Chapter 4 Wikis "Easy collaoration for all"

"Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms."
 My reaction to Chapter 4

The chapter began talking about Wikipedia, which like most other innovative technological advances, has its' own fair share of vulnerability. The site is an excellent idea and has turned out to be more useful and rewarding to its' users than not. I think the idea that there are much more constructive users than mal intentioned ones is a comforting prospect, and knowing that a team of editors constantly monitor for errors puts some fears to ease. However the possibility of fowl play and the unchecked credentials of the contributors begs the question of credibility.

On the other hand, with wikis for classroom use, I find to be very much on point with today's learning initiatives. The demands placed on schools with standardized testing and common core requirements put a strain on the teachers ability to offer the broad form of learning and interactive experiences that may have previously existed. Wikis are a great place to help promote some of those experiences without taking time from the classroom. The following is a supportive video about using wiki in the classroom:

How Teachers Can Use Wikis in the Classroom

Uploaded by Vanessa Van Edwards  

I am always in favor of working with new ideas and technology to improve the quality of delivery, especially where I see it as filling a void or need in the intended target.

Reference

Richardson, W. (2010) Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin