parents, and School Boards. Their goals are laudable and I’m anxious to follow the development of this project, since they are truly looking beyond “putting text on the page” to “tying content to validated learning objectives”, among other issues.

Wiki Working Spectacular- Wiki Textbook Project Webcast #8. (March 15, 2006). Education Bridges. Retrieved April 11, 2006 from http://educationbridges.org/WikiTextbook8

The Media Equation - #5a

2006-04-10T18:56:00.000-04:00

The authors of this book offer an intriguing concept that is counter-intuitive to what we normally think – i.e., media equals real life. I was fascinated by some of their examples and quite frankly, can agree to a certain extent. However, much of the tone is so “pop-psychology” and market-driven, that I’ve less faith in the conclusions. My other major concern with the premise of this book is the shaky research ground on which they based their experiments. Their laboratory situations for observation of this behavior seemed false, segmented and unrealistic for the conclusions drawn.

That said, there are some interesting observations made that many of us can relate to anecdotally. For example, I know I would react physiologically, if not psychologically, to a large image on the computer screen increasing in size and “moving” towards me. Almost like an optical illusion, it would appear that the image would jump right out of the screen. I would interpret that as an invasion of my personal space and thus be reacting as if it were ‘real life.’ Thus, could some of their observations be important information for software and web designers? Are we “not evolved to twentieth-century technology?” (Reeves & Naas, 1996, p. 12) or for that matter to twenty-first century technology?

Interestingly, since this book was written a decade ago, there has been a huge increase in ‘media’ tools of all sorts. The growing use and development of social software (i.e., blogs, wikis, podcasts, web 2.0, etc.) with its interactive and personalization components certainly help to promote the ubiquity-like connection of the media equation. Wikis, as a form of media, can be very reality-oriented. Wikis provide an avenue for collaborative communication which can be personalized and modified, though asynchronously. This media is “actively encouraging to use, share and edit each other’s content” (Carvin, 2006, PowerPoint slide 22) – conversational and social.

Carvin, A. (April 10, 2006). Podcast of my CISOA presentation. (link to PowerPoint) Andy Carvin’s waste of bandwidth. Retrieved April 10, 2006 from http://www.andycarvin.com/archives/2006/04/podcast_of_my_cisoa.html

Reeves, B. and Naas, C. (1996). The media equation: How people treat computers, television, and new media like real people and places.

Knowledge-Building Environments - #4c

2006-04-06T19:38:00.000-04:00

Through a working paper, Gerry Stahl, develops his perspectives on knowledge-building collaborations via software environments. His diagram of personal and social knowledge building develops the cyclical steps of creating knowledge through the interaction of individuals, other people and our culture. I like this visual framework as it is a nice summary of some of the components of constructivism. Additionally, it helps put into perspective the notion of ‘negotiation’ of differing ideas that transform to collaborative knowledge. As well, it also highlights the importance of creating public ‘cultural artifacts’ for communicating the new information.

Stahl then outlines forms of computer support to assist in the various steps of knowledge-building. He calls a variety of the characteristics potentially available in wikis, to include: creating notes, searching, sending e-mails when events occur (in the wiki format, one would use RSS feeds, rather than e-mails), historical tracking, asynchronous nature, visible process, and organizational structure. Although there is no date on the publication of this working paper, I will guess that its contributions have been few, if any, since the late 1990s based on his published location and resume information. So, would he evaluate wikis as an appropriate ‘software’ environment for collaborative knowledge-building? I think there is great potential!

Stahl, G. (n.d.) Perspectives on collaborative knowledge-building environments: Toward a cognitive theory of computer support for learning. Retrieved April 2, 2006 from http://d3e.open.ac.uk/cscl99/Stahl/Stahl-paper.html

Knowledge-Building Communities - #4b

2006-04-05T10:17:00.000-04:00

One of the more potent reasons to use wikis in an educational setting is as a collaborative knowledge base. Scardamalia and Bereiter (1994) undertake the concept of educational pedagogy and technology for “knowledge-building” discourse, which they framed as “computer-supported intentional learning environments (CSILE)” (p. 265). Right off the bat, the authors contend that much of technology used in the typical classroom is “reinventing the familiar” and that, though “inventive and sophisticated,” they challenge the amount or quality of understanding (p. 266). Their premise of CSILE is based on three components: purposeful learning, the emphasis on proficiency, and lastly (the focus of this article), “restructuring schools as knowledge-building communities” (p. 266).

