Overview

A wiki is a website that allows for group collaboration and access to build web resources directly from a web browser. There is typically no prior knowledge of coding or website design needed. Tasks such as building reference lists, preparing for exams, creating a textbook, brainstorming, and planning projects have been made easier with the use of wikis (Ducate, Anderson, & Moreno, 2011). Students tend to be more engaged and create a connection to their work in a collaborative environment as they shift from “information consumers to knowledge producers” (Ducate, Anderson, & Moreno, 2011, p. 497). Studies have shown that students focused more on the content of the information when they engaged in edits and revisions of wiki pages (Arnold, Ducate, & Kost, 2009; Ducate, Anderson, & Moreno, 2011).  

The Social Annotation Model-Learning System combines and emphasizes team-based learning and computer-supported collaborative learning tools to increase student engagement (Johnson, Archibald, & Tenenbaum, 2001). By using wiki subheadings to breakdown material, it helps students strengthen their reading comprehension skills, oral receptive language (if the information is being listened to by the student), and ability to organize and understand the topics being read and researched.

 

Research Rating: Due to the experimental nature of the information cited in this description this information is to be trusted as valid and reliable.

 

Advantages:

• User-friendly, easily accessed, low-cost

• Strong emphasis on collaboration with classmates (Ducate, Anderson, & Moreno, 2011)

• Can be paired with text-to-speech technology or talking pointers

• Information can be translated to different languages

 

Disadvantages:

• Lacks a mechanism to engage group members in a threaded discussion (Johnson, Archibald, & Tenenbaum, 2001)

• Students may engage in “social loafing” or “free-loading” when in a digital collaborative space (Ducate, Anderson, & Moreno, 2011)

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To Consider

• Requires internet access

• Students must be trained (Ducate, Anderson, & Moreno, 2011)