Wikis for Collaborative Learning and Knowledge Construction

Wikis can be used when working with adult learners in a variety of ways.  Wikis have been found to be especially useful when aiming foster collaborative learning for students through active learning and social interaction; key tenants of constructivist theory (West & West, 2009).  The following example outlines an 8-week lesson plan which utilizes the use of wikis to help students actively engage with one another while working to develop their small group communication skills, research skills, and technical skills.

LESSON PLAN:

Title:

Hiring Committee Group Project

Target Audience:

Each group will consist of 3 to 4 members from Comm. 613: Recruiting and Interviewing Techniques

Learning Objectives:

Students will work in teams on an interviewing and hiring project.  This project will help you develop your small group communication skills, your ability to analyze the needs of an organization from a human resources perspective, and improve your ability to conduct research using a variety of sources.  Each team will participate in developing a wiki which outlines the procedures your hiring committee will follow in determining who the best candidate is for the job.

Materials Needed:

Computer and Internet Access

Required Course Textbook:

Arthur, D. (2006). Recruiting, Interviewing, Selecting & Orienting New Employees (4^th ed.) New York,

     NY:AMACOM.

Resumes of candidates (Provided by the instructor)

Job Description (Provided by the instructor)

Access to course wiki (Provided by the instructor)

Instructions:

You have been appointed to a hiring committee.  You have been provided the resumes of the final candidates for a management position in your department.  Over the next 8 weeks you will need to complete the following:

Group Work Instructions:

Members of the group will participate in discussion about how you should go about hiring one of the candidates whose résumé is assigned to your group. You will have to do research to determine the kinds of qualifications people who work in those jobs should have. Likewise, you should research the kinds of things you'd want to know about candidates for those jobs. You will also want to know what skills and attitudes someone working in this field would have. Be sure to follow federal guidelines for your questions. And you should chronicle your research and the entire hiring process that you follow.

So, as a hiring committee, you will want to do several things:

1. Determine what the first steps you need to take in order to start the process of filling a position with your company.

2. Review the résumés and see the kinds of skills each individual has and create a detailed profile for each candidate.

3. Review the job you have to offer and discuss thoroughly what skills you should seek in hiring this position and how the skills each candidate has would be good or not so useful when it comes to hiring. (Note: you will need to expand on the skills already listed in the job description)

4. Discuss the kinds of things in general you would look for when hiring this position.

5. Discuss the things you'll need to know before coming to a final decision on who is the best hire for this position.

6. Develop a list of questions you plan to ask the candidates during an interview.

7. Present the information on your group wiki page.   For tips on how to create a wiki check out this You Tube Video:

 

Your grade is based on your participation and your contributions to the project. In other words, I want you to be part of the project and I want you to make an impact in the group. You will be evaluated on a number of criteria.  Please see the grading rubric for details.

I want each group to document their discussions, as well as the ideas, research, etc… that each member contributes.  You should make all of the determinations and obtain all of the information outlined above as well as make a decision as a group about which candidate you would like to hire. 

Each group will present their information on their group wiki page.  Your information can be presented in a number of ways; it is dependent on how you want to break it down.  I would suggest using the grading rubric provided to ensure that you are meeting all of the requirements and presenting all necessary information to the group.

Suggested Work Schedule:

Week 1:

-          Set-up a time to “meet” with your instructor and your group members.  Your instructor will send out a survey to help determine the best time for this meeting.  The meeting will take place on Skype, so make sure you have that downloaded on your computer.

-          At this meeting you will determine roles for each group member and set-up further group meeting times and deadlines (I would suggest meeting weekly to discuss the progress of your project and discuss any issues which have been presented)

Week 2:

-          Set-up your group wiki page.

-          Create content areas based on how you plan to present your information.

-          Start researching

Week 3 – 6:

-          Continue research and discussion of your group project.

-          You should be adding information to your wiki at this time.  Remember, all group members should be contributing and addressing the questions provided in the work instructions.

Week 7:

-          Begin editing your wiki.  Make sure you are reviewing content, verifying sources, and checking your citations.

Week 8:

-          Finalize your wiki. 

-          All graphics/design work should be completed.

-          All editing should be completed.

-          Project should be ready to present to the class.

