Hey, what other image could I choose for a Blog post about Wikis???
Okay, this week's exciting discussion is on the Pros and Cons of Wikis.
A couple years ago, wikis were suddenly a hot idea amongst some of the Lt Colonels and other Poobahs of the RCAF & CF. Great, they heard about this at some conference or were keen and read about it in some paper. Problem is no one knew precisely what a Wiki was or exactly how to apply it to a military setting.
At its simplest a wiki is "an online collaborative writing tool" (West & West, p. 3). Elaborating on this it is an online space where a group of people can add content and edit each others work and publish this information (West & West, p. 3). Okay, that said, let me predicate this blog on the idea mentioned before, a blog or wiki or whatever, is just another methodology, a tool, to use to achieve learning. Using the analogy "the right tool for the right job", so too must a wiki be chosen for its specific purpose. So when would one chose to use a wiki?
Application
According to West & West* wikis can be used to build an archive of resources on a specific subject/topic, utilized as a means for group debate, and/or to create a group project (West & West, p. 6).
Pros
As stated in King & Cox, eds., "blogs have the potential to be a transformative technology for teaching and learning because of their reach into the virtual world of learners" (p. 97). Quite a powerful statement. Wikis offer learners a collaborative place and tool that is free from time and space constraints. It is possible to have discussions, keep information current, not rely on one person's point of view or bias, and draw on a greater selection of resources.
Now my one criticism of both books are they are short on the negative points of wikis. Let me qualify this first by saying I have not read the whole of the West & West book. However, I still expect authors who are trying to sell a book about wikis would not be my own first choice to look for wiki negatives. From a different perspective Davis says regarding wikis that "the collaboration of many contributors lends breath and depth to the entries even as it endangers accuracy and objectivity" (p. 184).
Cons
Well as we like to say in the Canada Forces, "garbage in, garbage out". Wikis are like any other media, they are dependent and are only as good as their content and the information contained in them. This is not a problem if the authors for a particular wiki are all experts in their field. However, this could be a problem if the backgrounds of the various authors are not checked or verified. This opens a greater possibility for poor information to be input, a frequent criticism of Wikipedia (West & West, p. 3). Let me also qualify this by saying that an amateur historian or self-taught individual might know more than a so-called expert, but this does not negate the obligation to ensure the authors are informed in the area they are constructing a wiki for.
A second major draw back is the same problem shared by any group project. As they say in the Navy a "fleet is only as fast as its slowest ship". Being collaborative in nature means a wiki is dependent on its authors working together to achieve the common goal. A wiki used as an educational tool offers many advantages as outlined in the previous sections but the drawback that some authors may have to do more if one or two others in the group don't carry their own weight. Let me also qualify this by saying this will most definitely not be a problem with my super awesome graduate course classmates:)
Challenges
As I have already mentioned in previous posts, in my own experience with trying to set up a wiki was the constant worry from Aviation Technicians that someone might introduce a short-cut that may not adhere to all safety standards or introduce an idea or procedure that is "the wrong way to do it". With a huge segment of the Baby Boomers retiring, there will be a dearth of experience within some RCAF technical trades. A wiki is an excellent collaborative space to group knowledge based on experience for select topics. However, with concerns over Flight Safety, Transport Canada Regs, Air Force Orders, etc it is no surprise that senior technicians were wary of creating wikis. Also with such technical applications as fuel module replacement or jet engine repair, wikis may not be as useful for training new technicians until they are more experienced in the basic skill sets.
As alluded to above, training and education may require different tools to achieve learning. As per Goldstein and Ford "To maximize learning potential, training designers must examine the methods and techniques available and choose the training approach most appropriate for the behaviors being trained" (p. 220). For the Cognitive Domain wikis are perhaps more appropriate. However, as many organizations are training tasks within the Psychomotor domain or skill-sets other than critical thinking, wikis may have more limited use within the training field when compared to education.
To Sum up...
Wikis offer a great place for group collaboration to create content by a group of like minded individuals who are working towards a common purpose and goal. Challenges remain with content control and certain technical standards. However, this should not scare aware educators from adapting wikis as a potential tool. As with any tool there are certain pros and cons, the strengths and merits should be weighed when deciding which too to use.
Again, it is all in the course design!!!
* Misc info: neither one of them ever played batman or guest starred on Family Guy.
References Cited/Consulted
Davis, B.G. (2009). Tools for teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Goldstein, I.L. & Ford, J.K (2002). Training in organizations. 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
King, K.P & Cox, T.C. Eds. (2011). The professor's guide to taming technology. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.
