To Wiki or Not to Wiki?

Abstract

Collaborative learning experiences are looked upon favorably by many educators because of their ability to yield desired educational outcomes such as critical thinking, solving problems, cooperating with others, and developing innovation skills. One strategy that is gaining more attention as a facilitator of collaborative learning is the use of instructional computing technology (ICT). A promising web-based platform that has the potential to leverage collaborative learning outcomes is the wiki. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the use of wikis as platforms for collaborative learning and to provide an example of a wiki-based project developed for an online graduate course in youth development leadership. The paper discusses the framing of the assignment, its connection to course objectives, and considerations for the use of wikis in other courses.

KEYWORDS:

• Collaborative learning
• technology
• wikis
• youth development
• organizational leadership