Scenario:
A new automated staff information system was recently purchased by a major corporation and needs to be implemented in six regional offices. Unfortunately, the staff is located throughout all the different offices and cannot meet at the same time or in the same location. As an instructional designer for the corporation, you have been charged with implementing a training workshop for these offices. As part of the training, you were advised how imperative it is that the staff members share information, in the form of screen captures and documents, and participate in ongoing collaboration.
Technology Tool – Wiki
Since the staff cannot meet at the same time the requirement for audio or video conferencing does not apply, but there is a requirement to share documents and collaborate with one another. Wiki is a Web 2.0 application that enables discussions and sharing of content with others on the web, this application will allow the staff in the scenario to participate in asynchronous discussions and share files with each other regardless of when and where they are located. The book on Teaching and Learning at a Distance describes the potential use for web 2.0 technologies such as Wiki “highly participatory and promote collaboration, networking, sharing, and the widespread generation of content, and the editing and mixing of content from diverse sources” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012, p. 129). One of the features of Wiki is the ability to create team projects, which would serve this training well. Permissions would be given to the staff to keep the content private, and to provide editing privileges. Continue reading to see examples of how Wiki has helped other organizations and learners.
Wiki Project Example -Showcase 1
A team of four educators in three different states along with a resource from NASA collaborated and compiled a project using Wiki. They embedded presentations, documents, as well as video clips to assist in content sharing and creation. Once the project was completed it was used to engage grade school students in science research again through the use of Wiki. In fact NASA resources mentored students while they were working on their research, one mentor commented “One memorable moment was when a class of eighth grade students was quietly engaged in their EEAB project work and the first message from their assigned NASA mentor arrived. A student suddenly yelled out, “We have a mentor, we have a mentor!” and the rest of the students immediately turned their attention to the wiki’s discussion board to read the mentor’s introduction. It was very rewarding to see and hear their excitement upon making the initial contact with their own mentor from NASA” (Carole, 2012).
Wiki Project Example – Showcase 2
Fifth grade students from various classes conducted research and collaborated on preventing childhood obesity and diabetes, they used Wiki to create their project “The kids incorporated technology into the program, using free websites to create online posters and create their own podcasts using research they'd completed” (Carter, 2011). Besides graphics and embedding podcasts the students also added voice threads onto the Wiki pages.
References:
Carole. (2012, February 21). Featured Wiki: Expedition Earth and Beyond. Retrieved from Wikispaces Blog: http://blog.wikispaces.com/2012/02/featured-wiki-expedition-earth-and-beyond.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wikispaces+%28Wikispaces+Blog%29
Carter, K. (2011, April 8). Fifth-graders complete healthy-eating projects. Retrieved from The Gadsen Times: http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20110408/NEWS/110409764?p=1&tc=pg
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and Learning at a Distance (Fifth ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
