About Me

My name is Kristie and I'm an elementary teacher in BC. As part of my Master's program I've been tasked with creating a blog. I'm nervous about sharing my educational journey with potentially the entire world. I'm reminded of the countless times I've put my foot in my mouth during casual or professional conversations. Creating a permanent record of what I have to say is a scary proposition.

On the other hand, I'm more than a little intrigued by the possiblility of using blogs with my class. An hour each week of typing practice and Yukon Trail seem like a waste when I consider what I could be teaching my class. So, with some trepidation, here I go. I hope all who read this blog will find something useful in it, and a great big thank you in advance to all those who post suggestions for my teaching practice!

The New World of Blogging

When I was in Kindergarten, someone invented this amazing thing: a game you could play on your television. It was called ‘Intelevision,’ and it let you play games that filled the screen with colourful images. Some people had an Atari, but Intelevision was just as good. We just couldn’t play Q-bert. About five years later, Nintendo came out with their first system. I loved Super Mario Bros. Everyone did. Here was a nice, linear game with just enough timing and memory challenges to make things interesting. The only thing I liked more than Super Mario Bros was Super Mario Bros 2. It had the same timing and memory challenges, but with a few more opportunities to move back and forth, up and down.

When I was in my late teens, something terrible happened. The Nintendo people released a new unit. I think it was the Nintendo 64. Anyway, gone was the old, linear, jump and shoot Mario Bros of the past. This was a whole new game. Characters could spin around in 360 degrees and choose any direction. There was no clear way to go. I tried, but I was soon frustrated. I asked other people, “How do you know what to do?” I was told to search around by some. Others told me there were magazines I could look at that would reveal the tricks and secrets. Lacking the time to search virtual landscapes and not having the magazines at hand, I gave up. Video games became something the other people did, as I am reminded every time I look at my favorites bar and scroll past the numerous ‘cheat sites’ bookmarked by my husband and children. I pretend disdain for these games, like they waste my time, but really they represent a nonlinear way of thinking that my brain just couldn’t master.

Web 2.0 is the new Nintendo 64 in my life. It represents a new, nonlinear, multi-strand collection of information that makes me dizzy. Yet, unlike video games, I can’t choose to just walk away. So, I will endeavor to go on the same quest as my pal, Mario. Just as he’s squished monsters, swam through infested water and jumped over lava, so shall I squish, swim and jump my way through the perilous world of Web 2.0. Here’s hoping that I too shall graduate from linear courses to a more three-dimensional conception of the multifaceted, ever expanding web.

The First Challenge: Choosing a Character

So, what do you do at the beginning of a Mario Bros game? Pick a character. Each has their own unique attributes that make them more or less suitable to each level. Choosing a blog platform is the same. I chose Blogger because Will Richardson recommended it in his book Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms (2010) and, upon trying it out, I found it easy to use. Basically, all I had to do was sign up for an account, pick a background and post. The one problem I did encounter was trying to take the ‘next blog’ button off my blog. Richardson suggests that teachers do this as the suitability of the next blog might be questionable. I tried to edit the code and thought I had done it, however, there was the button at the top. I’m afraid to mess with the basic code now that I have the blog set up, so I guess it will have to stay. Other than that, this blog seems easy to use. I was even able to change the background after the initial set up (the first one was too dark and difficult to read).

Now that I have the blog, it’s time to see Kristie in the land of Flickr and Google Earth.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Rapidamente Mario! Wiki Kristie!


            “Honey, what are we doing Saturday at 3?” Hand cupped over the telephone, my husband looked expectantly at me.
            I searched quickly through my memory – what are we doing? Nothing and everything, as usual. Grocery shopping, laundry, fix the outside blinds. The car needs an oil change and one of our sons has a soccer game earlier in the day. But nothing, technically, scheduled for 3 pm. Feeling a bit put on the spot by the question, I went with the shoulder shrug answer and listened while my husband rang off.
         
So, what are we doing at 3…?

