2. What is a WIKI? A wiki is a webpage that anyone can access. Members can see, edit, and insert information, which provides increased opportunities for collaboration.

3.  Many school districts use wikis to provide opportunities for collaboration among schools as well as to share new information  Schools use wikis in a variety of ways. They can be used by administrators to share information and encourage input and collaboration on projects.

4. Teachers can use wikis to:  Enable students to work together on a project, debate topics, and share information they have gathered  Post assignments and share study guides  Provide lists of resources  Collaborate with teachers and students from other areas  Communicate with parents

5.  Students can work collaboratively to write a story with illustrations  Students can maintain electronic journals  Wikis can be used for booktalks or book reviews  Classroom newletters can be posted on the wiki

6.  Wikis have some wonderful benefits such as increasing communication and encouraging collaboration, however, the fact that any member can edit information becomes a concern. There is always the chance that inappropriate material may be put on the wiki.

7.  It is important that students and parents are required to read and sign off on appropriate behavior on the wiki.  Make sure students know that if they act inappropriately they will lose all access to the wiki. This may motivate them to use acceptable behavior since students love to use technology.

8. To get started go to www.wkispaces.comwww.wkispaces.com Click on the Green Box that says: Teachers Next choose “Sign up and start your wiki” This will take you to the screen to sign up which looks like this:

9. As you sign up you will be able to choose if you want others to be able to add to and edit your wiki. As a teacher you will want to choose PROTECTED. This simply means that although everyone can see your information, only those you invite to your wiki can edit and add information.

12. To insert images from your files, simply click on “File” and upload the image you wish to use.

14. While in edit, just click on widget Then choose what you would like to insert

16. Inviting members is easy to do and can be personalized to fit your needs. First, click on “Manage Wiki” then, choose “Invite People” under the People category From there you can type in the email addresses of those you wish to invite and personalize the invitation.

17.  Simply click on “Projects” on the toolbar Next click on “Create Project” and it will ask you for the name of the project as well as team members. Once created you can edit the project page just as we did the wiki home page.

18.  To start or respond to a discussion post you will simply choose the discussion icon Then you will either choose to start a new post or pick a specific discussion that you can respond to on the wiki.

19. There are many ways to use wikis with parents, teachers, and students to effectively communicate and collaborate. The more that you explore Wikispaces and the more familiar you become with how to use a wiki, the more you will realize the opportunities are endless!

20.  http://help.wikispaces.com (This site explains the basics of setting up your wiki as well as provides tips for teachers) http://help.wikispaces.com  http://coollessons.wikispaces.com/How-to-use-a-wiki (This site assists with the basics of setting up and editing your wiki.) http://coollessons.wikispaces.com/How-to-use-a-wiki  http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/wiki/index.cfm (This is a wonderful website that provide information regarding benefits as well as how to get started and how to utilize wikis effectively in the classroom. An extremely user friendly site.) http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/wiki/index.cfm  http://educationalwikis.wikispaces.com/ (This site will provide articles and information on how to use wikis in education) http://educationalwikis.wikispaces.com/  http://labconsortium.wikispaces.com/How+to+Use+Wikisp aces (This site provides a wealth of information on how to set up your wiki and the logistics of editing your wiki) http://labconsortium.wikispaces.com/How+to+Use+Wikisp aces