The authors go beyond the classroom, looking at apprenticeships and research centers as models for the ‘knowledge-building community.’ Our post secondary vocational programs similarly attempt to apply the ‘hands on’ approach through clinical and practicum experiences as well as externships and co-op placements. These are merely connections though and don’t necessarily mirror the ‘knowledge-building’ prescribed by the authors. Some of the characteristics of ‘knowledge-building’ include:

The product represents some advancement over what is already known - and this is relatively speaking, so could be used in an individual’s gain of knowledge

Significant conversation and participation, i.e., a substantial commitment to communication

A respectful regard and recognition for all participants – for me, this is connected to the “public” nature of the contribution.

This article is dated and the impact of new technologies is significantly different to the author’s suggested alternative of a networked computer community using a shared database to share and build knowledge instead of a dysfunctional classroom environment. Despite that, I think they are definitely on to something and it relates directly to wikis: use of problems to challenge a depth of learning and transformational understanding; “decentralized, open knowledge building, with a focus on collective knowledge” (this is a very powerful facet in that it recognizes not only the negotiation in group discussion in seeking meaning, but it also allows for a new atmosphere of ‘lifelong learning’), and multiple perspectives in a broader sense because it is available to the entire community.

All of these foundational pieces I’ve recently blogged are focused on changing the way we do things in our educational institutions. But the opposite swing of the pendulum is not usually “the answer.” It does come down to when and where and how (as noted in a previous comment). From my readings, it is apparent that there are particular situations that wikis would be more valued than others. Originally, I thought it best to start with introducing wikis as a journaling mechanism as well as them as a resource of updated information and then to follow with the collaborative construction of knowledge through problem-based scenarios. I still think this a practical sequence, but wonder if I should just jump into the ‘knowledge-building’. Any other thoughts?

Scardamalia, M. and Bereiter, C. (1994). Computer support for knowledge-building communities. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 3(3), pp. 265-283. Retrieved April 1, 2006 from http://web10.epnet.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu (password-protected - UF library access).

The Fifth Dimension - #4a

2006-04-04T17:55:00.000-04:00

My search for philosophical foundations landed me in the midst of The Fifth Dimension research and practice. The Fifth Dimension is a partnership of post secondary educational institutions and after-school programs to provide play and learning opportunities for children. Though this may seem an unlikely selection for my wiki topic, there are some connections!!

The Fifth Dimension is built upon Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) with origins based on the thinking of such philosophers as Kant, Schelling and Marx. The theoretical framework web page outlines a number of principles. The first is the idea that the practical nature of work (or play) provides humans the ability to form goals, values and outcomes – all of which impact additional progress (Theoretical framework, n.d.). Engagement, then, is a key component of the activity for both present and future success. This appears to be quite sensible, but upon further reading, it appears there is an underlying expectation of engaging all aspects of the human being – i.e., the mind and the body, the emotions and the ‘spirit.’

The second principle focuses on Vygotsky’s social constructivism and zone of proximal development, while the third is similarly related: “An individual engaged in activity is always in contact with a community and its system of social relations that mediate the activity” (Theoretical framework, n.d.). The community and social learning notions are critical in any kind of learning (face-to-face, online synchronous or asynchronous). Furthermore, these situations are representative of the “real” world and serve as a platform for communication, networking, and collaboration – all key components of educational programs.

Using tools not only provides leverage for performing a task, but also “mediate” activity – that is, interact with others, impact the environment, and even create new meaning. This concept in combination with the social activity, the practical application and the engagement factors works well for the Fifth Dimension goals. Further study by Nicolopoulou & Cole (1993) led the authors to conclude that “knowledge, its creation and transmission can be seen as a product of collective collaborative achievement which is influenced by cultural institutional environments” (as cited in Horenczyk, 1996). This powerful statement has the potential to transform the “business” of education – if only in the physical plant alone – if only others are listening…

Horenczyk, G. (1996). [Review of the book chapter Generation and transmission of shared knowledge in the culture of collaborative learning: The fifth dimension, its play-world, and its institutional contexts. In E. Forman, N. Minick, & C. Stone (Eds.), Contexts for learning (pp. 283-314). New York: Oxford]. Retrieved March 29, 2006 from http://lchc.ucsd.edu/MCA/Mail/xmcamail.1996_01.dir/0080.html

Theoretical framework. (n.d.). The virtual 5th dimension clearinghouse and propagation center. Retrieved March 30, 2006 from http://www.education.miami.edu/blantonw/5dClhse/theoretical.html

Pedagogical Praxis & Wikis - #3c

2006-03-31T22:50:00.000-05:00

Pedagogical praxis? The phrase has a nice alliterative ring to it…The basis of pedagogical praxis is “to analytically separate the effects of layers of context and to reintegrate them in a more complex model of the learning process – one that incorporates the emerging social, economic, and technological forces and their implications for cognition and citizenship” (Shaffer, 2004, p. 1402).