West, J.A. & West, M.L. (2009). Using wikis for online collaboration. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
I always look forward to reading your blog because I think you offer a different, dare I say “foreign” (Canadian) perspective. For example, your point about why the authors do not provide a balanced approach with clearly stated negatives of using technology.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think that you understate a crucial point about Wikis. Wikis are a collaborative process of learning. You are looking as Wikis as a final product when you state “Wikis are like any other media, they are dependent and are only as good as their content and the information contained in them. This is not a problem if the authors for a particular wiki are all experts in their field.” Wikis provide the space and opportunity to learn by bouncing ideas around with someone else. The process of researching information, writing summaries, and designing a wiki help one to learn. Think about all your retiring technicians; they became expert by years of experience. Wikis provide experience of learning about a subject matter.
Hi. Canadians foreign? I guess it feels strange being called that as I write this from my home living room! I usually think of North Americans as one diverse cultural group. Hmm, a discussion or blog for another day.
DeleteAs for your points I agree and disagree. You are right that Wikis are living documents and great venue for idea exchange. It is just if I write points that are incorrect (but your agree with them) and you include points that are also incorrect but I agree, then we construct a wiki that is not correct.
Now does this negate the positives of wikis? No, it just means one should weigh the merits of a wiki depending on the context in which it is used. From my interpretation of your post (please correct me if I am wrong) you suggest wikis for an academic forum. This is a closed "ecosystem" and yes, amongst academics and members of a shared community of practice Wikis are a great choice. I think they are also good for students working together on a project. However, as for published work, I still am wary of them if they are not first vetted or authors are not first vetted.
As for the technicians, you are right, great idea to capture experience. Problem is some may have picked up bad habits in their 30 year career. If this is not checked against the standard or caught by fellow authors it could introduce a significant risk. I would not take this chance with respect to Flight Safety of an aircraft.
I can certainly understand the reluctance of your flight techs to engage in wiki's. One of the most significant concerns is that of veracity and citation in wiki’s. That is why they are a good source of information but not a good source of research (at least open source wiki’s). When dealing with something like regulations the source must be right all the time every time. This is less of an issue for a wiki’s developed in a course setting. The nature of the audience tends to keep the material well researched (King) and other students are usually more than willing to point our erroneous material. I think that you are right when saying “the right tool for the right job”. Wiki’s are a great tool for some things, but they are only one tool in the kit.
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say, I completely agree with you. Wikis are a powerful tool but in the right context and when the instructor designs the course with a particular objective where wikis fit the requirement.
DeleteGood point, we should catch each other's mistakes! I think part of my own "learning culture" bias is I am still stuck in undergrad mode where I wait for the professor to provide the idealize answer. As a rational adult learner, I know that Profs do not have all the answers (except Dr K and Dr Z if he reads this) and that each course member is an expert in their own respective fields. Just hard to overcome instinct and learned behaviour at times.
Great discussion, Week 3 Bloggers!
ReplyDeleteWhere do I begin? From the time I began learning, creating and using the Wiki as a tool in the virtual adult learning arena, I have been somewhat leery of relying totally in the Wiki for any information I need more of an "expert" opinion; such as papers for Dr. Z's classes, quotations for my Portfolio, etc. With this thought in mind, as well as the other statements provided in the previous replies, I would like to add that the adult learner, as well as younger learners, need to see, view and use the Wiki in the proper context; as a tool for collaboration and integrating learning avenues among other learners. Students of all ages, backgrounds, abilities and interests must use caution when referring to a Wiki as an "expert reference". I have heard and used "GIGO" (garbage in, garbage out) since beginning college...many, many years ago and I believe the statement still holds much value. Therefore, we can use the Wiki as a fun and interactive way to begin fostering learning communities among students, but must use common sense if we are going to integrate such a tool into a professional document.
One of my favorite textbooks, as stated in another blog reply, is that of Wlodkowski's Enhancing Adult Motivation to Learn. The following quote from the text is applicable, I believe to our current discussion and I challenge all of us to think about how we can use the following statement as we move forward in the arena of adult education, "For no matter how many fixed rules, precise definitions, and logical strategies we establish in learning, the process remains embedded in a human context that is open ended, subjective, unique and constantly changing. For this reason, instruction remains a science within an art, more akin to communication than to engineering" (p. 377).
As my father used to say "Put that in your pipe and smoke it!" Thoughts??
Keep up the great work!
This is kind of fun, after all! :)
Alicia
References:
Wlodkowski, R. J. (2008). Enhancing adult motivation to learn. San Francisco, CA. Jossey-Bass
Alicia, I can only say I agree and great points.
ReplyDeleteYou had me reaching for my copy of Wlodkowski. I usually got too much in Pratt and forgot about the other text.
I think you are right, whether it is from an Instructional Designer perspective or an Adult Learner one, the fundamentals remain the same: people will behave and learn within a specific context and a good instructor will factor this in when establishing the objectives and teaching methodology when conducting their course.
Great discussion! Thank you for your feedback. We all have our favorite texts, don't we! :) I appreciate the "diverseness" and indepedent thinking found in our fellow adult learners...us included. :0
ReplyDeleteI look forward to future posts and continued dialogue.
Keep up the great work!
Alicia