The WIKI Wiki (content origination: https://wiki.asu.edu/innovationsf06tth1100)
Contributors: Teresa Foulger, Lisa Harris

History Behind the WIKI

Ward Cunningham started developing WikiWikiWeb in 1994 and later installed in on his company's website on March 25, 1995 as a way for programmars to share information. Wiki is the Hawaiian word for quick. Cunningham was referring to the quickness with which a wiki can be edited. Wiki is also interpreted as "what I know is" but this is a "backronym."

According to Cunningham, the use of wiki can be traced back to a HyperCard stack he wrote in the late 1980s. In the late 1990s, wikis were increasingly recognized as a promising way to develop private- and public-knowledge bases. This potential inspired the founders of the Nupedia encyclopedia project, Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger, to use wiki technology as a basis for an electronic encyclopedia: Wikipedia was launched in January 2001.

Main Characteristics and Features

Users can:

• Read and navigate through pages like a regular web site.
• Modify any page (that is open to edit) by clicking the "Edit" link on that page. Click "Save" and your changes are INSTANTLY published for others to see.
• Watch Wikis in Plain English, or See How It Works for more information

Features:

• A wiki allows documents to be written collaboratively. This is done by allowing multiple people to contribute to the wiki via the internet or via hyperlinks.
• Wikis remain up to date due to their pages being updated with ease through the collaborative process. Updates are almost instantanious.
• Most wikis are open to the general public, while others require a user name and password to view and alter its contents.
• When page changes have been made, there is a email sent of notification for any members who have request as such.
• Changes to wikis are documented, and an author can revert to an older version, thus eliminating the need for control!

Two Popular Wikis

• wikiHow
• Wikipedia

Things to Remember About Wiki Content (and things to teach kids about!)

1. Not all wiki's have accurate information.
2. Only secure wiki's have more reliable information.
3. Other sources should be used to confirm information found on a wiki.

General Wiki Uses

This ease of interaction and operation makes a wiki an effective tool for collaborative authoring.

• To share documents with anyone on your server or over the net.
• In business settings for file sharing and other helpful hints for coworkers.
• In the classroom for students to work collaboratively on projects.
• For teachers to share lesson plans, activities, ideas and much more.
• More Uses

Wiki Ideas for Educators

Examples for emementary, middle and high school wikis
Wikis in the Classroom


An example of how a 'teacher' uses a wiki for the 'classroom' (it's like blackboard...just not).
In the Classroom

Examples from PBWiki

Wiki's used for 'parent-teacher sign-ups'.
http://613signup.wikispaces.com/home

Wiki used like an 'agenda', letting the class know what they are going to be studying, chapter reviews and review questions.
http://hwpsocialstudies.wikispaces.com/6th+Grade+Topics+and+Links

Wiki used for 'class discussions'.
Class Discussions

A Multi Purpose link to using wikis for:

1. video presentations.
2. share your wiki.
3. upload files/pictures.
4. and much more.

Wiki Resources

1. Where to Create A New Wiki: JotSpot, OddWiki, PeanutButterWiki, SeedWiki, Wiki.com, Socialtext, Wetpaint, Wikia, and Wikispaces are nine such services.


2. How to Edit a Wetpaint Wiki: http://www.wetpaintcentral.com/page/EasyEdit?t=anon

3. How to add a page to a Wetpaint Wiki: http://www.wetpaintcentral.com/page/Add+Page

References

(2000). What is a wiki. Retrieved January 31, 2007, from Wiki Web Web site: http://www.wikiweb.com/intro1.shtml/

Rose, S. (2006). Uses for wikis. Retrieved January 31, 2007, from Participatory Media Literacy Web site:
http://www.socialtext.net/medialiteracy/index.cgi?uses_for_wikis

(2007, January 28). Wiki. Retrieved January 31, 2007, from Wikipedia Web site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WIKI

Wikipedia:Tutorial. Retrieved January 31, 2007, from Wikipedia Web site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Tutorial

Garnet, (2004, June 2). Garnet 's 30 second wiki tutorial. Retrieved January 30, 2007, from 30 second wiki turorial Web
site: http://www.chat11.com/Related_To_30_Second_Quick_Wiki_Tutorial

(2002). Project forum. Retrieved January 31, 2007, from Course forum technologies Web site:
http://www.projectforum.com/pf/wiki.html?ref=googlewiksea11

How to edit a page. (2007). In Wikipedia Web. San Diego: Retrieved January 29, 2007, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:How_to_edit_a_page#Examples