This premise is based on the notion of reflexive practice, i.e., “learn to think in action and learn to do so through…professional experiences” (Schon as cited in Shaffer, 2004, p. 1402). Furthermore, Shaffer (2004) incorporates Lave & Wenger’s work in communities of practices and the “different ways of knowing, of deciding what is worth knowing, and of adding to the collective body of knowledge and understanding” (p. 1404).

The combination of pedagogical praxis, reflective action, and communities of practice fit nicely into my own philosophical pocket. Application of the tripod to vocational postsecondary educational environments also has potential. The health field is one that is constantly changing with new and multifaceted information. As well, it is a profession that extensively depends on a well-prepared team of experts. Training practical nurses involves a blend of traditional content in various sciences (with a strong emphasis on skills in basic mathematics, vocabulary, reading and writing skills) and a strong component of the hands-on clinical experience. Reflective practice is in evidence at the hospital setting where students have an opportunity for engagement with medical professionals. Those practitioner circles offer much more knowledge than the classroom, the textbook and even the simulated lab setting.

Finally, I ponder that alliteration, pedagogical praxis, for its connections of new technologies with learning. Discovering technologies that can help students engage in the practices of reflection and community appear to have significant value. Shaffer (2004) found that students demonstrated distinct progression in viewing complex problems, saw technology as more ubiquitous, and internalized new ways of thinking. Given the appropriate setting and structure, would wikis be one of those technologies? I think wikis can be a platform for reflective learning and with the opportunity for input by a variety of medical professionals, the construction of knowledge increases for students. I plan to continue my own wiki knowledge with additional learning framework articles and a look at wiki-books for the next couple of weeks.

Shaffer, D. W. (2004). Pedagogical praxis: The professions as models for postindustrial education. Teachers College Record, 106, 7, pp. 1401-1421. Retrieved March 31, 2006 from http://coweb.wcer.wisc.edu/cv/papers/TCRpedprax.pdf

Wikis and Connectivism - #3b

2006-03-30T21:05:00.000-05:00

George Siemens’ thinking on “connectivism” is not only a fascinating mosaic of what we often discuss in the reform circles, but also an confluence with present and futuristic technologies. This half-hour presentation provides a focal point for us to really think about learning – are our classrooms really learning environments? What is the learning climate? What are the implications for change?

Akin to Friedman’s A World is Flat, Siemens (2006) outlines the accelerated changes in our society and how they are playing a role in all of our lives, including education. Specifically, the increased complexity and distribution factors lead to more individual-centered, but connected spaces – a network or jig-saw puzzle for which everyone has a contributing role. He goes on to say that “connections, not content, are the source of value” and that as educators, we not only need to integrate into the network, but also initiate, create and foster those “pipeline” connections (Siemens, 2006, slide 13).

The attention given to individual learners within a community of active participants is definitely a reason for using a wiki with adult vocational students. With a focus on health science students, the need for involved team work is vital and yet our society has begun appreciate and promote individual differences. These learning competencies reflect the work environment and wikis give an opportunity for experiencing them just as naturally in the learning environment.

There are many other relational points made in this presentation as I continue to ponder wikis as a learning tool. Siemens’(2006) emphasis on diversity and the need for multiple perspectives and on “learners as content creators” sit well with my understanding of the wiki concept. It certainly piggy-backs on the social constructivist perception of learning. His discussion of “know-where” being more important than “know-what” and “know how” speaks to the “capacity to access the knowledge that we need being more valuable than the knowledge that we currently possess” (Siemens, 2006, slide 16). Using wikis and other web-based tools minimizes the out of date information evident in the medical arenas.

