Wikis for Collaborative Learning and Knowledge Construction

This week's blog assignment required each learner to create an eight week lesson plan which utilizes Wiki technology within the curriculum.  Considering I am not currently within a position of instruction, my lesson plan is merely a fictional sample designed for this assignment alone.  Although my lesson plan is fictional and I have no experience instructing the course described in my plan, I did attempt to make this plan as realistic as possible.  This sample course is an online eight week course within higher education. Learning components of this course include class discussion activities, blogging, and Wiki collaboration.  It is my belief that the Wiki project described within my sample lesson plan will foster knowledge construction and collaboration through its constructivist nature which supports social interaction, meaning making, and information organization (West & West, 2009).

    
(Sample 8 Week Lesson Plan)

Course Title: 
Understanding the Five Offerings of Leviticus


Target Audience: 
Bible College Students


Learning Objectives: 

1. Demonstrate a basic understanding of Old Testament Levitical Offerings.
2. Recognize the significant connection between Levitical Offerings and God's Redemption Plan.
3. Analyze Levitical Offerings of old and how they apply to the Saints of today

Course Materials:

1. King James Bible
2. The Five Offerings of Leviticus Study Guide by Jimmy Swaggart - Swaggart, J. (1989). The Five Offerings of Leviticus: The Cross of Christ Series. Baton Rouge, LA: World Evangelism Press. ISBN 978-1-934655-23-8
3. Computer with Internet Access

Major Class Activities:
Assigned Reading/ Class Participation: Students are expected to read each week's required reading selections and watch every assigned multimedia selection.  Students are also expected to actively participate in each week's learning activity be it discussion board, blogging, live chat sessions, or Wiki group collaboration. (20 Points)

Blogging Activities: Students are required to create and maintain a blog for course discussion. Blog posts and replies must demonstrate working knowledge of topics discussed, reflection, and critical thinking. (40 Points)

Wiki Project: Divided into small groups, students will collaboratively create a Wiki page highlighting one of the five Levitical Offerings.  Wiki content must include descriptions of offering purpose, procedure, relation to Old Covenant, relation to New Covenant, and significance to Saints of today.  Evaluation of Wiki will be based on collaboration, content, and visual appeal. (40 Points) 

  

Course Schedule: 
                                  

Week 1/ Course Overview Introductions	* Study Guide Introduction –  Pg 7-8 * Course Syllabus * Blog "How To" Video http://youtu.be/rA4s3wN_vK8	Intro Discussion Activity Create a Blog
Week 2/ Whole Burnt Offering	*Chapter 1 of Study Guide –  Pg 9-26 *Leviticus Chapter 1 in Bible *Watch Burnt Offering Podcast	Burnt Offering Blog Activity
Week 3/ Meat Offering	*Chapter 2 of Study Guide –  Pg 27-42 *Leviticus Chapter 2 in Bible *Watch Meat Offering Podcast	Meat Offering Blog Activity Wiki Survey
Week 4/ Sin Offering	*Chapter 3 of Study Guide –  Pg 43-59 *Leviticus Chapter 4 in Bible *Watch Sin Offering Podcast *Wiki "How To" Video http://youtu.be/-dnL00TdmLY	Sin Offering Blog Activity Schedule Group Wiki Meetings Mid Course Evaluation
Week 5/ Trespass Offering	*Chapter 4 of Study Guide –  Pg 61-77 *Leviticus Chapter 5 in Bible *Watch Trespass Offering Podcast	Trespass Offering Blog Activity Initial Wiki Group Meeting
Week 6/ Peace Offering	*Chapter 5 of Study Guide –  Pg 79-93 *Leviticus Chapter 3 in Bible *Watch Peace Offering Podcast	Peace Offering Blog Activity Wiki Group Collaboration
Week 7/ Wiki Work Week		Wiki Blog Activity Wiki Group Collaboration
Week 8/ Wikis & Wrap-up	*Review Fellow Learner’s Wikis	Wiki Discussion Activity Course Evaluation

 

References:

West, J. and West, M. (2009). Using Wikis for Online Collaboration: The Power of the Read-Write Web.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 

 

Wikis: Pros and Cons for Adult Learners

If there is one aspect of my higher education experience that has remained constant throughout each and every course and each and every degree program, it is group projects.  Regardless of the degree program and in spite of the course topic, group work seems to be a standard in higher education, at least in my experience.  Prior to coursework within KSU’s Adult Education graduate program, I did not appreciate the educational value of collaborative assignments, and until recent introduction with Wiki, I did not particularly enjoy collaborative projects.  Now that I have experienced Wiki’s collaborative capabilities, my perspective on group work has shifted from dreaded interaction to exciting opportunity. For me, Wiki collaboration takes group work from static dry tedious email communication to any time user-friendly information sharing and editing. 

As mentioned in King and Cox’s Guide to Taming Technology, Wiki’s are a practical tool for collaboration, they are political in that they support freedom of participation, and they are timely concerning up to date information potential. In additional to Wiki’s practicality, this collaborative tool has the ability to create communities of learning (King & Cox, 2011).  By connecting people from all walks of life (learner, expert, professional) who share similar goals and desires, new learning is generated through reflection, interpretation, and meaning negotiation (King & Cox, 2011).  Aside from Wiki’s collaborative benefits and learning community potential, Wikis offer several additional benefits to adult education:

·         Offer self directed learning opportunities (King & Cox, 2011)

·         Provides exposure to and preparation for group work within the professional community (Hazari, 2009)

·         Supports contextual learning and provides real world problem solving opportunities (West, 2009)

·         Many Wiki providers offer free services and software installation is not usually required (West, 2009)

As far as negative aspects of Wiki go, there are not many:

·         Editing can be done by anyone if Wiki is not password protected (King & Cox, 2011)

·         Most free Wiki subscriptions offer limited word processing features (West, 2009)

·         Wiki customization is limited depending on level of subscription (West, 2009)

·         Free Wiki subscriptions can include advertising (West, 2009)  

     

As highlighted, Wiki’s offer several collaborative and educational benefits.  Not only does Wiki integration into curriculum enhance learning through sharing knowledge, encouraging problem solving, and allowing learners to take ownership of their learning, it provides learners with a collaborative tool that makes group projects more enjoyable and learner-friendly.    

References

Hazari, S., North, A., & Moreland, D. (2009). Investigating pedagogical value of wiki

technology. Journal of Information Systems Education, 20(2), 187-198. Retrieved from

http://search.proquest.com.er.lib.k-state.edu/docview/200157232?accountid=11789

King, K. & Cox, T. (2011). The Professor’s Guide to Taming Technology. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.  ISBN: 9781617353338  

West, J. and West, M. (2009). Using Wikis for Online Collaboration: The Power of the Read-Write Web.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.  ISBN: 9780470343333