Do wikis make a difference in educational experiences? What role might Web 2.0 play in fostering change in education? How does voice and/or presence change the way learners interact with one another?
From my own experience with wikis, I believe my cadre of students was able to collaborate and accomplish much more than would have been possible without wikis. From script writing for videos to planning for events, we utilized wikis on almost every project.
So do they make a difference in educational experiences? Absolutely! It gave us not only the ability to share our ideas with each other, but to integrate them. We were able to work together without being physically together and without even needing to be online together. The ability to collaborate with peers in this way allowed us to take advantage of each other's ideas and abilities, which can only enhance the educational experience.
I believe the functionality of wikis will begin to spill over more and more into the Web 2.0 world. It is already happening in Google Documents with spreadsheets that have wiki functionality. It is only a matter of time until all collaborative functions employ the same concepts. Take virtual world builds or music composition programs. Eventually, the same sort of collaboration, history, and revision comparison functionality will exist. Students will be able to work together beyond just the development of documents.
The voice all of this gives the learner is invaluable. Instead of the learner just sitting back receiving information, he or she is sitting forward, contributing, collaborating and taking advantage of the diversity and voice of peers.
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