Quickie+Wikis

Why Wiki? __Here are the top 10 reasons to use a wiki in your class or for your project:__
 * 1) It's free!
 * 2) It's an area for group collaboration within a class or school
 * 3) It's an area for students to work at home
 * 4) It's great for document management and file sharing
 * 5) It has a history and audit trail
 * 6) It increases online communication skills
 * 7) It's easy to use, no email needed
 * 8) It's a way to use the internet safely
 * 9) It provides easy access
 * 10) It's automatically backed up

__Some ideas for getting started:__ -Send letter home describing project (wiki is NOT open to the public) -Give them an account with a first and last name -Each student has their own page! -have students make a homepage describing themselves (do in MS word first, the cut and paste) - they can comment on other pages - Once they’ve created a project, they can upload it onto their page - They can’t edit each others pages

__Good to Know:__ - Kids need to join wiki spaces using their emails - Stress that it’s NOT for personal email, only for school purposes - Tell students "You are IN THE CLASS when you are IN THE WIKI" - enforce this -all interactions are moderated by the teacher. Students should know this ahead of time.

__Top 5 rules for starting WIKIS with Middle Schoolers:__

1. Set firm rules for the use 2. Structure is a virtual classroom, good grammar spelling and dialog. No IM language. 3. Respectful online communication 4. Organizations/safety 5. AUA should include responsibilities