wikis

What is a wiki?
A [|nifty introductory video] to wikis.

A wiki is really just a simple way to create a webpage. Simple in the sense that you don't need to know any programming and you don't need to purchase or master a complex web editing software program. A wiki can be edited by one person, multiple chosen people or everyone in the world. This makes it a great tool for collaboration. The most famous wiki is wikipedia, an online encyclopedia created by everyone.

//Use the links below to get some general information about wikis://
 * Take a [|Wiki Walk-Thru] (created by TeachersFirst)
 * [|Wikipedias] - Wikipedia's information about Wikis
 * [|How Stuff Works] - How Stuff Works information about Wikis
 * Educause - [|Wide Open Spaces: Wikis ready or not] (article)
 * Some interesting wiki offshoots ([|Wikibooks], [|Wikihow], [|Wikiversity])

How can you get a wiki?
__Free__ wikis for teachers! Check out the SHORT, but helpful tutorials. http://www.wikispaces.com/t/x/teachers100K Setting up your own wiki - it's __free__ - it is as easy as making a peanut butter sandwich. [|www.pbwiki.com/edu] Free wiki websites where everyone gets a brush http://www.wetpaint.com/
 * Wikispaces**
 * PBwiki**
 * WetPaint**

How can wikis be utilized in education?
Basic: Use a wiki as your virtual chalkboard/whiteboard. It is accessible to parents and students 24/7. [|An example.] Advanced: Let your students collaborate to create a wiki - the possibilities are endless! [|An example.]

Check out Educational Wikis. It is a comprehensive wiki that explains why educators would use wikis. Additionally it has many links to examples of educational wikis. Go on a [|Wiki Walk-Thru] to get more ideas for educational uses.

Here are a few more examples: Mr. Sheehy's English Class Wiki (a teacher at Central High School in Rapid City, SD) [|Woodward Academy Book Study Wiki] [|Holocaust Wiki Project] [|Welcome to David Warlick's CoLearners Wiki] [|Second Life Wiki] The Flat Classroom Project (an award winning global collaboration project) [|Wikis in a K-12 Classroom] The Science Inquirer Study French Dorman History Wiki Spanish and More AP Bio Canadian History (check out cool tools in navigation menu) Check out many more examples of educational wikis. This is another great site called Moving Forward with many examples of teachers wikis.

Watch [|these videos] of educators talking about wikis (also watch on [|TeacherTube])

I need more step-by-step help, what do I do?
Begin by watching the [|tutorial videos] created by wikispaces. There is a pull-down menu with five videos that will help you gain basic skills.

Explore the help site for teachers created by wikispaces.