(Mis)Understanding Wikis as a Tool for Online Teaching
Abstract: Wikis are powerful tools which would seem to have high potential for education. As a faculty developer who appreciates this, I have often asked myself: Why aren't more faculty using wikis at Xavier University of Louisiana? The use of blogs in classes is widespread, but very few faculty use wikis. It is my assumption that the true challenge is in understanding what wikis are, how they work, and what learning opportunities they afford. In an attempt to address this, our teaching center staff identified key conceptual stumbling blocks and implemented a nontraditional technology workshop. Participating faculty were invited to reflect on the nature of the wiki medium, survey a variety of interesting wikis, and brainstorm about possible future projects. This poster will include graphics prepared in advance of the workshop as well as graphics developed to capture the concepts which emerged in the workshop itself.