Wikis open the door to more efficient classroom interaction

This week I was introduced to the concept of wikis, and used one to complete a group project in my Special Education class. The idea of the wiki, which allows a group of people a common workspace to compile and edit information, was immediately intriguing to me. However, it wasn’t until I used one that I really understood how efficient and time-saving a wiki could be.



As my role in the group project required that I have every group member’s research to work with, the benefit of having all the sources available in one place was immediately evident. Instead of being on the receiving end of multiple emails, I was able to “one-stop-shop” our wiki for all the information I needed.



The wiki also enabled everyone to add and edit slides to our PowerPoint, which prevented one individual from having to copy and paste everybody else’s slides or information into one PowerPoint presentation. Compared to past projects, which often involved ricocheting emails, re-writes, and a very late night of finally compiling everyone’s contribution, I was struck by how quickly and efficiently this project was assembled. I am now a believer, and plan to use wikis with my future students.



While thinking about how I could incorporate wikis into my instruction, I decided to check my PLN on Twitter for ideas on other ways to increase efficiency in my classroom. Eric Sheninger, Principal of New Milford High School in New Jersey had posted his experience using Skype in his school. I was familiar with Skype, and have used it to talk with friends over seas, but I had never considered using it in the classroom. However, one of the New Milford teacher’s uses of Skype to host a speaker from Israel in her Holocaust class really demonstrated the potential benefits of using this technology with students.


The ability to interact with people around the world presents incredible opportunities for instruction. Students can be connected with leading experts in a field without the need for travel, or any great expense. As even local speakers can join a class from the comfort of their own office, Skype eliminates commuting and thus requires a shorter time commitment from busy professionals. I think this could greatly increase a professional’s willingness to speak to my class, as they wouldn’t have to sacrifice half a day to do it.



Both wikis and Skype are so effective at increasing efficiency because they can connect multiple individuals to one easily accessible space. Their ability to allow people to communicate and collaborate in a more effective manner, make them both excellent tools for the classroom.