The first thing I notice is how primitive some of the sites appeared. Code Blue for example, the site has excellent content and resource links, but it is not very appealing to view. I realize that not everyone is a master of web design, but if creating a wiki is as simple as alleged, putting more effort into the appearance of the site may attract additional student or peer interest. The next item of note was inspired by Schools in the Past. The term a picture is worth a thousand words has been proven time and time again in my classroom. And this historical look back wiki is such an interesting read, I can only imagine how captivating it would have been if pictures of old playgrounds, libraries or classrooms were included. Including pictures add a personal touch that enables students today to relate to the past. The final consideration for my wiki was picked up from Mr. Lindsay’s Wiki . I found this to be the most comprehensive wiki, and one I plan to use as a model as I begin the construction of my wiki. Particularly, I like that he has incorporated his blog site within his wiki. As a teacher I do not want to bombard my students and parents with too many sites, or links. So if I could use a wiki as a platform for parents to view all of the information they will need, it streamlines communication and makes it more approachable. Another link of Mr. Lindsay’s wiki site that I found useful was the parent help desk. I think this is something that could be used often at the elementary level. It is a place where teachers can ask for parent volunteers, send out needs that parents may be able to fulfill, or obtain things for the classroom that parents may be access to, as opposed to having to ask the school. He used his wiki to create a sense of community for his classroom.
I now have several ideas to consider when creating my class wiki. Currently I am leaning toward something sport related. I think the topic itself will derive student interest, and there are many facets to this concept that will make the wiki interactive between the students and me.
(2005, July 1). Retrieved February 1, 2015, from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7004.pdf