Wiki+Lesson+Plan

Wiki Lesson Plan

**Lesson Context** Being able to work together to realize common goals is a major priority at Jefftine University, so much of the course work here involves thinking collaboratively. A wiki is a website designed so as to permit the easy creation and maintenance of pages through any web browser. The goal here is to teach students of the class the fundamentals of wiki creation and management for multiple purposes. Wikis are useful because they are quick to set up, they are customizable, they are collaborative, and they provide structure through a template composed of common elements. These characteristics make them an ideal means for a variety of content-based ends.

**Standards** ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education

**Student Profile** The wikis lesson is designed for--but not limited to--JU students at the undergraduate level of all ages. In a setting like New York City, where many students commute some distance to class, it can be difficult to complete group assignments. Since wikis are accessible through any browser, they are especially handy for students who do much of their schoolwork at home. Additionally, library staff and faculty may find the class useful. For library staff, wikis may serve the purpose of hosting documentation for job responsibilities, best practices, etc. Faculty may wish to use wikis to quickly create a class website to organize course materials--whether to give students access to resources and assignments or even a forum for discussion. Students walking into this class ought to have a good handle on web navigation and browsing software, a familiarity with common word processing features, and an idea for a project.

**Essential Question**  How does technology help to foster a sense of community and stimulate discussion?

**Goal**  Students should have a basic idea of how a wiki works. They should know the tools free wiki sites offer and how those tools may be used for collaborative project management, whether for a class assignment, work reference, or an online syllabus.

**Objectives**  In pursuit of the above goal, students in this class will learn to: - Create an account on [|__wikispaces.com__]  - Create a new wiki - Invite others to participate - Manage wiki settings - Create a new page - Edit an existing page - Link between pages (internally) - Link to another sites or ‘URL’ (externally) - Use wikispaces’ widgets - Upload/embed content (image, video, etc) - Delete content

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">**Action Plan** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 1. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Environment/materials// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The class will be conducted in a computer lab containing as many computers as individual or group work requires. The room is designed with computers in rows facing front. The instructor’s computer should be linked to a projector with the screen’s image projected against the wall behind and to the side of the isntructor. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The instructor should have sample content prepared and saved to a convenient location on a thumb drive or on the desktop. This content should include a word document and a few images. Students may want to bring any content they have prepared for their projects in Word document format for the 20-minute project time allotted. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 2. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Special Needs// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The class is structured so as to provide plenty of opportunities for questions. A 20-minute block of time is also provided for students to work with content they brought with them on their projects. During this time, the instructor will be available for questions as they arise.

3. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Outline of Lesson// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> [Duration: 1 hour 15 mins] - Introduction [10 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Survey the class to gauge familiarity with wikis/web technology <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Wikipedia, use of wikis, differences between wikis and blogs// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explain what a wiki is/does <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Overview of common wiki structure (usually there’s a heading, a sidebar for navigation between pages, main space for content [the ‘page’], and information about the current page), typical features, examples of past project wikis (one each for students, faculty and staff)// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Wikispaces.com demonstration [20 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Getting set up  <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Create accounts/create wikis/invite participants (allow time for email confirmation)// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> [5 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (QUESTIONS) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Filling in the blanks <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Create a page/generate content/add content (text and image)/edit content (change alignment, add tags, etc)// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> [5 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(QUESTIONS) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fine tuning <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Manage site/preferences (public/private)/widgets (tag cloud, maybe)/elements// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> [10 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(QUESTIONS) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">KEY TERMS <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//site, page, sidebar, widget, tag, content, upload, embed, link, history// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Project work [20 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During this time, students should use the content they have brought with them to begin work on the wiki they have created (individually or in groups). Instructor should make himself available for specific questions at this time. Students should not sit in groups; rather, they ought to get comfortable working apart from one another on the same site, tracking changes through updates and page history and communicating with wikispaces message system/email/chat. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Conclusion/Assessment [20 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask questions based on their experiences [5 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//What do you like about wikis? Is there anything you don’t like?// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//In what ways do wikis make collaborating easier? In what ways do they make it harder?// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//What are they good at doing? Can you think of any needs wikis are// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//**not**// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> //suited to fulfill?// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//For those in groups, did you communicate with other members much?// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask for volunteers to explain their projects and to show the work they’ve done so far in class[5 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Invite observations/constructive criticism from other students [5 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Final questions [5 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Suggest other free wiki sites: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[|__http://www.wiki-site.com__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[|__http://sites.google.com__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[|__http://wikidot.com__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[|__http://wikispaces.com__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[|__http://pbworks.com__]