Result of Wiki Lesson

Well, I finally did it. I created and implemented a lesson plan using a wiki. Overall, I would say that the lesson was a success. As with all group activities, some students had high participation while others had almost none. This problem was probably exacerbated because of the new technology.
Now, I must confess that I did cheat a little. The assignment was designed to be completed outside of class, but I was not just interested in the students learning to use a wiki, I did want them to work together to create debate arguments. So I allowed my students ten or fifteen minutes at the end of several class periods to collaborate face-to-face. Even in hindsight, I beleive this was a good compromise. If all of the work was only going to be done on the wiki, some students would not have participated at all. At least this ways some students did learn to use a wiki, and all students had a chance to contribute. In a follow up reflection survey, none of the students were overly thrilled with or put off using the wiki as a tool for collaboration.

The next assignment also involved group work. While I did not require students to use a wiki for their work, I did encourage them to do so and talked about several advantages of using a wiki for the project. I was a little disheartened when none of them choose to do so. They would still rather copy information onto a flash drive. At least that is still a positive use of technology. I think to be really effective students need many exposures to new technology like a wiki. A one shot approach does not give students enough opportunity to become familiar enough with the technology to want to use it on their own.

I have posted about 30 seconds of one of my students beginning to present some of the group’s arguments. The two young men in the back were also part of the group and did speak later.
I hung a set of curtain (purchased at local thrift store) in the front of my class as a backdrop for my students. The curtains also add a little more color to an overly white and sterile room. Several rugs and pole lamp also creates a warmer environment for my students. The lectern was built by my grandfather, a deacon in the Baptist Church, he died long before my mother married my father.