Thing 15: Wikis

I just got finished exploring wikis.  Even though I understand the different uses for them, I still have some reservations.

First, wikis can be really disorganized.  I opened one to many wikis that were too disorganized to make them useful.  One of the reasons that I might find these wikis confusing is because I am not always sure what I should be looking for.  My favorite wikis are wikis on a single subject or group of related subjects, such as books by a particular author.  I know exactly what I can find, and I can look for specific information.

Second, I am still a little confused about how to protect wikis from being modified to contain incorrect information.  I remember being told over and over again in high school not to use wikis because they are not moderated and anyone can put any information they want on them.  If I was going to use a wiki for my class, I would want to be able to ensure that all the information on the wiki would be relevant and correct.

Despite my reservations, I can still see how a wiki would be a useful classroom tool, especially for student projects.  Using the Internet is something students find easy and enjoyable.  Students might be a lot more interested in building a wiki as part of thier book report than they would be if the assignment was to decorate a cereal box (my least favorite project of fourth grade).  I think if I spent a little more time researching the uses for wikis, I would be able to get over some of my reservations. 

I also made a contribution to the APSU 23 Things Sandbox wiki.  I decided to create a page about Thing 6.  The link below will direct you to the page.

My Sandbox Post