Wikis and Google Docs
Overview:
A wiki is a web page (or a collection of web pages) that anyone can edit right in their
browser. Some wikis even allow you to restrict who can edit, or who can even see certain
pages. Most of us are familiar with the Wikipedia which is an online encyclopedia that
anyone can edit, but you can also create and edit your own wikis.
Google Docs is a free web-based word processor (plus some other cool features like
spreadsheets or presenter) that allows for sharing and accessing your content from any
Internet-connect computer.
Objectives:
1. Understand how technologies like wikis and Google docs offer collaborative
advantages over other technologies
2. Become knowledgeable about the basics workings and terminology of wikis and
Google Docs.
3. Edit, add or delete content within wikis and Google Docs
4. Create your own wiki and Google Doc.
The More You Know:
First, check out this short video Wikis in Plain English to get a basic idea of what wikis
are.
Next, read through the 7 Things You Should Know About Wikis from Educause.
Wikipedia
Besides being one of the most well known wikis, Wikipedia is also the largest general
reference website on the Internet. Its popularity stems from the fact that anyone with an
Internet connection can create and edit pages within the site. Most of the pages can be
edited without even logging in, but due to site vandalism they have had to require this for
more controversial topics and people.
Wikipedia still uses wiki markup to edit its pages (which is supposed to be easier than
HTML, but still not straight forward) so changing or contributing information can be
tricky at first. To get started:
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Read the 7 Things You Should Know About Wikipedia from Educause
Spend some time reading through the tutorial on editing Wikipedia pages
Explore and add something to one of the pages in the Wikipedia Sandbox
The wiki engine (software) that runs Wikipedia is free to use, but needs to be installed on
a server that you have access to. Not many of us lease server space so we need a better
solution. Enter the web-based wiki creators! The first wiki-creation website we'll look at
is Wikispaces.
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You can watch a quick overview video here
Then use this special page for teachers to sign up for Wikispaces which doesn't
include advertisements.
Once you have a teacher account, explore it by:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Adding some basic content (images, text, links, etc) to your home page
Try editing the theme and change the colors.
Create a new page that links to your home page.
Upload a sample file that can be download through the wiki.
Know how to view a page's history.
Look through the Manage Settings Link to see the various options for inviting
people and protecting your wiki.
Remember to draw on our learning new technologies strategies as you try accomplishing
the above tasks? Where would you look to find a video about this tasks? What if you had
a specific question? If you get stuck, share your question
with us in our Question Forum so we can all learn from you.
PBwiki is another web-based wiki creation site that we'll explore. This is the site we are
using to host our wiki gallery. You can create an account and a new wiki here (be sure to
select the free wiki!). Your wiki homepage comes with some content to get you started,
but you can delete it all under the "Edit" tab and begin putting in your own content.
Begin your exploration of PBwiki by watching their short demo video.
As you play with PBwiki, be sure to practice completing the following tasks:
1. Create a new wiki
2. Create and edit a new wiki page
1. Change template
2. Add Text, Links, Images, etc.
3. Organize your page within folders
4. Share files though the wiki
5. Invite collaborators and set permission levels
6. View page History to look at the development of the wiki and as a restore tool.
7. Add plugins such as a calendar or a slideshow
Google Docs
To begin learning about Google docs:
1. Watch Google Docs in Plain English.
2. Hear what teachers, principles, and students are saying about it.
3. Read through the 7 Things You Should Know About Google Apps to get a better
understanding of how Google Docs fits in with other Google Apps.
4. Watch this brief tutorial that shows you some of the basics of Google Docs.
5. Check out Google Doc's Help to learn even more about some of the nuances of
the program. FYI- we will be looking at the presentation component of Google
Docs in a later lab.
As you explore Google Docs, be sure you practice completing some of the basic tasks:
1. Create and edit a new document
1. Adding text, images, links, etc.
2. Upload a Word Document to Google Docs
3. Invite collaborators and set their permission levels.
4. View the Revision History to see the progression of changes.
5. Publish your document on the web
6. Save (Download) a copy of your document in Word format and PDF.
Your Performance Tasks:
After exploring each of the above technologies, proceed to complete the following
activities:
1. Create your own wiki using Wikispaces. When making this wiki, be sure to
complete the following tasks:
1. Create at least two inter-linked wiki pages
2. Each page should have text and at least one image
3. Relate your pages to teaching. For example, you could design these two
wiki pages as a resource you might share with students to help them learn
a particular topic in your discipline.
4. Invite me (freidhof@msu.edu) as an editor on your wiki. So as not to
create panic, when I get the invite from you, I'll go in and erase all of the
work you've done on one of your two wiki pages.
5. Once I've deleted the content from your page, you'll simply go back in and
use history/versions to restore it to its previous form.
6. Update your link in our wiki gallery to your Wikispaces wiki.
2. Click this link to go to a Sandbox wiki I've created in PBWiki.
1. Note, you should have received an email by Sunday inviting you to this
wiki.
2. Add an image and some text to the main page
1. For ease, let's keep the images small and related to the theme of K12 education.
2. Please limit the text to only a sentence or two related to the image
you've selected.
3. Create a new wiki page for yourself that links to our main wiki page.
1. Save the page using your first name
2. In this page, write about some of the various ways you can
envision teachers using wikis in the classroom.
3. Create an updated resume for you using Google Docs. You can design the
resume entirely in Google docs or you can upload a Word Doc for editing within
Docs.
1. The College has some recommendations for building your resume. Check
out the relevant link.
1. Elementary
2. Secondary - Pages 23-27 of the Secondary Handbook.
2. Invite me to be able to view your resume, but do not grant me permission
to edit it.
3. Save a copy of your resume as .pdf and email it to me
(freidhof@msu.edu).
4. Just a quick note, you will need to have a polished resume as part of your
mid-term web portfolio.
Submitting Your Lab:
All tasks for the Wikis and Google Docs lab must be completed by Sunday evening,
February 8th. Please submit the URL to your Wikispace Wiki to our gallery. Thanks! If
you have any questions on this lab, please post them in the Questions Forum.
Next Step:
That ends the Wikis and Google Docs Lab. Continue on to the Copyright and Images
Labs.