wikis

toc =What's a wiki anyway?=

In today's workshop we'll compare two wiki services popular with educators, to help you and your colleagues decide which is the best fit for you/them - if your or they are considering creating a wiki.

Before the Workshop
Please create an account for each of these sites. http://timac.wikispaces.com - click on join http://timac.pbwiki.com/ - click on create an account

Video Intro
Here's a simple explanation of what is a wiki by [|Common Craft] media type="youtube" key="-dnL00TdmLY" height="344" width="425" This video can be found on Common Craft's You Tube channel at this address http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY&eurl=http://tansq.wikidot.com/what-is-a-wiki-site

More About Wikis

 * [[image:wikilpediaLgo.jpg width="81" height="92" align="left"]]wiki ** ([|IPA]: [ ˈw   ɪ   .ki   ː   ]   or [  ˈwiː.kiː   ]   [|[1]] ) is a [|website] that allows visitors to add, remove, [|edit] and change content, typically without the need for registration. It also allows for [|linking] among any number of pages. This ease of interaction and operation makes a wiki an effective tool for mass [|collaborative authoring]. The term wiki also can refer to the [|collaborative software] itself ([|wiki engine]) that facilitates the operation of such a site, or to certain specific wiki sites, including the [|computer science] site (the original wiki) [|WikiWikiWeb] and online encyclopedias such as [|Wikipedia]. [from Wikpedia, http://ig.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki]

Your Assignment
handout [|Wiki Assignment.doc]
 * 1) Go to the wiki Web site assigned to you.
 * http://timac.wikispaces.com or http://timac.pbwiki.com
 * If you have not already created an account, do so now.
 * 1) Click on the link for Cohort 5.
 * 2) Find your name and click on it.
 * 3) On the page with your name:
 * give us a short description about you,
 * insert a photo (either upload and/or link to the existing file),
 * insert a document (either upload and/or link to the existing file),
 * post a few links, and
 * embed a video from YouTube.
 * 1) If you are finished fast, explore some more advanced features like embedding photo slide shows from other online services or embedding Google widgets.
 * 2) When the person timing the workshop indicates, please visit the page of the person from the other group who was assigned the same number as you. Depending on the wiki, either write a comment on her/his page, or write a post under the discussion tab. Also add a link to your page at the bottom of her/his page. (For PB wiki, you’ll need an account.)
 * 3) Talk to your partner about your impressions after this activity

PB wiki

 * http://wikibasics.pbwiki.com/Tutorials
 * http://timac.pbwiki.com/tutorials

Wikispaces
OTAN's online workshops
 * http://www.wikispaces.com/site/tour#introduction
 * [|Getting started] with wikis
 * [|More practice] with wikis

Comparison chart
There are only a few differences between the two services as this chart indicates [|Wiki compare.doc]. As they develop and evolve, there may be even fewer or possilby more differences. These are the items I notice in January 2009:
 * Location of the navigation bar: wikispaces on the rights, pbwiki on the left
 * Editing options: anyone can edit wikispaces even anonymous visitors, for pbwiki one needs an account
 * Permission levels: wikispaces has only 2, pbwiki has 5
 * Editing options: font colors are easier to select in pbwiki
 * Editing options: wikispaces has a floatin editing toolbar which helps with long pages
 * Notification e-mail: for pbwiki it is color coded, whereas wikispaces only uses the word 'marker' where changes are made
 * Advertising: wikispaces has Google adds in the free version, pbwiki does not have adds in the free version
 * Commenting/Discussion: wikispaces hasa discussion tab, pbwiki has a comment box

Wikis vs. Blogs
This is an blog post by a High School Teacher whose students use both wikis and blogs http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2006/05/my-students-compare-and-contrast-wikis.html

Adult Ed wikis and blogs
http://webtwopointohinadulted.wikispaces.com/Wikis http://webtwopointohinadulted.wikispaces.com/Blogs