Siemens, G. (2006). Connectivism: Rethinking learning. Presentation at Illinois Online Conference February 15, 2006. Retrieved March 26, 2006 from http://www.elearnspace.org/media/Connectivism_IOC/player.html

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Wikis - #3a

2006-03-28T20:05:00.000-05:00

Dr. Ferdig referred to technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) in a couple of comments, so I searched for his recently available online article in the British Journal of Educational Technology for a possible connection to wikis. Though no small feat to find this article (and I’m not sure that I cited correctly?), I discovered it to have some meaning for me in my growing expertise on wikis. The good sensical premise of the writing is that an effective technological “innovation” in education takes into account “good pedagogy…good people…[and] good performance” (Ferdig, 2006). Embedded in this account is the idea that educational technology needs to be content-driven and that technology choice may differ from one discipline to another.

Ferdig’s (2006) review of literature highlights the pedagogical framework of social constructivism:

real-world applications for motivational engagement while maintaining a viable learning challenge (career education in post-secondary institutions revolves around the “hands-on and reality” core since the design of this curriculum is to prepare students for the world of work – the challenge is to keep the difficulty at an appropriate level);

a sense of “ownership” and power over learning (wikis fit well with this concept since the issue of control is a central one);

social collaborative opportunities (wikis invite and expect contributions from the community which, in turn, allow for interactive scaffolding);

creation of documents which demonstrate a new construction of knowledge (the wiki definitely imbues a process of building new understanding with its participatory and often, problem-solving model);

focal point on “publication, reflection, and feedback” (wikis capitalize on this feature with their online distribution via the world wide web and the opportunity for others to comment on their contributions. In addition the “anytime, anyplace, anywhere” power of the wikis Internet capability allow learners to take time for reflection before posting).

The importance of people in the assessment of educational technologies cannot be undermined. Ferdig (2006) indicates the importance of many levels of dialogue (I like this concept as it truly underlies the real value of wikis if teachers permit student control); the significance of authentic, non-judgmental conversations (even with the wiki, this can be superficial, but it is critical that all share the same conditions in the community); the supple nature of individuals in dealing with situations (the wiki is indeed an organic tool, allowing for various levels of control and publication exposure, as well as focusing on the whole as well as the parts); and the equality and holistic involvement of participation (i.e., setting the stage for maximum contributions on a equivalent stage, which can be representative of a wiki project). The importance of the teacher role as facilitator of the wiki cannot be undermined nor underestimated.

Lastly, the issue of performance is addressed. After all, what good is the technological tool if it doesn’t impact performance in some manner? Ferdig (2006) delineates three important criteria:

using the technology in a relevant and applicable way (wikis are not appropriate for every academic lesson – it is critical to use technology as pertinent to the essential goal of the lesson);

relating technology specifically to learner goals and benchmarks, as indicated by the content (wikis can to be structured to relate directly to standards, as appropriate – however, this learning tool may be difficult to measure actual gains in knowledge);

recognizing and measuring the increase in social and emotional, as well as cognitive learning (this is a tough area – wiki or not – but interestingly, the reference to “evidence that humans enter into social relationships with technology” paves the way for wiki use in future research).

One final observation (I know this post is getting long) – Ferdig (2006) cites Shulman (1986), “preparing teachers, some focused on pedagogical knowledge (teaching how to teach) while others focused their attention on content knowledge (teaching about the subject matter…He argued that teacher educators should focus on both…” I strongly agree and find additional dimensions, then, in working with teachers of post secondary adult vocational students, as most of the teachers come directly from the career field, focused on their specialization content, and are not trained educators. That realization means additional focus on training teachers of the use of wikis in my school.

Wikis appear to fit well within the lens of social constructivist theoretical foundations and the additional perspectives of TPCK. The tri-modal structure of pedagogy, people and performance gives credence to the potential of wikis in a learning environment, assuming they are carefully crafted to solicit the positive aspects of all three influences.

Ferdig, R.E. (in press). Assessing technologies for teaching and learning: Understanding the importance of technological pedagogical content knowledge. British Journal of Educational Technology. Retrieved March 19, 2006 from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2006.00559.x?prevSearch=allfield%3A%28ferdig%29

Pedagogies of Wikis - #2c

2006-03-25T09:08:00.000-05:00

At an EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative meeting, Jude Higdon from the University of Southern California proposed the following pedagogies based on their pilot projects:

