Using Wikis to Deliver Professional Development

There are several challenges in planning and delivering professional development for educators. The biggest is how to deliver a meaningful learning experience while navigating obstacles such as schedules, compliance, change, and workload (Huber, 2010). As with many problems, the right tool and the proper procedure are critical for optimal resolution. The use of Web 2.0 tools as a means of delivering professional development is being explored as a potential solution (Ferriter, 2009).

Web 2.0 tools, interactive Web tools allowing two-way information flow, have been a topic of high interest in the area of education. Many of these tools have been piloted in classrooms by adventurous educators (Ferriter, 2009). The wiki, specifically, provides great potential for professional development as it can essentially act as a simplified learning management system. In the following sections wikis will be briefly defined and their application as a means of delivering professional development will be discussed.

Stated simply, a wiki is a Web page that allows visitors to edit the content on the page. The most widely known example of a wiki is the online resource Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org).

Looking deeper, a wiki has much more to offer than a simple Web page. Wikis are designed to be fast and easy to use (Brunsell & Horejsi, 2010). The idea behind a wiki is that all collaborators (users) are editing one document, in real time, that is always accessible in its latest version. When visiting a wiki, users see the page content in its current form but have access to an edit button that will allow modifications to be made. This process is repeated by all users in the collaborative group until the product is finished.

Wikis offer some great benefits but also have several challenges. The strongest benefits of wikis include the ability to connect from anywhere using the Internet, no need for specialized software, easy-to-use interface, space for multi-user collaboration, and the ability to incorporate multiple forms of media (Billings, 2009). Some of the challenges of wikis include dependency on a stable Internet connection, multiple authors undoing each others’ work, and edits from unknown users. Although there is no solution for the first challenge, the other two can be remedied by the use of a history tool within the wiki to monitor which user has made changes to the page. The ability to limit editing capabilities to only registered users can also be used to avoid changes made by unintended users (Billings, 2009).

Wikis are used in a variety of environments, but their use can be sorted into three basic groups: education, business (Hazari, North, & Moreland, 2009), and personal use. In each of these areas the application of wikis is slightly different, but the underlying purpose for using the tool is the same—collaboration. In the following sections examples of how each of these groups use wikis is discussed.

Various levels of education use wikis as a teaching and learning tool. Although classroom use of wikis is more common with older students, some elementary school teachers are using this tool for a variety of projects. In middle and high school, students use wikis to create group or class projects including posters and online books (Brunsell & Horejsi, 2010). In higher education, wikis are used for collaborative projects and interactive learning, where students modify a document with the guidance of an instructor.

The business application of the wiki is at the root of the wiki concept, as business collaboration is the reason Howard G. “Ward” Cunningham developed the original wiki. Cunningham was seeking a way for employees at his company to collaborate in a quick and efficient manner (Brunsell & Horejsi, 2010). Other businesses have adopted the wiki idea to aid in simplifying idea sharing, meetings, and information organization.

Wikis are also used by individuals for leisure purposes. Some examples of how individuals use wikis include collecting information on topics of interest, event planning, and chronicling group activities. Whiles these types of wikis may not seem significant in the realm of education, the information that is gathered from the various authors to create a reusable, updatable resource demonstrates a key advantage of using wikis for professional development.

Wikis make an excellent choice as a means of delivering professional development in an online format. Several benefits are shared among all Web 2.0 tools, while some are specific to wikis. A major benefit that can be seen by using Web-based professional development is the ability to access the workspace from anywhere using the Internet. Participants are no longer restricted by having to be present at the time and place a workshop is being offered, creating greater flexibility in scheduling. Using wikis specifically, an organization can gather knowledge on content and practice from existing staff members as they each contribute to the workspace. This knowledge can then be archived and used for future training or as a reference. Through the collaborative nature of wikis, professional learning communities are given an opportunity to develop and grow among participants. Not only will the participants learn from the content, they will begin to learn from each other’s insight and ideas (Samarawickrema, Benson, & Brack, 2010).

Getting started delivering professional development using wikis can be accomplished in a few steps. These steps are basic but can provide an excellent guide for someone looking to try using wikis for the first time.

The first step is to find a wiki provider. Wikispaces, Wetpaint, and PBworks are a few examples of wiki providers. More providers can be located by performing an Internet search. Most wiki providers offer some level of service at no charge. Although the free version may be very limited or basic, it can provide a good start when trying wikis for the first time.

The next step is to add content that will start the training. This content can include any medium that is appropriate—text, images, audio, or video. It is important consider Web design principles when creating the initial lay out of the wiki. The layout should be organized and inviting, making sure not to overload the page (Robb, 2009; Samarawickrema, Benson, & Brack, 2010).

Adding or inviting users to participate is the next step in the process. Membership to the wiki can be left open, meaning any one that visits the site can edit pages and contribute, or editing privileges can be restricted to invited users only. If the wiki is restricted, users will have to use a log-on ID and password to gain access to editing capabilities. Using restricted membership is probably best when using wikis for professional development, as this safeguard will protect the integrity of the information collected.

When creating content, include activities that will stimulate collaboration. Participants should be actively participating, creating content on wiki as well as taking in existing content (Hazari, North, & Moreland, 2009). This aspect of the wiki is significant because the content created by users is usually easily accepted by other users since they are eased in knowing the source is a trusted colleague with whom they are already comfortable working (Jones, 2009). To stimulate participation, combine wiki tools and instructional methods that complement each other (Hazari, North, & Moreland, 2009). To attain a good blend of tools and methods it may be necessary to create additional resources, on the Web or otherwise, to compliment the wiki (Wilson, & Stacey, 2004). In some cases it may be necessary to precede the online wiki activity with a face-to-face meeting, assuring all participants understand how to use the wiki properly (Samarawickrema, Benson, & Brack, 2010). The presence of an instructor will also aid in engagement and participation, as the users will have an active role model to emulate (Wilson & Stacey, 2004). The instructor presence can also assist in keeping the activity on the correct track.

Finally, once the professional development session has ended, the wiki pages should be locked to disallow further editing and the final product can remain as an archive for future reference. In future iterations of the same training the archived pages can simply be used as guides or they can be unlocked and further evolved by the new group.

This section contains a list of activities that can be presented as part professional development delivered through a wiki.

1. Writing a collaborative lesson plan;

2. Rearranging units of study;

3. Creating thematic units;

4. Gathering ideas for multiple intelligences activities for a predefined lesson;

5. Creating a list of Web resources for teachers; and

6. Creating a list of Web resources to use in the classroom.

While many options are available for delivering professional development through the Web, wikis are a simple and effective way of achieving this goal. Given wikis’ strongest feature, collaborative capabilities, compliments the recognized benefit of learning with others, wikis seem like an obvious choice for online delivery of professional development. With careful attention to the instructional methods encased in the wiki, taking care not to rely solely on the technology for instructional delivery, wikis can be a powerful teaching tool. Perhaps what is needed is an instructional framework centered on wiki technology to aid in the creation of online professional development.