Finding the Wikispace to Enhance Student Learning

As any educator who wants to enhance student learning by implementing technology to engage students' creativity and collaboration will definitely want to investigate the idea of having a Wikispace as part of the classroom learning environment. If your current district doesn't provide for this type of technology--don't worry--there is a site that can support individual educators with the ability to create collaboration using technology. Wikispaces.com can get you set up in a matter of minutes with a free account. However after the initial sign-up, it may take a little longer to get the collaborative space set up and running. But don't give up. Anything that enhances student learning is worth the effort!

Wikispaces can be used for a variety of communication needs. Recently created MeyerLiteratureCollaboration wikispace is being constructed to provide student collaboration when participating in literature readings. These readings can be part of literature group activities or whole classroom literature activities. Students currently participate in these activities using only traditional methods such as face-to-face discussion and hand-written discussion. With the wikispace, students have another dimension to collaborate with is not limited to the traditional classroom environment. Students can discuss using the space outside of class--anytime.

Inspiring Learning and Creativity

How does anyone inspire learning and creativity? This question must be asked and attempted to be answer if you are implementing National Educational Technology Standards (Nets) These standards will assist educators in at least motivating students who have been nurture in the 21st century with many types of technology outside of the classroom; therefore, needing similar familiar tools in the classroom to inspire and promote creativity.

One way to promote learning and creativity for students when it comes to written or typed communication is to facilitate what students are already using. The website, National Council for Teachers of English, (NCTE) assists educators by providing research, articles, and lesson plans which definitely will at least motive student learning. For example, a recently featured lesson on the NCTE website invites students to think about language--email language. Students would use several levels of Bloom's taxonomy thinking to complete the activity while using technology. (The lesson is actually part of readwritethink.org.)

A second way to promote learning and creativity for students through technology may be a webquest. It appears that through zunal.com that an educator or may even a student could access a web page that facilitates learning on many academic concepts. Educators can definitely create webquests that give instruction to their classroom students as well as anyone who has Internet access.

Another way to promote learning and creativity as well as touching upon another technology standard indicator--promote student reflection using collaborative tools is to facilitate collaboration through technology. A wiki, which is just the ticket, allows students to use technological collaboration. There are several sites on the Internet which allows educators to assist students in creating a wikispace. For example, wikispaces.com invites educators for free to do just that.

How Does Professional Growth and Leadership Promote Learning?

Wow! I create today's entry with a mind overflowing with ideas, but not in any logical order. Therefore, I'll start with questions relating to this national technology standard--Engaging in Professional Growth and Leadership. As I completed research led by my instructor, (thank goodness for guidance) I think about the following questions:

What are local and global learning communities in my field of education?

So far local and global communities are intertwined as I use my account for Delicious which is a website that educators can gather information for education, technology, etc simply by bookmarking. This website also gives educators the opportunity to have network of others to use to gather even more information. (I'm excited about this technology tool, but still a little overwhelmed using it--practice makes perfect.) In addition to delicious, there is another website, Classroom 2.0 which I became a member that connects educators together to blog and share idea about web tools. I think Classroom 2.0 give me support from local and global educators when I begin using web tools such as wiki and RSS--this leads to my next question.


What creative applications of technology did you learn to improve student learning?

So far I have been introduced to such technology tools such as wiki which is a collaborative web page that students could use to collaborate for learning and teaching others. I haven't decided which wiki site to use; therefore, I didn't put a link--yet. Another tech tool is the RSS or Really Simple Syndication which is simply called a reader. It lets teachers and students subscribe to their favorite website and be update with everything new on those sites. Again, I haven't chosen a "reader" yet so I don't have a link. (It's coming soon.) Moving on...


What technology tools help you be an effective educational leader?

So far I don't feel like a leader, more like a follower; however, this blog when I share my investigation with others creates a leadership role in a sense. Also when I begin to implement such technology as wiki so that my students can collaborate, I will be providing leadership for my students. Moving on and combining the next three questions...


What are technology tools that help you evaluate and reflect on research and professional practice as well as give a good source of information that can help you, other teachers, your school, and community?

Definitely, Delicious and Classroom 2.0 are good sources for information as well as helping me reflect on professional practices. As I dig in deeper into using these technology tools, I'll be able to share my investigation with students, peers, and my learning community. (Maybe at the next staff meeting, I should invite other staff members to visit my blog?)