Student journaling – similar to blogging, students “engage in meta-cognitive reflection” (p.2). Using a wiki, however, a collaborative approach allows for social reflection.
Personal portfolios – wikis can serve as an organizational framework for demonstrating accomplishments. The benefit of a wiki over a webpage or blog once again focuses on the collaboration factor; however, that certainly intrudes on the “personal” nature of the portfolio.
Collaborative knowledge base – this is the traditional and original use of wikis. The value is not only the social collaboration, but also the construction and production of knowledge. The infrastructure of a wiki is ideal for students to share information, query for further understanding, argue and debate concepts, and synthesize their learning.
Research coordination and collaboration – a specific way to tap into the collaborative knowledge base previously mentioned. The ability to provide various levels of access (read only or read/write) allows for others to see the process without disturbing the content.
Curricular and cross-disciplinary coordination – this centrality is primarily aimed at faculty in planning for interdisciplinary learning.
Conference and colloquia web site/coordination – again the framework provides an organizational focus, as well as a resource of informational wealth.
Syndicating/aggregating web resources – this feature of Web 2.0 and the social-networking platforms is available for wikis, which is critical for our new anytime/anywhere learning environment.
Inter-term management – useful for long-term projects that span over semesters or years.

The participatory nature of wikis sets the stage for developmental and transformational learning. At this point, I envision using a wiki at my school in three steps. A wiki for postsecondary vocational adult students could be used for journaling purposes primarily to check for understanding of concepts (i.e., after difficult units of instruction) and reflection (i.e., clinical or coop experiences) and secondarily to improve writing skills. Many of our students have not succeeded in the traditional disciplines, but improve their skills throughout their vocational coursework with the “hands-on” approach. The application of reading and writing not only through their content preference, but also via the kinesthetic and real-world technological tool is considerably more desirable. Using wikis in this way would also be an introduction to the public nature of sharing their writing skills and their ideas. The adults at our school range in age from 17 to 60+ with an equal diversity span of technology skills, but the majority have not experienced social software.

A second step would be to use existing wikis (i.e., Wiki Liver) and/or build new depositories as content resources and to add content to the existing structure. Most of our courses are riddled with new vocabulary and processes/concepts needed to effectively apply their knowledge in a career field.

In order to really capture the social and collaborative strength of a wiki however, we need to move into projects that would be structured by the instructor to engage students in building their own knowledge base. There are a variety of challenges in doing this third step, to include assessment and control of the instructor, but without moving to this dimension, we “undermine the effectiveness of the tool” (Lamb, 2004, p. 45). I would encourage the use of higher-level thinking skills in developing scenarios or problem-based learning, which would model the teamwork and reality of their chosen vocations.

Wikis are a relatively new concept and there is not much research in the field, but I hope to explore topics related to social constructivism for extrapolation to wikis in next week’s postings.

Higdon, J. (2006). Pedagogies of Wikis. Presented at EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative meetings. Retrieved March 18, 2006 from http://www.educause.edu/LibraryDetailPage/666?ID=ELI0626

Lamb, B. (2004). Wide open spaces: Wikis, ready or not. EDUCAUSE Review (39, 5) pp. 36 – 48. Retrieved March 16, 2006 from http://www.educause.edu/pub/er/erm04/erm0452.asp

Wikis' Educational Uses - #2b

2006-03-21T06:29:00.000-05:00

Having reviewed the basic traits of wikis, I find it important to find examples of their use in education. Schwartz, et. al.’s article on educational wikis was repetitive (and somewhat outdated in that some wikis content changes can be pulled in as RSS feeds, just as blogs) in defining wikis, but the section on educational uses provided a starting point for reviewing blogs used in schools. The authors focused on wikis used at universities and found that most were used for non-curricular issues, i.e., activities/events and project management. This again may be due to the publication date of two years ago, since wikis are relatively new tools. The authors do highlight some of the educational features of wiki usage: creating interactive activities, using as a tool for course information and resources, monitoring of discussions, building “communities of practice” and a way to problem-solve.

I determined the need to seek out some specific examples of wikis used in schools for educational purposes. I’ve listed a number of them here. They represent quite a variety in terms of content, audience, and level.

Westwood High School – this wiki is used frequently by computer science students in Vicki Davis’ classes. Projects, discussions, announcements, exams, and content construction (check out the Excel project) are all evident at this wiki site. It seems apparent that the teacher provides a lot of structure and guidance in using this wiki and getting students involved in contributing.

Pre Calculus – I certainly didn’t expect to find a math wiki out there, but why not? This wiki is designed for students (and guests!) to develop a “collaborative notebook” with actual problems and skill questions (see Geometric Sequences).

Mrs. Huff’s English classes – this wiki includes an opportunity for book discussion (see Awakenings in Honors American Lit) and a cool resource page on writing a research paper. The changes page indicates just a few by students recently, but there appears to be potential for real sharing.

