What+is+a+wiki+and+what+you+can+do+with+one

What is a wiki?  In essence, a wiki is a collaborative community web site. Rather than relying on corporations or organizations to provide content, wikis allow end users to contribute and create. As users add to the pages, a living text is created. This Web 2.0 tool gives a voice to all concerned parties.

Why would I use a wiki?  On the most rudimentary level, a wiki can be used as a bulletin board. It’s a great way to disseminate information. However, wikis offer so much more. Students and teachers begin to communicate in new ways, building a community of learners. As the wiki is constructed the community begins to thrive. Dynamic content becomes the norm and teachers get a better

Where do I get a wiki?  For the purpose of this session, we will be focusing on   [|http://www.__wikispaces__.com]     , but you can find free wikis from other sources. A search for "free wikis" will point you in the right direction. Teachers can create private, advertisement free wikis on wikispaces.com by navigating to:    http://www.__wikispaces__.com/site/for/teachers

OK, I understand wikis. What is a widget?  Wikis are great at the basics: text, images and links. Wikis aren’t so great at "gee whiz" stuff. Enter the widget. Widgets are small applications that can be embedded within a wikispace page. ** Wikispaces **<span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;">provides a set of widgets and built <span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;">‐  <span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;">in support for widgets from some external sites. Fortunately, you are not limited to the "officially supported" widgets. Almost any web<span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;">‐ <span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;">based application that will generate an embed tag will work on a wikispace page.

Where can I see some widgets in action? <span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;"> Check out the session wikispace at <span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;"> <span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;"> <span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;">[|http://cffwikiwidgets.__wikispaces__.com]     <span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;">. You must have a ** wikispaces **<span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;">account to see the page. Wiki Widgets: Adding Dynamic Content to a Wikispace 2 2008 Classrooms for the Future Coaches’ Boot Camp <span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri;">