Evaluation:

Grading Criteria	Missing = 0	Weak = 3	Average = 5	Good = 8	Excellent = 10
Individual Participation	Did not participate in the project	Posted minimal information in group wiki	Provided some research/information for the wiki	Provided good, well-researched input for wiki page	Provided well-researched scholarly information for wiki project.
Group Collaboration	Did not communicate with group members	Did not attend all group meetings	Attended most group meetings, provided some input for the wiki but information was questionable	Attended almost all group meetings and discussed findings with group members	Attended all group meetings.  Communicated updates and information clearly with group members.
Technical Assistance/Involvement	Did not provide any technical assistance or work on the group wiki	Checked on group wiki page but did not help with edits	Assisted with some editing and development of the wiki page	Assisted with editing and development of the wiki page, provided input on ideas	Assisted with editing and development of the wiki page, assisted with development of page layout and suggestions on graphics
Research/Information	Did not conduct any research	Conducted some research and provided some information but sources were questionable	Conducted research using credible sources, most of which was applicable to the group project	Conducted research using credible sources, the information was applicable to the group project	Conducted research using credible sources, the information was relevant to the project, also found and utilized useful theories
Learning Objectives/Goals	Did not do any work related to the learning objectives/goals of the project	Contributions were vague and did not relate to the learning objectives/goals of the project	Contributions were in line with the learning objectives and goals of the project	Showed definite understanding of the material and work showed understanding of the learning objectives/goals	Presented all work in line with the learning/objectives goals of the project.  Provided help throughout the project to team members and connected all material to overall framework of the project.

                                                                                                                                                                             TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE: 50
 

The assignment which has been outlined is meant to help students expand their skills in a number of ways.  West and West (2009) discussed that wiki projects can be used for a variety of purposes including knowledge construction, critical thinking, and contextual application.  This project is designed to help students pull together information and think critically about the task put in front of them.  The outcomes of this project are focused on helping students develop their small group communication skills, research skills, and technical skills through the development of a group wiki. 

The project was designed in a way which allowed the group to have a base provided by the instruction (i.e. basic information regarding the assignment, initial meeting to go over expectations and tips, etc…).  The remainder of the assignment was intentionally left open-ended in order to allow each group to address the task in their own manner.  The use of a wiki for this project gives students the opportunity to work with one another while providing feedback to each other along the way.  The overall goal of the project is to foster their ability to work in a group to reach their end goal.

References:

West, J.A, & West, M.L. (2009). Using wikis for online collaboration: The power of the read-

     write web. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

* This assignment has been adapted from course assignments from Keiser University – SPC 1017 and Fort Hays State University – COMM 613

 

Wikis: Pros and Cons for Adult Learners

Wikis: Defined:

West and West (2009) stated, “A wiki is an online collaborative writing tool.  As defined earlier, a wiki is a “collaborative web space where anyone can add content and anyone can edit content that has already been published” (Richardson, 2006, p. 8).  The first wiki was created by Ward Cunningham (read more about him here) (West & West, 2009).  Although wikis have been around for some time, the use of wikis in adult education has increased in recent years (Lari, 2011; West & West, 2009).  The question we are faced with then becomes; what are the pros and cons of wikis for adult learners?

Wikis: Pros for Adult Learners:

Current literature regarding various Web 2.0 tools, including wikis, cites numerous “pros” for the use of wikis in adult education.  Some of these pros include:

-          Allowing students the ability to collaborate on group projects (Lari, 2011; West & West, 2009)

-          Providing a platform to “elaborate on topics in an asynchronous manner” (West & West, 2009, p. 5)

-          Supports team building efforts (West & West, 2009)

-          Supports the use of multimedia ( On Choy & Chi Ng, 2007)

-          Supports the expansion of ideas (West & West, 2009)

-          Dynamic form of communication (West & West, 2009)

For more information on how wikis can be used for collaborative learning check out this video:

 

Wikis: Cons for Adult Learners

Although there has been much support for the use of wikis in adult education, there have also been some “cons” discussed regarding this Web 2.0 tool.  Some of these cons include:

-          The ability for multiple users to edit content (this could lead to misinformation or inappropriate types of communication) (Educause Learning Initiative, 2005)

-          Structuring of content can be challenging (Educause Learning Initiative, 2005)

-          Limitations in security and management depending on the type of wiki service being used (West & West, 2005)

-          Creates a collaborative bias (Educause Learning Initiative, 2005)

For more information on using wikis check out some of these great resources:

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/feb09/vol66/num05/Learning-with-Blogs-and-Wikis.aspx

http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7004.pdf

 References:

On Choy, S. &  Chi Ng, K. (2007). Implementing wiki software for supplementing online

     learning. Australian Journal of Adult Educational Technology, 23(2), 209-226. Retrieved

     from:http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet23/choy.html

Educause Learning Initiative (2005). 7 things you should know about…wikis. Retrieved

     from:http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7004.pdf

Ferriter, B. (2009). Learning with blogs and wikis. How Teachers Learn, 66(5), 34-38.

