Wiki Walk Through

    How do you wiki? I have never realized how useful wikis can be in any setting with anybody, until I really learned more about them and how beneficial they can be. I just did the Wiki Walk Through and learned so many ways that I can implement wikis in my future classroom and how useful they really are.

http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/wiki/

    Wikis, and blogs, are such an open way for communication for anyone that is in need of it. However, by doing the Wiki Walk Through I learned that blogs are different in the way that posts or comments can be openly seen, but not openly edited compared to wikis. Wikis can be open to the public or specified users and edited, or seen by those users as a way to create an interactive environment. Wikis are interesting in the way that they can be used for any reason and by any one person. Wikis are a good way of interaction not only from teacher to student, but for teacher to parent, student to student, and teacher to teacher. A wiki is a way to engage in activity with fellow colleagues or peers in an academic, or casual, environment. Wikis are so useful, because it is open to anyone and can be shared with people all across the World; all one needs is an electronic device and an Internet connection.

     In my years of technology, I have never really known a lot about wikis except when I was told they are not a reliable research source. Since wikis can be changed by the public, teachers would always say "don't use that Wikipedia for your research paper!" Now that I know their purpose and how they could potentially be used, I think they are a valuable resource to use in classrooms and when trying to interact with others. It is a fast way to relay information and engage in web activities with others. I look forward to utilizing wikis in my future classroom and allowing my students to be educated in them, so they understand their use and why they are important.