Wiki, Wiki, Wiki, Tricky, Tricky, Tricky

The truth is this class is making me more ADHD than ever. Everytime I follow a link my mind goes in different directions. I'm sitting here convinced I don't have enough time to prepare for the next school year because there is SO much I've learned that I'd like to implement but I know it won't be possible once school starts.





So, what's a wiki? On the http://salutetoseuss.wikispaces.com/ wiki I went through, the author used the word "portal" and that sums up wikis to me. It's like opening a door and entering a room full of people with a common discussion point. As usual I'm left wondering a little about security for little people and misinformation for people doing research.





I visited the Open PD wiki (a forum worldwide of technology specialists exploring wikis in action as professional development), the Texas energy webquest, the Salute to Seuss and the All about math. I recommend them all -- but only when you have a lot of time. Each one gave me ideas for my own school's application.

• A wiki for "student" development. A way of encapsulating a whole unit so that student/parent could review or do from home for review/reteach.



• Webquests to teach any tek! We do an immigration unit and I love the idea of kids researching their own ethnic history and posting something like a recipe or a tradition.



• The http://allaboutmath.wikispaces.com/ math site made my head spin because it was organized SO well. I don't know who has the time for such an undertaking at RRISD but we need it. By grade level the scope and sequence is posted and then associated "applets" which to me are just hotlinks to great internet games and activities. I personally have all the same websites listed on my teacher web but this was organized by tek. Looking for some expanded form practice? Click here. I envision going to the computer lab with my disaggregated data from a benchmark and telling each student to follow particular links for their results.



• I liked the writing potential, and liked the "ant farm" point of view wiki done with the Ugly Duckling but I have a problem with it not being clear which is the published version of the real story and the added posts from characters points of view. That probably doesn't make sense unless you followed that link.

By the way, if you are having trouble doing a podcast, through the energy webcast like I found the best directions for doing Microsoft Photostory and for doing Photostory with Powerpoint. On the Seuss site I found a link for bubblecast and podomatic.

Hey guys, summer is supposed to be relaxing ...