Tips for Preparing Students to Use Wikis!

As an educator it can be a daunting task to use wikis in your classroom. Sure, we know how useful they can be to organize material, engage students in the lesson and support learning, but how can you keep students safe as they use the internet? How can we prepare our students to use wikis in the democratic and collaborative spirit they were designed to develop? How do we ensure that students behave as responsible authors and editors while participating in wiki development? These are serious concerns for educators and you must be sure to monitor what your students are writing, reading, and exploring, but here you will find some helpful links and tips as you teach your students to protect themselves and each other on the Internet and while using your class wiki.

Get a web license:

Before you begin working on wikis (or any internet experience) you can plan a series of activities that students must pass before they obtain a "license" to use the internet. These activities should foster an understanding of what is and is not safe to share with others on the internet. Elementary students can go through training to obtain their license and teachers can then discuss the responsibilities of using wikis with their class. You can also help elementary school students to learn how to "Use Your Netsmarts" while online.

As middle school and high school students begin conducting research on the web and potentially making contacts on the internet, it is important to teach them to protect themselves. Here is a fun game that can help you in this endeavor.  You can find videos, teen testimonials and more information on how to protect your middle and high school students here.

After students have provided sufficient evidence to you that they are aware of the dangers present on the web and also have several strategies to protect themself and their peers, discuss how this knowledge should be applied to your use of wikis in the classroom. Remember: Be alert and be vigilant! Empower your students to protect themselves. The school server provides some protection, but it's not necessarily enough.

Become a responsible author:

By modeling and teaching your students how to become responsible wiki authors, you will enhance the quality and effectiveness of your wikis. Check out these videos that will help you address the issues of authorship with your class. 

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