Any student in an English Language Arts class knows one key rule: Wikipedia is not considered a credible source. It appears that after years of arguing this point, it has become cannon and now sits on the shelf next to the "Click it or Ticket" and "Cut plastic Coca Cola rings and save the sea turtles" campaigns. However, if you ask any student why he/she shouldn't use Wikipedia as a citation source, many fail to justify the reasoning. It appears that the world of ELA teachers has declared war on Wikipedia, never realizing the long-term results: students who cringe at the Wiki name and avoid using it like the plague.
Surprisingly, Wikis are incredibly effective web tools that allow students to collaborate, modify, edit, and publish their assignments. Unlike other web tools, no additional training, software, or advanced technology knowledge are required to operate a Wiki. Its web-based nature allows the content to be accessed anywhere at any time, encouraging flexibility and student engagement outside of the traditional school setting. Students can upload a variety of media, receive feedback/peer editing, and publish their written commentary.
As a teacher, Wikis are E-A-S-Y. Simply put, we are responsible for the guidelines and expectations of the Wiki; however, students are given freedom to create and collaborate on the template. They are able to take ownership of the platform and publish their individual/group consensus for the given assignment. It also provides an alternate platform that differs from a traditional "Google Doc" situation and essentially becomes a virtual "white board" for students.
To put my theory to the test, I decided to assign a class narrative assignment to my group of Honors English II students. Students were assigned specific narratives to read and analyze; this was a jigsaw grouping method with each group reading a different literary excerpt. As a teacher, I was mostly seeking to assess their analysis of the literature and to review the information gathered by the individual and group as a whole. In past years, students were given this assignment and asked to complete a Google Slide to demonstrate their group's analysis. Unfortunately, in many cases, the students became hyper-focused on the creation of the Google Slide and failed to adequately provide strong textual analysis. The Google Slide aspect created an unnecessary barrier to my assessment. To counter this issue, I decided to restructure the assignment and ask students to use a Wiki instead. In transitioning to this platform, I could better view individual student work and group work, while introducing students to a simplistic platform. Overall, the students agreed that this process was easier to work than the creation of Google Slides. One student, inspired by the assignment, was able to create her own Wiki page to collaborate with her AP U.S. History class, thus creating a space for shared note-taking and study sessions.
Overall, I would definitely recommend the implementation of Wikis within the Secondary ELA classroom. They prove resourceful, simplistic, and effective for student engagement.
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