Learning Theory Group 2 Wiki Debrief

A wiki is a great tool to use for collaboration in the classroom. It can be used for something like our class did or it can be used for an entire semester as a source for discussion and peer editing/help. It can be a great alternative for schools that don't have a blackboard site but wish to work together online. We began using wikispaces where I work as a tool for people to create their own work schedules rather than bog me down with hundreds of emails. It has made our scheduling process so much quicker and easier. One of the biggest challenges in using the wiki is making sure everyone using the wiki works within any set rules you may have. For example, all of my student employees know that if they erase something from the schedule that we will take disciplinary action against them. Nevertheless, I still expect someone to try and sneak by that and get rid of one of their shifts. we'll see what happens...

Learning Theory Group 1

I thought that the wiki was a great way to create a project. It was my first time using the wiki so I tested a lot of things out before the final project. Overall, I think that the group did very well using the wiki. We were all able to put the information into the message board or onto the page and then edit each others. As a group, we worked well editing each others work. After experiencing this project, I think I will be much more proficient in using the wiki another time. I enjoyed changing the font, adding pictures, and widgets. I had some difficulty changing the background of the whole page.

While using the wiki, many of my members posted messages but I was not notified. I had to check periodically to see the changes. I would not have wanted to be notified every time something changed because there were so many group members, but it would have been nice to receive an e-mail that a message or change had been made on my group.

Professionally I think that it would be a great way for teachers to collaborate and make new things for students. The students would also be able to have an opportunity to participate in the wiki and make changes. The students would be able to learn many skills using the technology, communication skills, and learning the content. A wiki allows people who are not able to physically meet the ability to collaborate and make a project that is presentable.

Learning Group 5 (Masters)

I think all in all our group was able to use the wiki successfully. Jennifer and Joshua definitely have more experience using the wiki so they were able to do most of the formatting for the group. Putting pictures onto the wiki page was the most difficult part personally. It was nice having the discussion board for our specific group so that we could discuss things. I think the wiki could be very useful in the classroom, even if it's just for them to communicate outside of school for projects and what not. It even be a useful study tool. I also know that schools are now using them for grades and as a way for teachers to communicates with parents and students at home.

Learning Theory Group 3-Wiki Debrief: Gina Giles

The use of a Wiki for our project in general was easy to use. We had the discussion board as a way to communicate and that helped us figure out who was researching what. It was nice to know that when I found my information, all I had to do was post it in the discussion section and I know that all of my group members would see it. Although some challenges occurred, such as not being able to get in touch with some group members, the final product looked great.

Wiki would be a great asset in the professional world. Students could use Wiki to generate group discussions as well as use it as a great way to share research and collaborate. Not only, could students use it to share information, but also to present information. The way Wiki allows a student to insert links in the home page is also a great way to incorporate other sites into the presentation. For the future when I am teaching Biology classes, a Wiki would be a great way for my high school students to complete group projects as well as use Wiki for study guides or study sessions. Also, the students could ask each other questions, and I could be able to see what students were having a hard time with and assist them.

Learning Theory Group 4 Wiki Debrief: Adam Hagin

Our group experience was overall good, I think. I can not entirely speak for the others in my group. However, there were a few problems I encountered with using a Wiki. Our group collaborated well through the discussion page and our final write-up was good. While trying to edit the front page, however, I could not figure out how to view a new page that I created. Despite that minor problem, which I eventually figured out, I think using a Wiki is a good learning tool. It fosters online collaboration and allows for easy communication while in groups.

Professionally, one could use a Wiki to develop a presentation or have an online meeting. The Wiki would document all collaboration and workers could view their work long after completing the presentation or something of the sort. In the classroom, I would use a Wiki, as we did, for group work. I think that I can use a Wiki in my field, Social Sciences. I could use a Wiki to allow my students to create a group presentation. The Wiki would allow students to easily collaborate outside of the classroom and make for a better learning experience. Then the groups could simply show their final Wiki to the class as a visual aid during their presentation.

Technobiography- Laura Elliott

My earliest experiences with technology involve my gameboy, Super Nintendo, and our Gateway Computer equipped with instant messenger. I used to always complain about the level of technology at home but looking back we weren't so bad. I always got educational gifts for Birthdays and Christmas but usually electronic or interactive ones. I pretty much learned all I know about technology from encountering it in my everyday life. I used computers for the basics in college and high school, papers, projects, and social networking. In college I bought my first smart phone and have never looked back but always forward to making my life simpler by integrating technology.

Secondary Math/Science

Before each lab in my high school chemistry class, the teacher would hand us the instructions, we would read through them, and then we watched a video he had made of him doing the experiment.  As we watched we could see the exact signs we were looking for and see the reactions we should get.  This helped a lot for us to know what to expect and helped with different kinds of learners.  I have tried to convince him to post the videos to youtube so his students can review them while writing their lab reports but he has not gotten there yet. 

 For another student in our group, her biology class used microscopes connected to a computer so the slides would be projected for the class to see.  That way each student could compare their results with what the teacher had on their slides.  

 Each of these uses of technology in science classes assisted with our understanding of the material and helped us become more successful.