Wikis


What Are Wikis?

 

*"Simplest online database that could possibly work."

*A wiki is a software that allows users to create, edit and link web pages easily.

*Best known wiki: Wikipedia

*Wiki supports hyperlinks and has a simple text syntax for creating new pages and

crosslinks between internal pages on the fly.

 

History of Wikis

 

*Wiki Wiki is a Hawaiian word for "Fast"

*Ward Cunningham developed WikiWikiweb in 1994 and

installed it on the internet domain on March 25th 1995.

*Cunningham named it after a Honolulu shuttle bus line named "Wiki Wiki."

*Cunningham developed Vannevar Bush's ideas by allowing users to "comment on and change one another's text".

*Today some companies use wikis as their only collaborative software and as a replacement for static intranets.

*There may be greater use of wikis behind firewalls than on the public Internet.

 

How Wikis can be used in the Classroom

 

*Students, teachers and parents can collaborate and present information on a wiki.

*A wiki could be used to build a classroom dictionary of terms or historical events.

*Students could research new topics, and collaborate what they find on a wiki.

*Wikis can be a great study tool for students. Students could each contribute a set of notes and commentary for other students to have access to.

*Wikis could also be used to enhance professional collaboration amongst teachers.

*For example, teachers in a department or district could build a curriculum, or simply just post lesson plans and assignments.

*Teachers can use wikis as a portfolio showing development of a project.

 

How to create a Wiki

 

*First locate the "New Page" link on the side menu on the left side of the screen.

*A new page with a single text box at the top will appear. Enter the name of your new page. Make sure that you don’t include any spaces in your title. If you need a space between words in the title, put an underscore _ in place of a space. 

*When editing a Wiki open the page you wish to edit, and click on the button “Edit this Page” at the top.

*When editing only one person can edit the page at a time.

*If you are familiar with word, wikis use very similar tools such as bold, underline, italics, font size, style and color.

*To add an image, while on an edit page, simply click the "insert image" link and browse your files to find the image. After you upload image, save and test.

*To add a document, while on an edit page, simply click the "Attach file" link and browse your files to find document. After you upload, save and test.

* Once you edit your page make sure you save! Save as often as possible!

 

 

This video will help you create your very own Wiki page!

 

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Sources

 

http://wiki.org/wiki.cgi?Whatiswiki

 

http://thwt.org/historywikis.html

 

http://wiki.binghamton.edu/index.php/a_brief_history_of_wikis

 

www.youtube.com

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/wiki

 

 

Presentation Documents

 

This is our PowerPoint presentation:

wikis.ppt

 

 

Our group also passed out a handout:

Project for edu.. CLASSROOM WIKI HANDOUT.doc