Blended Learning with WikispacesBy: Melissa Aho

Escanaba Public SchoolsMichigan Reading Association Conference

View online at: http://dsisdwikispaces.wikispaces.com/

Sunday, March 16, 14

About Me

I’m from Upper Michigan- Escanaba

I’ve been teaching since 2005 after earning my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Language Arts from Northern Michigan University.

I’m finishing up my Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction- my speciality is Education Technology in the Classroom.

My family is full of teachers

I love my job!

Sunday, March 16, 14

What is Blended Learning?

Sunday, March 16, 14

What is a wiki?

Wikis move your student beyond the Web 1.0 classroom (strictly reading information) to a Web 2.0 experience (more interactive).

The word "wiki" comes from Hawaiian language, meaning "quick" or "fast."

A wiki is a web site that lets any visitor become a participant. You can create or edit the actual site contents without any special technical knowledge or tools. All you need is a computer with an Internet connection.

A wiki is continuously “under revision.” It is a living collaboration whose purpose is the sharing of the creative process and product by many.

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The evolution of the wiki

It was introduced in 1995 by Ward Cunningham

The first wikis were used in restricted circles for corporations and computer programming as a place to facilitate communication

2001: Wikipedia- first wiki for the general public

2002-2009: Explosion of wikis and wide use in the public- many programs created

2005- Wikispaces was created

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Wiki vs. Blog

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What is a Wikispace?

Wikispace is my preferred wiki program:

http://www.wikispaces.com

14 million users, Free for educators

No fine print, no usage limits, no advertising, no catches.

It is very user friendly, especially for teachers

Sunday, March 16, 14

Why use a Wikispace?

It’s the future of education- The State of Michigan considers “best practices” as providing an online learning experience for students.

It brings an “online” learning experience to your classroom

Simplicity and Accessibility

Collaboration

Active Learning

Project-Based Learning

Organization of your best learning resources and content

Quick Feedback

Kids love it! It can reach the seemingly “unreachable!”

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Classroom Organization

As one teacher says, “The wiki is my hub. I guess you could say, I have a wiki-centric classroom. Whether it is blogs, podcasts, wikis, or vodcasts, if it is created in my classroom it is linked on the wiki. If the student creates it, they are to link it. It gives us one place to organize and post and one place to send content to me.”

Parent-Teacher Communication (You can post monthly newsletters on the wiki)

Post unit plans, homework assignment links, study guides, pacing guides, and any other resources you want students to have access to anytime and anywhere.

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Classroom Content

Lesson summaries/ class notes/ videos (even Khan Academy!)

Work on projects, group or individual (links well with YouTube)

Discussion/ peer or teacher editing

Journaling/Reading Response/Reflections

Virtual Science Fair Projects

Student Portfolios

Literature Circles

Research

Collaborative Writing: newspapers, poetry, stories (teaches writing and revision)

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Motivation

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Let’s do it!

Wikispaces has great tutorial videos!

We will have a brief tour and demonstration of my page

You will have the rest our time to work on setting up your own Wikispace page.

Create pages on your new wikispace page for each unit you teach and start linking the resources you use for the units to your page

Gather new resources :)

I’m here to help you get started!

Questions?

Sunday, March 16, 14