Wiki

A Wiki,
derived from Hawaiian word for ‘quick’, is a collaborative editing environment
which allows any number of individuals to collaborate in order to create and
edit a web page or series of web pages.
This also allows for the implementation and presentation of multiple types
of information.  Wikis can incorporate
text, sound, video as well as including hyper-links within each individual page
either to link to other pages in the wiki or to external resources.  This gives end users a functional,
multifaceted, multimedia experience rather than having to seek out those
materials in their raw forms.  Most wiki
software also provides a suit of user-friendly tools for the editing and
construction of the wiki, ensuring that it is simple and accessible and allows
anyone to participate in the editing and creating process.

The
credited inventor if the Wiki is Ward Cunningham who had three main purposes
behind his invention.  He wanted all pages to be accessible and editable by visitors; he wanted there to be
meaningful linkage and association between pages and topics and rather than
containing carefully crafted and curated content targeted at end users; he wanted the users to be
integrally involved in the creation and maintenance of material.  The goal is to make it as easy as possible
for users to become involved in the editing and creation process and as a
result does not require any review process before changes or additions are
implemented.

Critics have noted that
this has led to “social Darwinism” on large wikis as content which is not
deemed fit by the community is culled, hopefully resulting in an evolution of
better, more professional content. This has led
to a philosophy of making it easy to correct mistakes and update content rather
than make it hard to make mistakes and putting a gate on content.  Most wikis offer transparency through a
revision history that allows users to observe the changes that have taken place
to a wiki page over time.

Despite the
perception of Wikis as “untrustworthy”, proponents argue that the communities
generally rigorously self-enforce and expert moderation makes for quality
content.

Wikipedia
is the best known example of a wiki and wikis have been used for many different
applications, including within business and enterprise for internal management
and documentation of systems and also within education as a means of international
collaboration.  The desire to teach
collaboration as a classroom skill has led to increased study of wikis as a
classroom tool.

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Parker, K. R., & Chao, J. T. (2007). Wiki as a
Teaching Tool. *Interdisciplinary Journal of Knowledge and Learning Objects*,
3: 57-73.
2. ↑ Notari, M. (2006). How to Use a Wiki in Education:
‘Wiki based Effective Constructive Learning’ . *WikiSym’06* (pp. 131-132).
Odense, Denmark: ACM.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Jaksch, B., Kepp, J. S., & Womser-Hacker, C. (2008).
Integration of a Wiki for Collaborative Knowledge Development in an E-Learning
Context for University Teaching . *USAB*, 77–96.
4. ↑ Duffy, P., & Bruns, A. (2006). The Use of Blogs,
Wikis and RSS in Education: A Conversation of Possibilities. *Proceedings*
Online Learning and Teaching Conference *, (pp. 31-38). Brisbane.*
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Alexander, B. (2006). Web 2.0 A New Wave of Innovation
for Teaching and Learning? *EDUCAUSE Review*, 33-44.