     Retrieved from: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-

     leadership/feb09/vol66/num05/Learning-with-Blogs-and-Wikis.aspx

 

Lari, P. (2011). The use of wikis for collaboration in higher education. In K.P.

     King & T.D. Cox, The Professor’s Guide to Taming Technology (121-133). Charlotte, NC:

     Information Age Publishing, Inc.

West, J.A, & West, M.L. (2009). Using wikis for online collaboration: The power of the read-

     write web. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

 

 

"Blogging: Pros and Cons for Adult Learners":

Carter (2011) stated, “One of the most visible contributors to the Web 2.0 world of digital media is the Weblog, or blog” (p. 89).  Blogging has become a common mode of instruction within education today.  However, blogging was not the first type of online communication used for educational purposes.  Before the advent of blogging there were numerous types of mediated learning and interactive tools being used such as multimedia, online communities, and distance learning (Santos, 2011).  Therefore, the question begs; how is blogging different from other commonly used technologies such as discussion boards and what are the pros and cons of this type of communication for adult learners?

Many of us have participated in online discussion boards over the years while enrolled in a face-to-face course which required online collaboration or when taking a course solely through an online learning management system such as Blackboard or eCollege.  This is a discussion format I am familiar with from the role of both a student and an instructor.  The use of a blog however, was new to me until….well, today.

Blogging, although used as a communicative interaction just as a discussion board, is different in many ways.  Blogging is thought to be more social and create synergy between formal and informal communication which allows more freedom for students (Rhode, 2009).  Blogs allow instructors to communicate with their students in the online environment while not only facilitating learning but also developing a social presence (Keengwe, Adjei-Boateng, Diteeyont, 2013).  Blogs are also an opportunity for students to expand their network of professional relationships outside of the classroom while sharing their ideas with colleagues through virtual communication (Carter, 2011).  All of this can also be done at little to no cost to the students or their institution (for more information on that idea click here:http://chronicle.com/article/Blogs-Instead-of-Blackboard/44412/).  I can think of a few higher education administrators that would like that idea…

So far blogs sound like a great tool to use for adult learners, right?  Although there are many proponents of this idea there are others who would be more cautionary.  Huang et al. (2010) stated, “although the internet technology has made it possible for people to collaborate effectively without staying physically together, they have led to the unintended consequence of increasing isolation among people with respect to their academic peers” (p. 79) (Keengwe, Adjei-Boateng, Diteeyont, 2013).  The instruction and facilitation of a blog discussion must also be handled correctly by the instructor in order to create a positive learning experience for students (Carter, 2011).  Another aspect of blogging which students and instructors need to keep in mind is the public nature of the information being posted.

So are blogs different than discussion board activities?  My answer would be yes.  Blogs are more social and more personal.  However, as proven here (hopefully) they can still be a solid educational tool.  More to come on this and other uses of technology for adult learners…so stay tuned!

References:

Carter, T.J. (2011). Voice, empowerment, and impact: Using digital technologies in the classroom. In

     K.P. King & T.D. Cox, The Professor’s Guide to Taming Technology (89-104). Charlotte, NC:

     Information Age Publishing, Inc.

Huang, J.J.S., Yang, S.J.H., Huang, Y.-M., & Hsia, I.Y.T. (2010). Social learning networks: Build mobile

     learning networks based on collaborative services. Educational Technology & Society, 13(3), 78-

     92.

Keengwe, J., Adjei-Boateng, E., & Diteeyont, W. (2013). Facilitating active social presence and

     meaningful interactions in online learning, Educational Information Technology, 18, 597-607

Rhode, J. (2009). Interaction equivalency in self-paced online learning environments: An

     exploration of learner preferences. International Review of Research in Open and Distance

     Learning, 10(1), 1-23. Retrieved from ERIC database.

Santos, A.N.E. (2011). Blogs as a learning space: Creating text of talks. Contemporary Issues in

     Education Research, 4(6), 15-19.

Young, J.R. (2009). Colleges consider using blogs instead of blackboard. The Chronicle of Higher

     Education, Retrieved from: http://chronicle.com/article/Blogs-Instead-of-Blackboard/44412/.