Studying Societies at JHK – there is a lot of content at this wiki (though it doesn’t appear to be very creative – looks like a lot of “copy and paste” and no resources!!) – it appears to be for middle school age students, but I’m not sure whether the students actually contributed or not.

Harvard Cyberlaw – Used for discussions, note-taking, critique, as well as links for other websites, the level of sophistication is more evident. Of course, the level is post-graduate and the topic is relevant, as well.

The next two are not used by particular schools, but thought they offered some additional insight as portals for learning.

High school collaborative online writing is a Wikicity for use by schools. This wiki has the aim of promoting collaborative writing and providing a test area where students can do that. Teachers are invited to set up school projects within the wiki. There are no set criteria for the content.

Wiki Liver – I kept this one on the list, as one of the postsecondary adult programs I work with includes all of the health science (i.e., LPN, CNA, Medical Assisting) courses and thought it might be a starting point to demonstrate a specific usage of wikis. It also demonstrates that wikis, though read/write oriented are not limited to words, but can incorporate visuals, as well.

It has been helpful to see how others are using wikis for educational purposes. I don’t think the collaborative potential has been tapped in some of these examples, but I also recognize the novelty of wikis. The practical applications get the juices flowing as to how wikis can be used in my own school, but there’s still much to research. I want to get back to the educational foundations and underpinnings, the pedagogy of wikis – next post!

Schwartz, L., Clark, S., Cossarin, M., & Rudolph, J. (April, 2004). Educational wikis: Features and selection criteria. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning (5, 1) Retrieved March 18, 2006 from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/163/244

Ready or Not - Wikis #2a

2006-03-20T10:39:00.000-05:00

Brian Lamb provides an excellent overview and discussion of the principles of wikis in this article, Wide Open Spaces: Wikis, Ready or Not. As the title indicates, the highlight of this discussion is about the openness of wikis. That characteristic is actually seen on a continuum with the true open editing of WikiWikiWeb and Wikipedia at one end and the more restricted password-only wikis in many businesses and classrooms (see Studying Societies at JHK as an example). As Lamb points out, “The structure of wikis is shaped from within – not imposed from above” (p. 40). This concept helps keep the perspective of its use in education, i.e., for some situations (especially as a new wiki user), the community might be limited. Therefore, the openness trait has some individual control.

He assaults the fear of wikis’ openness with a description of the ethical “soft security” systems of community oversight and the technological tools of “hard security” utilities. Unfortunately, wikis are not totally immune to sabotage, despite the security. Just as when you secure your computer with anti-virus software, spam-filtering and firewall utilities, and spyware software, it doesn’t prevent the possibility of hacker attack and infiltration – but it does minimize that risk. This reality is critical, especially in educating students (as well as teachers, administrators, and even school board members) about the pros and cons of using wikis. The real question is do you stop using (or don’t start using) the technology because it has some vulnerability? Do the benefits outweigh the detractions? I for one cannot argue that point.

Additionally, a common objection to wikis is the lack of style and beauty! Though they do have a look of commonality and serve more function, than design, I would guess that there is a bit more diversity in wikis’ form since the article’s authorship. Based on available templates and “skins,” wikis can take on a personal look to meet that aesthetic quality. Even with the focus on reading and writing, visual literacy can be addressed with the inclusion of photographs, graphics, diagrams and colored fonts. Thus, an introduction of wikis to a new audience would benefit from a stylish and good- looking wiki model, as “any pleasure derivable from the appearance or functioning of the tool increases positive affect, broadening the creativity and increasing the tolerance for minor difficulties and blockages” (Norman, 2002, p. 42).

Another interesting facet of this article is the change from individual to collective writing and how that impacts ownership, plagiarism, and copyright. Interestingly, last semester I found myself citing from blogs and wikis frequently and realized there was no specific protocol in APA Manual! Though the concerns of intellectual property rights are probably far more relevant to those in universities, the awareness and discussion is important – if for no other reason than to explore the alternatives and to challenge blinded mindsets. The nature of wiki content as “ego-less, time-less, and never finished” (Lamb, 2004, p. 38) muddies the waters of ethics in the information age.

There’s more in this article on pedagogical challenges which I will combine with another article on pedagogies later this week…due to this long posting!

