Thing #15

1. My thoughts about wikis:
I like the idea of a wiki and hope to create one. Of course since learning about wikis I have had the same thought as many have, the best thing about a wiki is also the worst - anyone can contribute! But what a great way to break from some of the traditional classroom methods. Students can be informed of the assignment, research the assignment, create the assignment all in one place.
2. What did I find interesting?
One thing that stood out to me about using wikis instead of pathfinders is that I can ask the teachers to jump in and contribute to the wiki. How nice that everyone can put their heads together without having to sit in a room at a table together all at the same time - this is next to impossible this day and time.
Going through the various links you gave us, these are the ones that stood out to me. I liked the Book Lovers Wiki, the best practices wiki, love the MISD wiki ( so much easier than using DocuShare), the literary circle wiki, AP world history wiki; Welker's Wikinomics (all I can say is wow and how appealing for students). I really liked the Texas School Librarians' Wiki and hope to go back and look at all the different book lists as well as other things - how helpful!
3. What types of application within libraries and schools might work well with a wiki?
I guess the applications are only limited by your imagination and/or your needs. A wiki could be used by teachers and librarians to plan a research unit or other unit of study. A teacher could use a wiki to complete a unit of study with a class. Wikis could be used for TAKS review and support or for book clubs. All of the wikis mentioned above in #2 are great examples of how wikis can be used.