Why not use wikis at the administrative level?

I have always heard of the term wiki but never really understood it until now. The word wiki always hinted to me that it was some difficult web programme that I do not need to even use so why bother to comprehend it. However it’s one incredible piece of web design. The articles suggested many ways in which wikis can be used in the classroom and it also outlined the power that students possess in creating and subscribing to wikis. Wikis need not only be used in the classroom but I am sure that teachers will love to use it to discuss school business.

Staff meetings and memos are sometimes occur every week. Principals can design wikis for such a purpose. Can you imagine the time you will save, that time which is critical teaching- time. Teachers can have their laptops and wireless internet which makes life so simple. How great this will be? You sit at your desk and discuss school issues with your principal and fellow teachers and not even leave your classroom. It is easier to share and co-edit ideas. I think that this use of the wiki is very effective in the school system, be it in the classroom or at the administrative level. The role of a principal is an arduous task and with implementing wikis in a school, this task can be a bit less challenging. All things are possible if we all work together and support each other.

“Wikis are great for open ended collaboration.”

Miles Kimball (2006) Texas Teacher

Retrieved from: http://wikis.lib.ncsu.edu/index.php/Quotes_About_Wiki#November_30.2C_2006

Blogging...such a strange word but very powerful.

Our children are blessed with so many exciting things to do, things that we never ever dreamt about in our school days. Chatting was done by meeting with your friends at school or giving them a call once you got your parent’s permission to use a phone and that was a landline then. Technology is growing faster than ever. It’s our responsibility that we ensure we expose our children to it. Blogging takes so many forms for our youths; it can be in the form of texts, emails, chats and the ever famous facebook and twitter. What they discuss on these, oh well just look at the music and movie channels and that’s your answer. Imagine how effective blogs can be for teaching reading in school. I am sure the results will be amazing.

On reading the article on the adventures in blogsphere I was really intrigued by the variety of educational purposes for blogs. Honestly, I was clueless about using blogs to teach the reading components. However using blogs appear to be more feasible in the juniors and seniors. I guess it can be implemented in the infants with parental assistance. In my classroom I do not think that I will have the time do implement this since I am getting the Standard 5’s in September but I can see it working after their exams. Those children will be eager to use the computers to blog.

“Because blogs are connected they can foster

the development of a learning community.”

Botree, D.S. (2005)

Retrieved from:

http://halfanhour.blogspot.com/2009/04/blogs-in-education.html