Lamb, B. (2004). Wide open spaces: Wikis, ready or not. EDUCAUSE Review (39, 5) pp. 36 – 48. Retrieved March 16, 2006 from http://www.educause.edu/pub/er/erm04/erm0452.asp

Norman, D. A. (2002). Emotion and design: Attractive things work better. Interactions Magazine, ix (4), 36-42. Retrieved March 19, 2006 from http://jnd.org/dn.mss/emotion_design.html

Wiki at work - #1c

2006-03-16T21:07:00.000-05:00

This post is based on a screencast (about 8 minutes long) that demonstrates the editing of a Wikipedia page, in this case an article on a heavy metal band. It is interesting to see the interactions and the development of mechanical, contextual and even the cultural input. As well, there is an example of vandalism at work (and erased).

Since the open editing feature of a wiki is both a positive attribute for the collaborative process and a potential negative impact on the product of content, this screencast was valuable for understanding the wiki in action. The construction of knowledge was evident, as well as the infrastructure of this web-based tool. Strictly from a writer’s perspective, it also displayed what would likely be the profuse drafts an author goes through to get the final product – though in the case of wikis, there is no finality. That characteristic of change and ever-developing content is a reflection of our world, our lives and learning itself.

Vandalism, spam and monitoring of wikis is still an issue. One could assume that a wiki used for classroom instruction would not be viewed often and thus not a victim of destruction, but that may not be the case. So how to control that potential? I continue to find myself drawn to the notion of wikis, but don’t feel I have my “arms wrapped around” the entire concept yet…

Having identified some of the basic traits of the wiki, I’ll next explore wiki examples in education and basic theoretical underpinnings for the use of wikis in learning.

Udell, J. (January 22, 2005). InfoWorld. Retrieved March 14, 2006 from
http://weblog.infoworld.com/udell/gems/umlaut.html

Thinking of privacy issues

2006-03-15T06:27:00.000-05:00

Not directly related to my wiki topic…

I finally took a minute to look at Facebook, though I didn’t create a profile for myself…Both of my neighbor’s kids are home from UF for Spring Break so I looked them up – whoa! My first thought was of voyeurism (me) and exhibitionism (them). I’ve known them (or thought I did) for almost 15 years, but I was definitely surprised at their self-declared profiles, much less some of the pictures and conversation. Yes, there was the partying, profanity, and sexual innuendos (but as old as I am, I still remember my first college days…) – but I was more amazed at the openness. Since it is a public platform, I thought about the lack of privacy – do they realize that anyone can view their profiles – do they care?

This is an example of how one’s private life becomes public in a big way…Social engineering makes athlete choke. Again, I’m not sure that all of the consequences/factors of social software and Web 2.0 are known, but it appears that most anything private can become public, which in turn can influence one’s present and future. As with most anything, there are pros and cons – but it is considerably different! And definitely an area to engage our students in learning about both the choices and the consequences.

Wiki characteristics and history...#1b

2006-03-14T23:17:00.000-05:00

These topics are discussed in two separate, but connected, pages of Wards Wiki, also known as WikiWikiWeb!

Wikis are very much a contemporary tool, but to my surprise they have been used for more than a decade. The first one was born on March 25, 1995 as a supplement to Portland Pattern Repositiory, a computer programming group (most of us in education were just getting access to the Internet and e-mail around that time period – that in and of itself is hard to believe!). Led by Ward Cunningham, the web site was so named to stand for “quick” editing in their computer project.

Now he says, “Wiki has turned out to be much more than I imagined! That is not to say I didn’t imagine a lot.” (Wiki Design Principles, 2006). He then specifies characteristics of wikis to include:

Organic: both the content and the structure are open to development

Universal: uses the same organizational and editing tools as a writer would use, so very little learning needed to contribute

Observable: the editing can be observed and monitored by any viewer

Trust: As Cunningham states, “this is at the core of wiki…Everyone controls and checks the content.”

Sharing: a collective repository of information and ideas

In addition to the recognition that this web-based collaborative tool has been around longer than I’d imagined, I was surprised to see that it is still active! Both pages cited below were changed yesterday – the endurance of such a project is truly extraordinary! As well, I’m still intrigued by the concept of trust – the belief that the visitor will only edit with “good intentions” and that recognizing that doesn’t always happen, there will be a monitoring. I’m beginning to build a solid base of the background of wikis…Getting the breadth, and now want to get some depth on some of these principles.

