Saturday, July 12, 2008

Thing 10: Wikis

I went into the 23Things and added a comment, which was indeed easy and a bit entertaining. I will continue to be one of those teachers who might not ban Wikipedia, but will require students to corroborate an information they get off of that wiki. I don't believe I am "limiting information by format" as much as requiring information by credentials. The easy access of wikis means that anyone can enter anything that they think, whether it is accurate or not. Too many people continue to believe anything they read, rather than considering the source. With Wikis, you don't necessarily even know the source, which immediately makes me suspect if the entry involves anything but opinion. Communication is good, opinions are valid, wikis have a place on the Internet. They just should not be confused with reliable information from credible sources.

I could easily see using a wiki with literature, having book reviews and comments. The question would be whether the electronic format would be more useful than other formats. Possibly in time it will become the preferred mode of communication.

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