This wiki this week

The social media & learning wiki activity this week resulted in a tangible product, and pushed the group to reach a shared understanding. Threaded discussions  seem better at supporting people to maintain their individual and opposing views. In the wiki format, while we can recognize those different views, we are forced to be more specific about our ideas and to negotiate with others to have our ideas included. While I don’t think this kind of negotiation necessarily occurred in our wiki this week, it is something I’ve experienced when using Google Docs for group projects. Another advantage of this format is that we all take something with us that is stronger than we could have created alone.

One of the challenge is to ensure that everyone takes part and has their ideas heard. With such a large group, it’s easy to become an observer. And it is also a different way to work, which requires its own rules and etiquette. For example, if we disagree with someone’s ideas or the way way they’ve expressed that idea, is it OK to rewrite it or delete it without first discussing it, or are there other steps we should follow? I think establishing an understanding about these before embarking on long-term group collaborations would help to support the collaborative experience.