Wiki Reflection
After you have completed the wiki activity, take a few minutes to consider how the group collaboration and discussion within the wiki space differed from what you are accustomed to in a standard threaded discussion space (like the one we’ve been using throughout the course in WebCT Vista). What kinds of advantages do you see in using wikis for group collaboration? What are some of the challenges of working with others in a collaborative wiki space?
The wiki is not as easy to search as a discussion forum – cannot see the chronological order of contributions (well, at least not on the front page). I found that the wiki was not as conducive to discussions (as compared to threaded discussion forums), but worked better for the formation of the 5 key points.
Wiki advantages
- Multiple collaborators can work on the same information
- Great for creating a meeting agenda, a project outline, a project table, etc.
- Wikis are great tools for building information together, especially in a group that is comfortable working together (check egos at the door).
Wiki disadvantages
- You must feel comfortable with the group you are in, as your contributions will most likely be edited, added onto or deleted
- Can be intimidating to think about editing the contribution of a classmate (what make me think my version would be better)
- Must be careful to ensure that the final product flows, and is not just a chunking together of various individual contributions
- Not ideal for ongoing conversations, better for a project with a very specific goal in mind.