Having read all the readings for this week as well as clicking further to other Wiki information sites, I am once again mesmerized by the potential we have as Library Media Specialists. We read in Information Power and other publications the necessity of collaboration with all stakeholders, and a wiki just may be the answer. As demonstrated in the wikis of the three Georgia schools, there is a wealth of information that can be searched through and updated in a very effective way. And this brings another web presence to the Library Media Center of the school together with the Library Media Center webpage.
Here is our answer to encouraging teachers who feel burdened by the creation of websites to communicate with their students and have them add to the information. This is also a great medium for parents to know what is going on and to stay in touch. We may need to do an in service early in the year to introduce wikis to them, but once they see the simplicity and usefulness of the wiki, I am convinced that they will jump on the wiki bandwagon.
In order to refrain from Library Media wikis to become “storage cabinets”, I suggest making sure that they are dynamic. One might have a sort of a daily wiki icebreaker, similar to what teachers already have in the classrooms at the beginning of class. Perhaps a featured book or author might be appropriate. Daily updates for activities in the school are certainly reasons for parents and students alike to access the Library Media wiki.
There should be some effort, in my opinion, to make the wiki pleasant to the eye. Even though wikis can be created with wiki syntax, adding color with graphics and video, while keeping the page simple will invite return visitors. This is demonstrated in Amy Bowllan’s very interesting wiki, themzunguboy.wetpaint.com.
So what are the drawbacks of wikis, you may ask? There are some as there are with any new technology. First of all, since anyone can edit the information, someone – most likely the creator – must monitor the input and this can be time-consuming. Another possible drawback is that of collaborative bias since only those who contribute are the sources of information and these may be limited to a certain group as decided by those authenticated to participate. At this point, the wiki software is free from a series of sources, but this may change, and as one adds more and more information to the wiki, one may incur a cost for web space, in particular when graphics and videos are uploaded to the wiki. This medium of e-learning, however, has pros that far outweigh these cons if used correctly whether or not they are used with editing features or simply as information resources.
I am now off to create a wiki now and here’s hoping it does not end up in the wiki graveyard!
Your idea of a daily wiki icebreaker is great! This would give users something specific to respond to, and they would always see something new when they go to the wiki. I agree that the look of Amy Bowllan’s wiki really set it apart from the others. I was drawn in to look at the pictures and videos and find out the meaning of the words. Even adding a few graphics could help some of the other wikis that were mostly text and links. I’m with you on being ready to go out and create my own wiki. My family has a beach house that is shared by people living hundreds of miles apart. We could use a wiki to work on our honey-do list, instructions for opening and closing the house, ideas for renting in the future, info about great restaurants, etc. This will be good practice for my future media center wiki as well!
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