Blogs and Wikis

If used effectively both Wikis and Blogs can enhance classroom learning.  Before this week I was very familiar with Blogs but not really familiar with Wikis.  They both can be used to enhance communication and collaboration in the classroom.  Wikis are meant for groups to have equal access to editing and saving a post.  Everyone can change what is written.  It is great for collaboration and coordination.  Blogs are more intended for one author.  Others can comment on posts but cannot change the original post. 

Blogs are great for teachers to run.  They can post calendar items, homework assignments and news articles they want their students to be aware of.  Students can view these posts both at home and at school.  They can respond in the comments section if it is required or if they have a question.  It is also a great tool to keep parents in the loop and involved in the classroom. 

Wiki’s can also be used effectively in the classroom.   They can be used to help small groups collaborate and share ideas even when they are at home.  They can be used to produce a final paper or product where everyone has access to creating and editing it.  They also would be perfect for faculty and grade level teams to use to share ideas or plan curriculum.  Everyone has equal editing abilities and access. 

In order to use Wiki’s and Blogs effectively everyone must have access to a computer and the wiki or Blog itself.  In a professional setting this may not be a problem but with students, particularly in low income areas this may be a problem.   They may not even have a computer or internet access at home.  Teachers need to be aware as to what students can access at home.  Also, anytime you send students to the internet they could potentially run into predators or inappropriate material.  It would be best to keep blogs and wikis private so that only those the author has given access to can view them.  As with anything in the classroom a teacher would just need to do their best to monitor what is happening within the blogs or wikis and teach students responsible behaviors.