WIKIS AS AN ASSESSMENT TOOL
Learning Objective Two: Students will display their ability to articulate educational psychology theories by constructing a jigsaw group collaboration report using a Wiki with at least 80% accuracy according to the grading rubric.
Activity: After viewing video clips and completing assigned readings about various educational psychologists, students work in assigned groups to create a joint document that describes various educational theories. Bloom's Level: Analyzing
Assessment Tool: The students will use the wiki tool within Blackboard, the College's Learning Management System. Wikis are collaborative writing areas where students can work together to create shared content. It can have multiple authors - from groups of students within the class to the entire class. Wikis provide space for groups to asynchronously work together to create a document by allowing each contributor to add, remove and edit the document.
Some of the benefits of Wikis include:
Diversity: Wikis appeal to all learning styles. Students can add text, graphics, videos and other multimedia. Students can jigsaw by working on their separate section and then putting the final piece together as a group.
Plagiarism: Because students are creating a document of information regarding educational theories, there is a chance for plagiarism. Students will be asked to include a reference section as part of their wiki. Students will be made aware that the instructor may submit their final document to SafeAssign.
Activity: After viewing video clips and completing assigned readings about various educational psychologists, students work in assigned groups to create a joint document that describes various educational theories. Bloom's Level: Analyzing
Assessment Tool: The students will use the wiki tool within Blackboard, the College's Learning Management System. Wikis are collaborative writing areas where students can work together to create shared content. It can have multiple authors - from groups of students within the class to the entire class. Wikis provide space for groups to asynchronously work together to create a document by allowing each contributor to add, remove and edit the document.
Some of the benefits of Wikis include:
- Students can asynchronously access the wiki from anywhere in the world, as long as they have Internet access.
- The Blackboard wiki is very easy to use so the learning curve for students is minimal.
- Creativity and innovation are encouraged through the use of Wikis.
- Graphics, links and multimedia can be easily added.
- Everyone working on Wikispaces has an equal opportunity to edit.
- There is a shared responsibility between the students when creating the wiki
- Wikis are flexible and can be used in many different ways.
- Students learn from each other by reading each other’s contributions.
- The Blackboard wiki tool has tracking capabilities, making it easy for the instructor to monitor and assess student work. The history logs allow instructors to see how long students have spent in the wiki.
- Students could become frustrated if their group members change their contributions or do not regularly participate.
- Because the content is student-driven, incorrect information could be added.
- It is not always apparent who added what content to a wiki unless students have been instructed to use different color fonts and to sign their contributions.
- In Blackboard, only one student can make changes to a wiki at a time.
- Some students may have limited technology skills and need time to get used to the wiki environment. Wikis in Plain English may help those new to the idea of a wiki.
- Communication about guidelines for using wikis is very important.
Diversity: Wikis appeal to all learning styles. Students can add text, graphics, videos and other multimedia. Students can jigsaw by working on their separate section and then putting the final piece together as a group.
Plagiarism: Because students are creating a document of information regarding educational theories, there is a chance for plagiarism. Students will be asked to include a reference section as part of their wiki. Students will be made aware that the instructor may submit their final document to SafeAssign.