The topic for this week's blog entry is Wikis. At one time or another, every person has been to a Wiki. What is a Wiki you ask? Simply put, a Wiki is a website that was developed  and edited collaboratively by a set of users. Some sites, like Wikipedia, allow any user in the world to access and change the information being displayed. However, other Wikis can be more selective and only allow an admin or registered users to make changes.

Wikis can be a great tool in the classroom.  On my Wiki, I take my students through a 3 day adventure of the Middle Ages. During this adventure, my students will watch a video about a medieval peasant, take a quiz, explore another Wiki, and do other fun stuff. In doing so, I am attempting to meet both the state technology standards (discuss the ways technology is linked to creativity and innovation) and the state Social Studies standards.

The alternate Wiki that I sent my students to is an online textbook. This online textbook shows the full value of using a Wiki in the classroom. Students can expand on the Wiki by adding pages or lengthening articles. Wikis also support discussion features so that students can discuss what they want to do with the page. Lastly, Wikis have a history button. This allows me to see all the students who made changes to a page and what type of contribution they made.It can clearly be seen that the value of a Wiki is its ability to expand knowledge and allow many students to collaborate. This can also be a fun activity to break the "every day monotony" of a classroom. My only criticism of Wikis in the classroom would be time restraints. I feel that any Wiki worth doing (that is, one of quality and allows the students to gain something from the experience) may possibly take too much time.

Ultimately, it is my hope that the collaborative effort of Wikis will allow my students (and others) to learn new information in a much easier, more creative, and much more fun way.

Of all the different technologies mentioned throughout these blogs, Podcasts and Skype appear to be the best.

Podcasts can be done in both audio and video format. To create a Podcast on a Mac, simply open up Garage Band and hit record. You can also add pictures, chapters, details, and other cool things. However, if you're not one of the Apple people (twice the price, half the power), then follow this link. It tells you how to create your own free audio Podcast on Windows based PCs. The Podcast is a great tool for the classroom. One of the most noticeable uses is to record lectures. This way, both the audio file and PowerPoints can be put online for absent students. Podcasts can also be used by teachers who want to give their students supplementary material.

Another useful tool in the classroom is Skype. Skype is an online telephone network that allows users to video chat for free. As with the Podcasts, Skype can be a great tool for absent students. The students can Skype in during class time so they don't become too far behind. This can also be used by students to collaborate on projects when they are not physically in the same place. Lastly, Skype can be a great tool for connecting my classroom to the world. I can have historians, students from different countries, and countless other professionals Skype into my classroom and help the learning environment flourish.

This technology (and others) can be used to supplement teaching strategies. One very useful teaching strategy is Inquiry Based Learning. Through inquiry based learning, students ask the questions they want answered. The students then search for the answers to their own questions. As with other student-centered approaches to teaching, this is thought to be incredibly useful because the students are learning according to their own interests. As such, these types of activities can help spur lifelong learners. However, one downside to Inquiry Based Learning is time constraints. As with all student-centered teaching models, a considerable amount of classroom time must be dedicated to the assignment.