Wikis, Blogs and collaborative learning

Maloy (2011) believes that various communication technologies enhance teaching and learning and they are essential ingredient for education. Multiple communication technologies have been introduced in the reading including email (electronic mail), instant messaging (IM), teacher or classroom websites, blogs (short for weblogs), online discussions and wikis. Each communication technologies can be beneficial to class and students learning process in different ways. It is important for teachers to build their own information communication system. Social networking (such as Facebook, Myspace and Webkinz) can also be useful for educational purpose as 96 percent of youngsters age 9 to 17 use social networking technologies. However, social networking is distracted and students might not concentrate on study.

Educational networking can be used in five productive ways:

1. teacher-to-teacher discussions about curriculum and instruction

2. book groups

3. connecting to national education policy and reform organizations

4. exchanging information on educational research

5. group editing of projects and writing

From my point of view, wiki is an essential tool for information sharing and discussing. Through wiki allow individual or group of people to edit the same web page which involve users in the process of sharing information collaboratively. Wiki is designed for collective writing and editing, promote high levels of collaboration and interaction among students. Wiki also encourage students to work in teams because students need to participate with others to work out the information. Collaborative learning experiences indicate that team work is the key to solve complex social and technological problems and wiki allow us to work together by groups. Wiki can also keep track of the writing and editing process which allows everyone to see what has been added and changed.

Teachers’ participation is also involved through wiki. Working process of each group and different ideas of students are shown as teacher go through wiki which helps teacher understand each student individually. For a teacher, questions or assignments can be written on wiki so everyone can have the same information access instead of repeating the tasks in class.

Another communication technology I will use in my future class is social networking however, I will not use that for young age education. Social networking is useful for me as students nowadays spend more time viewing online communities (facebook, twitter etc) instead of checking their personal email. Teachers can share interesting news related to the subject or even releasing important notifications so students can read it if they are interested. Students are forced to think about some problems related to education not even in class. However, it is strongly suggested to teach students how to use social networking sites responsibly (Howell, 2012).

After the reading, there are various communication technologies that can be used in my future class to enhance the ways of communication between students and students as well we students and teachers. Cooperation between students can be carried out by different technologies especially wiki and blog which provide an opportunity to study beyond the class. Students can receive feedback from teachers and teachers are able to see the task as soon as possible. 

References 

Howell, J. (2012). Teaching with ICT: digital pedagogies for collaboration & creativity. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Maloy, R.W., Verock- O’Loughlin, R., Edwards, S.A., & Woolf, B.P. (2011). Communicating and Networking with websites, blogs and more. Transferring learning with new technologies (MyEducation Kit), (pp. 206-239). New Jersey: Pearson. 

For the images

http://www.lingellearning.com/our-services/social-media

http://suezann.wordpress.com/2010/02/