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=What is a Wiki?= A wiki is a website that allows collaborators to author and edit documents. The wiki software TRACKS each person's contributions, and facilitates easy comparisons between different document versions. Wikis can be used in safe, powerful ways to not only help learners work together but also showcase their work for a global audience. media type="custom" key="12261150"

A Wiki Walk-Through - from Teacher's First

**Why Should I Use a Wiki?** Decrease Disruptions of Instructional Time Each day daily notes can be posted on the school wiki. Gone are the days when instructional time is stolen from students with announcements that often don’t apply to them. Instead, each day staff knows where they need to look to find out the important information. Notes also may contain surveys and/or forms for teachers to complete, readings, or other important news and notes of the day. After staff members have read the daily notes, they can digitally sign a Google document with their initials indicating they have read the daily notes.They can also indicate if there are any questions, issues, feedback or concerns. All teacher schedules, bell schedules, meetings, etc. can be posted right on the wiki.

Make Meetings More Efficient All team meetings and planning can be coordinated right on your wiki. This gives staff and administration a one stop shopping spot to see exactly what is happening and how work is progressing at various team meetings. At CIS 339 the team meeting pages include team norms and activities and a link to all their meeting notes, agendas, documents, and materials. Each team meeting page also has a discussion board where conversations can continue.

Collaborate On Important Documents Some schools use wiki to collaborate. A wiki can be organized with general planning and process documents on the fron page, with each department having its own section. Wikis are a great tool for schools involved in curriculum mapping. Washington Irving High School posts their English department curriculum maps on their wiki. At the Marta Valle Secondary School, curriculum maps for each content area are posted on their school wiki. Departments begin with the curriculum mapping template that teams can collaborate on to complete. Department members can easily put links to all materials and important documents required for each piece of the map. This also allows for planning across grades and department since all information is transparently posted. The discussion tab provides a powerful communication mechanism for those implementing the curriculum to collaborate.

Enhance Professional Development Professional development materials can be loaded to the wiki. Additionally, a discussion forum is associated with each wiki page. This is a great way to elicit feedback during professional development and to keep the conversation going afterwards.

Save Trees and Time Schools and school districts can post documents such as the opening day packets, school handbooks, school safety plans, principal’s letters and presentations, frequently used forms, instructional resources, discipline codes, quality review documents, vision/mission statements, school/organization brochures and more.

A Portal for All Your Lessons At many schools there may be more than one teacher teaching the same subject/unit of study. However, there never seems to be enough time to collaborate. A wiki solves that issue. All lessons can be posted right on the wiki and using the discussion tab, teachers can connect and collaborate.

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**What Can I do with a Wiki?**
 * Post, publish, and share text, images, files, and more.
 * Set privacy so you can decide who has access to your wiki's content.
 * Create student accounts - doesn't require email addresses.
 * Embed media: video, audio, images, and more to add impact to multimedia assignments.
 * Customize the look of your Wiki using wiki themes -fully customizable colors and logos will let your personality shine.
 * Connect with parents through publishing student work
 * Homework groups with kids (ask questions) via discussion forum
 * Share lesson plans with other teachers
 * In lieu of a faculty meeting, post announcments and participate in discussions
 * Write collaboratively, brainstorm ideas
 * Put websites for articles students need to read, and then discuss it together online
 * Post homework assignments and makeup work for absent students
 * Share schedules and calendars
 * Collaborative projects with other classrooms in the US or outside
 * Book reviews!
 * Science journaling
 * Study guides for the test
 * Science fair presentations
 * Collaboration to plan fundraisers or other activities
 * Diary of a science experiment
 * Literature response podcasting or video publishing
 * Book talks
 * Literature circles