Well, it took some doing, but I finally figured out how to make my 6th grade Computer Basics wiki work for me. It still isn't perfect, but everyday it is getting closer to how I dreamed it could be. My 6th graders love it and are excited about the project that will allow them to create a class wiki all their own. They know it is coming, but don't know any of the logistics yet. I, too, am excited about the possibilities it holds. My biggest frustration now is how to respond back to their reflection question answers. I'm not sure I like using the discussion tab for their responses because that doesn't allow me to make comments about their reflections. I want them to think deeper about how they are responding, but if I can't give them feedback, I don't see them improving. I'm wondering if I should use a different format. Perhaps setting up a reflections page similar to the Write Around Story page will make it more feasible for "conversations" with the teacher. My concern about doing it that way is that it will mean adding 20 more pages to the wiki. And maybe having that many pages isn't even an issue. Do any of my readers have thoughts on this? In the meantime, I'll keep plugging away at making my wiki work. Hopefully I'll become so addicted to using the wiki with my 6th grade class that I will want to create something similar for the other two classes I teach.
Like technology, it is my goal as a teacher that all of my classes evolve with the changing tides. If they don't, then my teaching becomes stagnant and my students are the ones left behind.
No comments:
Post a Comment