Thing #8- Wiki Madness

I've spent days exploring Wikis. Honestly, in the beginning I was wondering how they were different from a website, but as I explored more, I quickly discovered the interactive aspects of Wikis. If used correctly, I see how Wikis can become a collaborative learning tool. I also understand that Wikis can be used as a great collaborative tool for anyone needing to share thoughts and ideas in a common "space".
In it's simpliest form Mr. Monson's Grade 5 classroom Wiki is a great example of the collaborative aspect of a Wiki. Each month they pose a question and put it out there for others to answer. The summer question for June, July and August asks what are you going to do over the summer. It was fun to read all the responses from individuals all over the country. Although after reading I think I need to add some adventure to my summer!
Another use for a Wiki is having a space to "store" lots of useful information for others to share and use. Grazing for Digital Natives is such a wiki. I've actually bookmarked this wiki because I can see myself using this site in the future. As an administrator, I often offer resources to teachers. This wiki would be a great resource for teachers trying to effectively implement technology in their classrooms. This wiki offers videos and presentations on many aspects of Web 2.0.
And just for fun, I loved exploring the Schools in the Past wiki. Another easy to use wiki, this one asks participants to tell about school way back when...You can tell from some of the authentic posts that many grandmas and grandads had a fun time telling all about school when they were little. What a great opportunity for a child to show his/her grandparents an aspect of learning that is completely new and different.
I can see myself using wikis in the future. I'd like to first explore an interactive wiki for teachers on my campus. We could explore campus issuses or even discuss fun things to do as a campus.