WIKIS / BLOGS - Online

A Word from Tai ...Strangely enough, when I was younger I was commited to keeping a written journal. I wrote every day about what I was feeling, thinking, seeing. I wrote these journals as if I were writing to an old friend who I was trying to explain my life to. Even thoughout college, I maintained my journal habits using a word processor (to give you an idea of how old I am, does anyone remember Wordstar?). And yet, by the time PC's became all the craze and the Internet began to take over, bringing the world the concept of "blogging", I had absolutely no desire to partake. Do I enjoy reading other people's blogs? Absolutely! Do I think blogging has a place in online education? My goal is to do a little research and see what I find. By the time I'm done, I'll have a better idea of what I think.

Wikis in Online Education Before I delve into the world of blogging, I'd like to first take a look at the use of wiki's in online education. In the world of online education, instructor preparation and structure is everything. I'm not a teacher, and I don't have the experience behind what goes into creating a syllabus (other than what I've learned through the CSUF MSIDT program, which is a lot!), but I've known plenty of instructors who scramble last minute to prepare an upcoming lesson (this is true for both classroom and online). If you are one of those people who has been lead to believe that online education is "easy", boring, or isolating, I'm here to tell you that is completely false. When collaborative learning is applied students become actively involved in their own learning experience. Research shows that students working in small groups tend to learn more of what is taught and retain it longer than when the same content is presented in other modes of instruction.

So what is a wiki? Wiki is a Hawaiian word that means "fast" and has been backronymed "What I know Is". A Wiki is an awesome online tool that allows users to collaborate in an asychronous manner. This video demonstrates how a wiki works:



How can wikis be used in an online course environment?

• Share ideas
• Organize thoughts
• Create a glossary, book, or study tool
• Provide feedback
• Allows for student to student communication
• Allows for instructor to student communication

Strengths and Weaknesses of Wikis

• (+) easy sharing
• (+) easy access
• (+) one working version
• (+) version history
• (+) collaboration


• (-) plagiarism
• (-) outside editors
• (-) lack of control

What is a Blog? Blog is a combination of "web" and "log". It is a type of website that is usually maintained by an individual who creates regular entries of commentary, thoughts, and ideas. Blog is both a verb and a noun. There are several types of blogs: personal, business, and media type(video, photo, etc). Various subject matter and genres of blogs exist as well: political, travel, music, fashion, art, and of course education. In some cases, in regards to education, it might be deemed an edublog.

Blogs in Online Education I was attending one of the various committee meetings that exist within the community college, and my ears perked up when discussions started up about hiring a handful of our college students to create a student blog. My first inital thought was why? But after reviewing Colorado Mountain College's Student Blogs, I see what an awesome marketing tool it could be for many educational facilities.

These student bloggers write about their educational experience, what they do when they get stressed, and what they do when they go out to unwind. There is an understanding and an agreement that no blogging of faculty or specific courses are to take place. It's an opportunity to share with current and prospective students what the campus is like and what a great experience it is to be a student at that school.

Final Thoughts on Wikis and Blogs I'm definitely a fan of most Web 2.0 tools. If an instructor can figure out a way to utilize a blog or a wiki in their online course environment that makes the course more appealing and helps a student learn, then more power to them. Wikis make an excellent repository for class documents from both the instructor and student side. Blogs are an excellent way for students to share thoughts and information to be shared solely with the instructor or with the class. In some cases, it is similar to a discussion board, but allows for a deeper personalization. Learning and the sharing of knowledge is not at all like I remember it to be in the 1980s...and that is a good thing. I've learned more in the past 2 years by reading what others have to share on personal and educational wikis and blogs right in the comfort of my own home. The freedom of knowledge can be shared by all...or at least for those willing to open their minds and explore. And share.