Apple Mac OS X Server v10.6 - Manual (Page 93)

Chapter 12 Using Wiki Tools in the Classroom 93
If students need clarification about an assignment, they can post comments on the
assignment page, which can then be answered and read by all students. This prevents
the teacher from individually answering questions or re-clarifying the assignment for
other students.
If assignments are secret and not made public until they are assigned, teachers can
create blog posts for assignments. Students can see questions other students ask, and
you can save effort by copying the assignment text from the previous class’s blog and
pasting it in a future class’s blog.
If assignments require short responses, post the assignment as wiki pages or blog
posts and ask students to complete the assignment by adding a comment with
their response.
This works well in collaborative classes where students can build on each other’s
responses, or creative classes such as language arts, where assignments might require
students to create poetry or prose. Students can learn from each others’ work.
Similarly, you can set up a wiki so that comments are moderated. You’d then approve
the best entries from students and share those with the class.
Posting Additional Information on a Wiki
Over time, a class uses a large volume of materials. In a traditional classroom, this
involves numerous printouts that students must organize and file in binders. Similarly,
lessons must be transcribed in student notes, which also must be filed away.
You can use a wiki to create an organized system for class materials, and an online
repository for audio lessons in podcast format. This reduces waste, provides students
with information when they need it, and allows students to review old information
even if they were absent from class, or if their own note taking or organization was
inadequate.
Using Wikis for Group Sign Up
Wikis are a great medium for organizing and tracking voluntary teams. If you have an
assignment that requires a class to split into several teams with a specific number of
members in each, you can use the wiki to organize those teams.
Create a page listing the teams and, if available, include background information about
the subject matter they’re working on.
You could add a table listing names and roles for each team so students know how
many spots are open in the team and what role they’d play. Because students fill out
the tables themselves, you don’t need to track the teams separately.