The Wii at three and wikis anytime

            When Nintendo came out with their Wii game, who knew that it would be so interactive? It wasn’t long after I picked up the game that my husband and his co-workers organized their first interactive Wii Mario Kart challenge. All players logged in at the same time and played a game against each other from the comfort of their own homes. Soon, my sons picked up the idea, and were playing games against people from around the world. Never again would there be one person left with no one to play against.
            Wikis offer the same collaborative effort. Never again does a teacher need to create curriculum resources or assignments in isolation. Never again does one person need to do all the work on a collaborative assignment because schedules don’t mesh. All you need to do is set up the Wiki and let the collaboration commence.

I know what a Wii is, but what’s a Wiki?
         
            A wiki is a website designed to enhance “knowledge management and group collaboration” (Malaga, 2010) by offering a platform that allows “anyone to add or change content, anytime” (Borja, 2006). Created by Ward Cunningham in 1995, wikis were intended to be an “easy authoring tool that might spur people to publish” (Richardson, 2010). Typically, a wiki is set up by single or small groups of users who create a site to host information on a topic. This includes a home page, related pages and links to related material, etc. What makes a wiki unique is that all people who are interested can log on and create or edit content. This way, “a very democratic process of knowledge creation” (Richardson, 2010) takes place, as contributors come to a consensus on what material to include or omit. Information on wikis may seem insecure, but functions such as the history button, which allows the creator to revert to a previously saved page, and user settings, which allow a wiki creator to decide who can and can’t add information, allow wikis to function with a safety net.

I thought wiki was just the short form of Wikipedia!

            Just as I thought that the Wii was just another video game console, meant to help users pass time in solitude, so, too, did I think that Wikipedia was the only type of wiki. While wrong, Wikipedia does deserve special mention among wikis. Just like traditional encyclopedias, Wikipedia contains information on just about everything. Unlike encyclopedias, Wikipedia is created by average people posting on topics they know about, with others adding or correcting information over time. Very unlike encyclopedias, Wikipedia contains current information on a variety of events, sometimes within hours of them happening (Richardson, 2010). Some educators have difficulty accepting Wikipedia as a valid source of information; while they question Wikipedia’s “reliability, completeness, accuracy, and the intellectual rigor” (Head &Eisenberg, 2010) it is undoubtedly a preferred source of information by many.