Wiki Design Principles. (March 13, 2006). WikiWikiWeb. Retrieved March 14, 2006 from http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?WikiDesignPrinciples

Wiki History. (March 13, 2006). WikiWikiWeb. Retrieved March 14, 2006 from http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?WikiHistory

What is a wiki? #1a

2006-03-13T21:10:00.000-05:00

In order to begin my expertise on wikis for postsecondary vocational (PSV) students, I need to determine the definition and characteristics of a wiki.  Exploring any new concept requires (at least for me) a basic understanding and a foundation from which to base additional questions and paths of discovery.   Why not turn to wikipedia as a starting point?!

Wikipedia’s inclusion of wiki is a great example of a wiki itself, with its abundance of related hyperlinks (which provide additional resources) both within and external to the Wikipedia site.  Much of the article is a bit more technical than application in orientation, but there is the basic meaning:  “a type of website that allows users to add and edit content easily” in a collaborative manner.   One can even change the content of this wiki page – according to my retrieval, the wiki page was modified today, 3/13/06 at 10:49 and clicking on the ‘History’ tab, a user (Musical Linguist) made a minor edit.

So, who monitors wikipedia or any other wiki for accuracy of content?  How did these wikis get started in education?  With such openness and potential for vandalism, how do you control (or do you?) the content editing?  How would this type of collaboration help students learn?  Why would a wiki work for PSV students – would the concept work better with some programs or with some teachers?

I look forward to pursuing the answers to these questions (and undoubtedly additional ones) over the next six of weeks.  For this week, I’ll continue to explore the characteristics, examples and foundations of the meaning of wiki – moving toward their use in an educational context.

Wiki. (March 13, 2006). Wikipedia.  Retrieved March 13, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki

Wireless to Wikis...

2006-03-11T21:21:00.000-05:00

Given the couple of days I’ve had to explore Wireless Technologies, I realize the challenges in developing that interest for the purpose of this class. My explorations took me into the world of m-learning or mobile learning, which is just on the cusp of emergence in the United States…interestingly, one can learn Chinese via cell phone and there is a school in South Africa that will begin a pilot of mobile learning for 11th graders with an HIV/AIDs project.

Thus, with the limited time frame and the difficulty of narrowing my topic, my emphasis will be directed to using wikis with vocational students (and though the focus will not be on the wireless/mobile technology, I will use that as a framework in developing my interest). Wikis are both collaborative in nature and constructive in content, which is consistent with much of my beliefs about learning. I’ll plan to find digital connections to define them and tie them to theoretical foundations as well as practical applications – with the focus on vocational students in a wireless/mobile environment.

Mashups?!?!

2006-03-09T17:41:00.000-05:00

A new one for me – “mashup”! This term showed up on many ed tech blogger posts this week so thought I would share.

Vicki Davis’ Coolcatteacher blog is a great starting point and you’ll find many additional links for further exploration (you may also want to add her to your RSS feed).

For me, the integrational components coupled with the ‘digital natives’ now in our school setting begs the questions – “Can’t we do more to systemically change our educational institutions? And if so, how?”

Wireless Technologies: Impact on Postsecondary Career Tech Center

2006-03-09T16:52:00.000-05:00

EME 5404 – Blog Introduction

In The World is Flat, Thomas Friedman describes the last flattener as “the steroids [digital, mobile, personal, virtual] because they are amplifying and turbocharging all the other flatteners” (p. 161). Wireless technologies are accelerating our lives in work, school and home. For example, using personal digital assistants (PDAs) with wireless Internet access and digital photography capacity, teachers can impact visual literacy and research collaboration in classrooms with the use of WebQuests, blogging, and videopodcasting. Problem-based learning scenarios and online simulations can become more realistic as virtual environments are explored digitally and as applications.

As a little background, our postsecondary career tech center is adding a career-focused high school to the campus next year with 150 9th graders, and an additional 150 freshmen every year for a maximum size of 600. All teachers (both high school and postsecondary career tech) have their own laptops with built-in wireless capacity. The high school freshmen will also have their own laptops and there will be others available for checkout for the postsecondary career tech students. The campus is scheduled to go wireless with at least one building next year. Since this technology will be readily available, I would like to focus on its application. I will specifically target applications for postsecondary career technology programs, but will not limit the research, since there is undoubtedly a relatively small amount. I will, however, attempt to transfer any general or other educational information directly to adult postsecondary career areas.

My weekly blog/paper, then, is to explore the applications and connections of wireless technologies as they might apply to student learning in postsecondary vocational certificate classes.