Can We Model Wiki Use in Technology Courses to Help Teachers Use Wikis in their Classrooms?
Type: Brief Paper Topic: Information Technology Diffusion/Integration
Room: 2
Thu, Mar. 6 5:00 PM-5:20 PM
Authors:
Swapna Kumar, Boston University, USA
Abstract:
Despite being hailed as enhancing and facilitating collaborative learning, wikis have remained largely untapped as a tool in teacher education and development. This paper describes the use of a wiki activity in a technology development seminar for middle and high school teachers aimed at introducing teachers to the use of wikis, facilitating their use of a wiki for a specific task, and encouraging them to reflect on the ways in which they could use wikis in their classrooms. It highlights the importance of modeling the use of a wiki in teacher development and the capabilities of a wiki for collaboration, learning, and reflection by teachers. A research study that will follow-up on the participating teachers’ use of wikis in their classrooms is planned.