Wikis for Special Area Teachers

I am training elementary special area teachers on Friday in the use of Wikis. Many of the special areas don't use computers or request laptops. Does anyone have examples of how I can show the Phys Ed teacher, Music teachers and Art teachers how they would benefit from using wikis?

I am going to suggest that they can collaborate on planning meetings or events, and then post info and links from those events, and perhaps all of one special area (for example, all phys. ed. teachers) can get together to create a wikispace for just physical education, perhaps posting school times for the mileage club and using it to motivate the students from the buildings in a friendly competition.

But what else? I don't want them to sit through the session and then say, "well, that's nice but I can't use that."

Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks for your time!

Tags: elementary, special area teachers, wikis

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Permalink Reply by Martha on March 25, 2008 at 12:57pm

I would think, if nothing else, they could create a wiki for each area that collected resources all in one place. I am a music teacher and I know I get a lot out of sharing songs and activities with other music teachers. Lots of times these are either things someone has invented themselves or a way to use our adopted basal textbook material that is creative. Even something as simple as a wiki which listed activities to support each National Standard (or state/local curriculum objective) might be enough to tempt the teachers into using it for themselves, which could help generate ideas on how to use it with students.

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Permalink Reply by Christine Sklareski on March 25, 2008 at 2:04pm

Martha, thank you for the great idea. Do you have something like that that I can point them to as an example?

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Permalink Reply by Martha on March 25, 2008 at 2:45pm

only in my brain! sorry!

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Permalink Reply by Tom Whyte on March 25, 2008 at 3:38pm

Wiki's are not the only answer. Recently I have explored using Google Sites as an online collaboration between teachers. I have been developing a new Aztec Unit for my LAP students using various google products. The Unit Plan is on the main page, which can be edited by anyone I have invited to collaborate on the project with, then in the Unit Plan are links to individual lessons created within Google Docs. However, being the only teacher, not sure how good the collaboration is yet.

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Permalink Reply by Christine Sklareski on March 25, 2008 at 5:38pm

Tom,

I think that Google Docs is a great collaborative tool but the principal that is coordinating the inservice day has asked me to do a session on Wikis. Actually, I've found out today that there will be special area teachers, counselors and grade level teachers. I'll have a nice mix. Good luck on your Aztec project!

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Permalink Reply by Tom Whyte on March 25, 2008 at 6:22pm

Christine,

I agree that Google Docs is great, but it is only a component of what Google Sites is about (Which they started after the purchase of JotSpot). The reason I like Google Sites is because it is free for educators (the services and space available is amazing), allows instant collaboration (only teachers you have invited to the site or document), acts like a wiki (and no ads) for creation of anything you can put in there, and documents can be published just for the group or shared publicly.

And no I do not work for Google, just really appreciate it when a company values education and provides excellent and free tools to be used.

Have fun with your presentation though.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hargadon on March 25, 2008 at 11:21pm

Hi, Christine!

You've got to connect with Kristian Still on the physical education stuff. http://www.classroom20.com/profile/kristianstill. He's the PE Geek. Did great stuff with wikis in PE.

And for art, check out Kevin Honeycutt's Ning network: www.essdackartsnacks.org.

Best of luck!

Steve