Sunday, August 12, 2007

Week 7 - Thing 16 - Wikis

Wikis are a great social networking concept. Using them for specific events, like the CSLA Conference, can provide a forum where everyone who would like to can contribute. It goes well beyond the informational web page, in that an opportunity and means to add your input is provided.

The idea of using a wiki for a classroom is pretty cool. The class members can make up the community, and soliciting input from them gives value to each participant. I can see possibilities for book discussions, etc.

One of the strengths of wikis, the idea that anyone can contribute, can also become a pitfall. One who uses a wiki as a source of information needs to understand that the information may or may not be valid since the contributions are not authoritative. The user must beware and verify information for him/herself.

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