E learning toolkit – Using Wikis

I have used Wikis a great deal in the past to collaborate both in a synchronous and an asynchronous manner.  I love using Wiki’s.  In the past, I have used them to work with groups to create many wonderful projects and papers for the MET program, including the group rubric project for this particular course.  In those instances, my groups have made use of the chat feature in Google Docs to have discussions and write collaboratively.  I have found this to be a really great way to write.  It’s really useful to be able to have a space to work together and create something that incorporates ideas from several different people.  I have also had the chance to contribute to the ETEC 510 wiki.  I contributed to the digital storytelling page of the wiki.  That was a bit of a different experience that a Google Doc group project because even though I wasn’t communicating directly with the other authors, I still needed to reorganize and change their writing.  At first, I found myself reluctant to make changes without their direct approval but I soon realized that commenting in the discussion section of the page gave me a place where I could explain my rationale for the changes.  The discussion page made me really think before making any changes.  I needed to make sure that I could explain to the world why the change that I made improved the information and aesthetics of the page.   As I am posting this blog entry, my rationale is still currently on the digital storytelling website.  Feel free to take a peek by clicking here.  I didn’t find either Google Docs or the UBC wiki difficult to use.  Google docs uses a format similar to Word so it is really simple to create documents.  I have noticed, however, that the formatting is usually off so the final product has to be edited and refined in word before it can be passed in.  The UBC wiki has the option to use a WYSIWYG editor or to insert your own HTML.  I found both options very simple to use.  In fact, I very much enjoyed editing and changing the Digital Storytelling wiki and the Google Docs projects.  It’s great to be able to create a great product through working with others 🙂