Thing # 16: Wikis

I clicked on the sandbox link on the Library2Play site and went to the sandbox. Then, I edited the page by adding my comment on the top with my name. It was so easy. I think I felt really comfortable because I took Dr. Matthew's Young Adult literature class and she required we use the wiki to post on a regular basis. I was reluctant at first, but I enjoyed it once I knew how to do it. I think they are a great tool for teachers and librarians.

As a librarian, I hope to teach the teachers in my school to set up and use wikis. Students could get the passwords and contribute about their experiences or ideas for the class. I think students welcome wikis because they sometimes don't feel like part of a team at home. So, when we offer them an experience like wikis in school, where they are made to feel part of a team in their class, they feel welcome and appreciated. And they also feel like they have something to contribute to the class. Hopefully this idea eventually becomes that they believe they have something to contribute to the world. They can add links they find about a topic for a particular class, or a key part of research they have been assigned that will be shared with the rest of the class. Wikis really make collaborative learning and "jigsaw" type learning so easy. I look forward to using them in my classes in the library.