Wikis for me

            I confess that the Wii has not become a large part of my life. I’ve never had the time to really commit to a game. Sure, Mario Kart was fun, and the invention of the steering wheel holder for the remote made it a little easier to play, but the Wii remains an untapped medium of entertainment at present. Sorry, Mario, but go ahead and toss a banana peel for me anyway.
            Wikis, on the other hand, are becoming a larger part of my life. For anything I need to know, there’s a wiki. If I have a question about something, there’s a wiki. If I have a burning desire to discuss something or contribute information, there’s a wiki. I love horror movies. Always have. I spent a good deal of my younger years watching horror movies late into the night with my friends at sleepovers. I don’t get to watch them much anymore, as my children still a little young and, frankly, my younger son will never share my passion for these movies, but I do make an effort to watch some in October.  Recently I found the site Horror Film Wiki (http://horror-movies.wikia.com/wiki/Horror_Film_Wiki), where I can read about the old school horror movies and vote on a fun ‘Who would win…” poll. I can search for content, log in and edit facts and suggest future content. Using the talk function, I could even discuss films, like the disastrous remake of the original Nightmare on
Elm Street
 movie.
            Other wikis of note, at least for me, are Recipes-Wiki (http://www.recipeswiki.org/wiki/Main_Page), where I can find and add recipes. My favorite cookbook of all time was the one I bought from a school fundraiser. The school had students submit their favorite family recipes, which were all compiled into the cookbook. What I LOVE about the recipes is that each is a tried-and-true, tested recipe used by normal people, which means using ordinary ingredients I usually have on hand and success every time. Recipes-Wiki allows me to access such recipes on a large scale, as well as some more exotic or difficult recipes, if I’m feeling adventurous. Music wikis, like Metal Wiki, hosted by Wikia, provide information about new bands. Metal Wiki (http://metal.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_heavy_metal_bands) provides a list of heavy metal bands which can be used as a starting point when searching for new music. This may seem funny, but think about it. How did we learn about music being created and distributed in the past? We were confined to radio and television. These venues generally only played or promoted bands that were backed by major distributers and whose music conformed to a set of guidelines. A large amount of really great, edgy music never made it to a wider audience that might have been interested. Differences also occur geographically. One of my favorite bands is played frequently by a radio station out of Seattle, but never played here in B.C. Sites created by music fans for music fans offer a chance to promote and share great music. If you see a concert and the band is selling a CD, add their name to the Wiki.
            As for the creation of Wikis, I can only say, “Wiki, where were you last year?” The video Wikis in Plain English (Common Craft, 2008) demonstrates the power of the wiki to allow users to collaborate towards a common goal by giving the example of planning for a hike. One person sets up the wiki and starts a list of items already acquired and items that are needed. Everyone else logs on and amends the list by editing the page. Other pages are added as needed. No need to send an email. No need to get a sitter, meet at a coffee shop and discuss what needs to be done. No need to schedule two more face to face meetings because everyone involved has to go home and check what they have and what their spouses are willing to make before they commit to anything. Last year I was a Cub leader for my son’s Cub troop, and the year before I was just an active parent volunteer. By far, the most difficult task was getting everyone together to discuss the biyearly camping trips plus all the other outings and hikes we wanted to go on. Inevitably, someone wouldn’t be able to come to a meeting (keep in mind that everyone’s busy and everyone’s a volunteer) and emails were hard to keep track of. A wiki would have been the perfect solution.
          Learning to use wikis in the classroom
There are countless ideas on using the wiki in the classroom. Students can “collaborate on study guides, a manual, an encyclopedia or a glossary” (Imperatore, 2009). Wikis can be set up to showcase student’s research projects (Borja, 2006) and experts from around the world can be invited to comment on the projects (Brunsell &Horejsi, 2010). Information can be shared between parents, teachers and administrators by posting information on the wiki and making use of the editing and discussion features (Ullman, 2010).  Problems usually associated with collaboration are ameliorated by the fact that everyone can access the wiki from anywhere. For example, a biology student noted that when working on a traditional poster project, “only one person can take it home, but with the wiki we were able to work equally. Not one person was stuck doing all the work (Brunsell &Horejsi, 2010).
I decided to create wikis for my classroom to deliver part of the Space unit I’ll be teaching this term in Science. First, I had to choose a wiki platform and there are several options out there. Malaga, in an article on wikis used for group projects in an adult educational setting, looks at Schtuff.com, Jotspot.com and Wetpaint.com. Upon review, Schtuff.com same up as a photography site and Jotspot.com was not retrievable. I was not impressed with the initial look of Wetpaint.com. The front page of the site displays a list of popular T.V. shows and the top bar of links includes things like gossip. While this look may prove a positive with older students, it just didn’t look right for elementary school.
            Next, I turned to Wikispaces.com, and decided to use it to create a pathfinder on constellations. You can view this wiki by visiting it at http://divisionfourconstellations.wikispaces.com/.  Wikispaces is the first wiki I ever worked with, and I found it easy to use. Since I already have an account set up and a previous wiki created, I simply pulled up my old wiki, logged in and selected the ‘create a new wiki’ option. The rest was as easy as plugging information onto the different pages.
            Next I decided to explore PBWorks.com. To set up a wiki using PBWorks, you need to sign up by creating a url name and providing your own name and email address. PBWORKS sends a notification to your email with a link back to their site. Once there, you need to choose between free access or two other account options, one costing $99/year and the other $799/year. I’m sure there are many great option offered for the costs, including the ability to use the wiki for commercial purposes, but since I have neither $99 to $799 dollars to spend nor the intent to sell anything, I opted for the free wiki.
            Once my wiki was set up, I was directed to the front page. By clicking edit, I was able to add content as easily as creating a document on a word processing program. To create new pages, I just clicked on the ‘create page’ located to the upper right. I was also able to embed links to other pages by clicking on the page listed to the left. The page, written in blue, appeared on the current page. Once the content was saved, I could click on the links and visit the other pages. When editing a page, a tool bar similar to the one at the top of a word document appears at the top of the page. One very useful tool on the tool bar is the ‘insert’ tool. When you click on insert, a drop down box appears. Among other items, this box lets you insert a video. If the video is from YouTube, the insert function lets you imbed the video. Students can click the arrow on the video and watch right from the page. I know my students will be thrilled to create these kinds of links.
            I decide to use PBWorks to create a pathfinder for an inquiry project that would result in students creating Spaceology books. Having created an entire pathfinder for my students for the constellations project, I opted to have the students collaborate to create the Spaceology pathfinder themselves. To visit this project, go to http://divisionfour.pbworks.com/.
Professional Development Wiki-style
            When I first got our Wii Fit game, someone facetiously suggested that I bring it in and present it at a professional development day. While I admit that Wii Fit seminars are not in my future, Wiki applications for educational professional development are confined only by imagination. If seen as a way of recording and making public professional development efforts, I can’t actually think of any activity that couldn’t benefit from the inclusion of a wiki. For example:

Professional Development Activity
Wiki use
English Language Arts
Create a wiki that includes unit/lesson plans and enrichment activities for a variety of novels. Correspondence between experts or even the author could also be set up (Bowllan, 2008).
Math
Create a wiki that provides links to great math stories, worksheets, games, etc., as well as places to obtain resources.
Science and Social Studies
Use a wiki to create a virtual fieldtrip, a webquest/pathfinder, a repository of experiments or grade specific, content specific sites or texts and invite teachers world wide to use it or contribute their own ideas.
Delivery of mandatory 30 DPA (daily physical activity)
Create a resource of DPA activities that take 30 minutes or less, require little or no equipment and can be done in a variety of environments outside the gym.
Fine Arts
Upload (with permission) famous photos, examples of various artistic techniques, sheet music, drama ideas, dance steps, etc., to share with colleagues. Invite experts to contribute ideas.

These are just a few of the applications. As a teacher-librarian or contributor to my district professional development efforts, I could easily facilitate the start of such efforts. The beauty of a wiki lies not in what I could create alone, however, but in its collaborative nature. I had a discussion about wikis with a colleague recently. I was explaining to her my intention to create a pathfinder for a project on constellations using a wiki to house my links. We got talking about finding information suitable to students of specific ages on the internet. My colleague very quickly offered me access to her files containing sites that she’s used with her class in the past. She even told me how to access them using any computer in the district. This spirit of sharing and collaboration is what wikis are meant to serve. Imagine all such files stored on a wiki, sorted according to curriculum content, grade level, and reading ability.  Now imagine each teacher having access to this site so that they may use it with their students. How useful would that be? The really great thing about creating such a resource using a wiki is that it doesn’t have to be an epic responsibility placed on the shoulders of one individual. Once the wiki is set up, each teacher could add links with a few clicks of the mouse. Five minutes a day could create a dynamic, truly useful resource. The public nature of the wiki also means that we might reap the benefits of other educators contributing to the effort. Parents, too, could contribute or simply have access to what their students might learn, and more informed parents means improved communication and increased opportunities for students to pursue enrichment activities outside the classroom.

References


Borja, R.  (2006, April). Educators Experiment With Student-Written 'Wikis'. Education Week, 25(30), 10.  Retrieved October 23, 2010, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 1017773191).

Bowllan, Amy.  (2008, September). A Wiki Gives a Worthy Book New Life. School Library Journal, 54(9), 20.  Retrieved from http://www.trailfire.com/joannedegroot/marks/236936

Brunsell, E., & Horejsi, M.. (2010). Wiki, Wiki! The Science Teacher, 77(4), 12.  Retrieved October 24, 2010, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 2064628691).

Common Craft. (2007). Wikis in Plain English. Retrieved from http://www.trailfire.com/joannedegroot/marks/217495

Imperatore, C.. (2009, March). Wikis and Blogs: Your Keys to Student Collaboration & Engagement. Techniques, 84(3), 30-31.  Retrieved October 23, 2010, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 1667558511).

Malaga, R.. (2010). Choosing A Wiki Platform For Student Projects - Lessons Learned. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 3(2), 49-54.  Retrieved October 23, 2010, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 1981675671).

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. Thousand Oaks, Ca: Corwin.

Ullman, E.. (2010, August). Working Wikis. Tech & Learning, 31(1), 18.  Retrieved October 24, 2010, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 2112838461).

Posted by Mrs. Ox at 9:30 PM

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