Sunday, February 11, 2007

Wiki Pedagogy: 1001 More Reasons to Take Notice!

I am fascinated by the pedagogical development of wiki's in education. I looked back at some previous posts about wiki's including two of mine and two from Vicki Davis. These specifically explore and present best-practice use of wikis for writing and collaboration. They also reveal secrets of how to develop a wiki-centric classroom. Then there has been our collaborative Flat Classroom Project that also used a wiki to unite users and define online interactivity.

Well, I am excited to share with you another best-practice wiki discovery! Clay Burell from Korea International School has launched the Thousand and One Flat World Tales Project. This is a writing project where Clay's students are encouraged to tell an 'amazing story'. A clear assignment is detailed for Clay's students and ideas about creating a 'blook' but there is more than that, Clay has invited students from around the world to tell '..a never ending tale...' Already students from Colorado, Hawaii, Missouri, Connecticut, Canada as well as Korea have joined together to start writing collaboratively.

Clay was the guest speaker on International Voices, the weekly podcast produced by NextGen Teachers. He talks about the writing process and how online publication facilitated by a wiki provides for 'authentic audiences' and 'authentic publishing.' He sees the wiki '..as a tool and a better way to develop student writing.' I suggest you listen to his conversation in the International Voices podcast (see the sidebar on this blog!, or download here. If you want your students to have a global project experience and develop writing skills why not join Clay and his 1001 Flat World Tales!

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2 comments:

CB said...

Thanks for spreading the word, Julie.

One thing about the read-write web that also amazes me is how other educators' writings help me clarify my thinking by often articulating what I'm doing more clearly than I'm able to. You've done it here.

I'm able to add one thing to this post: wikis do enable the traditional language arts "best practices" known as "the writing workshop" and "the writing process" to function more powerfully on this web-based platform....

In other words, my collaborating teachers and I haven't abandoned "traditional" best practices: we've only emigrated them onto wikis to exploit new advantages.

Keep the helpful reflections coming :)

Unknown said...

Julie,

I have been following your blog since I found out about it at the k12 online conference and the work that you did with Vicki. I also enjoyed finally hearing your voice on the nextGenTeachers, which is now part of my listening rotation. I guess I am the old guy on the block, just turning 45. You have inspired me to strech myself and my teachers. BTW, would you be available to blow the minds off of my teachers this Friday?