Manchester Primary P.G.C.E. Children's Literature Wiki.
The English course leaders came up with a brilliant idea to create a children’s literature wiki. It allows students to collaborate and extend our knowledge and experiences of children’s literature. Trainees can add book reviews on the wiki site for other trainees to see. We can read the reviews written by others and search using the tags in order to build on and improve our knowledge of children's literature. This is a great resource. We will be able to use it to find good quality children's literature to use during placement and in the future.
I uploaded a review of Dodos are Forever by Dick King Smith. The wiki was quite simple to use but, I did struggle to upload the picture since you could only use the url of an image.
Wiki within the classroom:
Investigation tool
Wiki can be an effective classroom tool and enhance children’s learning.
I could create a wiki myself and add information on a certain topic, such as The Stone Age. The information could be stored under different categories and titles. I could even add links to specific sites that I want children to go on. Furthermore, I could differentiate text to suit different abilities. Children could then work in partners or groups to use the page to investigate a topic or answer key questions I have given them. This means that children would still be using investigative and research skills to find information online. However, it would be more focused and directed. Also, less time would be wasted by the children trying to find relevant information on the vast World Wide Web. However, I need to be aware that I would need to give the children opportunity at another time to demonstrate the use of google or other search engines to find information. Although, the wiki does have a search option. This idea is something I would hope to employ on FPP.
Collaboration
A wiki can also be created by the class for the class.
Children would need to be taught how to use and create wikis and I would have to be confident in my knowledge and ability to effectively demonstrate how to use it. I think a step by step approach would be best. I could create steps to success or a list that children can follow in order to help them access it correctly. I also think learning is about discovering how things work. So I may allow children to play around on the wikis for a few minutes first to see what they learn through trial and error.
Overall, I see wiki as a great resource which enables computing to be incorporated in a cross-curricular manner.
I uploaded a review of Dodos are Forever by Dick King Smith. The wiki was quite simple to use but, I did struggle to upload the picture since you could only use the url of an image.
Wiki within the classroom:
Investigation tool
Wiki can be an effective classroom tool and enhance children’s learning.
I could create a wiki myself and add information on a certain topic, such as The Stone Age. The information could be stored under different categories and titles. I could even add links to specific sites that I want children to go on. Furthermore, I could differentiate text to suit different abilities. Children could then work in partners or groups to use the page to investigate a topic or answer key questions I have given them. This means that children would still be using investigative and research skills to find information online. However, it would be more focused and directed. Also, less time would be wasted by the children trying to find relevant information on the vast World Wide Web. However, I need to be aware that I would need to give the children opportunity at another time to demonstrate the use of google or other search engines to find information. Although, the wiki does have a search option. This idea is something I would hope to employ on FPP.
Collaboration
A wiki can also be created by the class for the class.
- To show and celebrate learning.
- Children could become the ‘experts’ and share what they have found out, as part of a topics lesson. Children in groups could research a specific area within a topic. They could then present what they have found out on a wiki so other children can learn about it too.
- It could even be used in a similar way to the literature wiki. Children could review books and recommend them to others. This would be a great idea in order to develop discussions about books and create an a positive attitude towards reading. This would be useful in terms of promoting reading for pleasure. I could even add my own reviews to encourage the children and to model reading for pleasure.
Children would need to be taught how to use and create wikis and I would have to be confident in my knowledge and ability to effectively demonstrate how to use it. I think a step by step approach would be best. I could create steps to success or a list that children can follow in order to help them access it correctly. I also think learning is about discovering how things work. So I may allow children to play around on the wikis for a few minutes first to see what they learn through trial and error.
Overall, I see wiki as a great resource which enables computing to be incorporated in a cross-curricular manner.