I thought there were many differences between group discussions in the discussion forum and on a Wiki. In a thread discussion each individual is responsible for a response and this allows for many differing or similar ideas to be articulated in different ways. In this format everyone has a chance to read other individuals ideas and then respond to them. I think it is more of a reciprocal exchange. Whereas, the Wiki exchange is more of a collaborative process. It allows for individuals to build on one another’s ideas. Hence, not everyone will articulate their ideas but instead will read other’s ideas and then adds to or adapts them. This type of collaboration may not result in as much information but it does allow for an exchange of idea. It also allows for a group of people to work closely with a similar goal in mind. It is a form of ensuing that individuals will work together.
| ADVANTAGES OF USING A WIKI | DISADVANTAGES OF USING A WIKI |
| Not a one way exchange of ideas. Multiple ideas shared amongst multiple people | Not everyone gets to articulate their thoughts |
| Ideas are built on and layered. | Some individuals may take the lead in organizing thoughts and others may end up contributing less |
| Everyone’s ideas are located in one spot so they are more likely to be read by the whole group. | May become confusing because all the information is on one page. |
| Convenient venue to reorganize, conglomerate and fine tune ideas. | Some ideas may get left out in the end product. |
| Encourages group/team work. |
2 replies on “Discussion Thread vs Wikis”
Great points and love the chart.
Thanks. 🙂