Obstacles and Difficulties Encountered Using Wikis at a Japanese University

This presentation examines the obstacles and difficulties to effective learning encountered during the implementation of a wiki project recently carried out at a mid-sized suburban university in Japan. In this project, a wiki host was used to provide multiple wiki websites for students working in groups in a research-oriented program, with the goal of improving effective learning by allowing students to engage in collaborative activities. The obstacles and difficulties encountered--technological, pedagogical, and affective--in the introduction and use of wikis in this program, as both observed by the instructor as well as reported by the students in post-course questionnaires and interviews, are presented.