High school geometry is a subject that involves critical thinking skills on a daily basis. Students must arrive at a final answer through a series of steps; there are also different ways to approach many problems. I would plan to use a Wiki in my classroom as a way to help students solve complex problems. Through application of mathematical skills, technology skills, collaboration, revision, and reflection students will be able to devise viable solutions to real-world problems. The following link is an example of a hands-on, pencil and paper project that could easily be turned into a Wiki based project as well.
Upon reflection, I see that many small writing assignments I have for my geometry students could easily be turned into Wikis. The following document is just one example of an assignment that I could make into a small group project to be completed through Wiki. Blogger would also be appropriate for these topics. My plan would be to have small groups of students working together to share their answers on a page in Wiki. I would require at least two revisions to the collaborative, working document by each student and a new page for the final revised document to answer the proposed questions from the assignment. A few examples of a short answer writing assignment I could convert to a Wiki is on angle sets, quadrilaterals, and triangles.
An additional excellent use for Wiki's is something that I saw on Edutopia. Students and teachers can compile the notes and resources they use to create collaborative, virtual textbooks that are well-aligned with individual state or common core standards. These Wiki's can be used, added to, and edited year after year to meet the needs of each evolving class of students. Imagine the student growth and ownership of educational responsibilities when the students are the authors and editors of their own texts! Imagine how this would prepare them for a world in which they will have to create and collaborate!
Project for a Wiki
Upon reflection, I see that many small writing assignments I have for my geometry students could easily be turned into Wikis. The following document is just one example of an assignment that I could make into a small group project to be completed through Wiki. Blogger would also be appropriate for these topics. My plan would be to have small groups of students working together to share their answers on a page in Wiki. I would require at least two revisions to the collaborative, working document by each student and a new page for the final revised document to answer the proposed questions from the assignment. A few examples of a short answer writing assignment I could convert to a Wiki is on angle sets, quadrilaterals, and triangles.
An additional excellent use for Wiki's is something that I saw on Edutopia. Students and teachers can compile the notes and resources they use to create collaborative, virtual textbooks that are well-aligned with individual state or common core standards. These Wiki's can be used, added to, and edited year after year to meet the needs of each evolving class of students. Imagine the student growth and ownership of educational responsibilities when the students are the authors and editors of their own texts! Imagine how this would prepare them for a world in which they will have to create and collaborate!