As with most things, wikis have pros and cons. I like them because they're quite simplistic, easier than even a blog! Anyone can access and add/delete information, which I could see being really useful in the middle of winter when my son is trying to complete a group social studies project on the government of Timbuktu and there's a mid-western blizzard surging outside. I'm really thinking the only way a South Branch procedures manual will ever be written is through use of a wiki.
Conversely, content could be problematic. With anyone editing at any time, consistency and accuracy are suspect. There's never really a finished project - it's always in the works. And what about if the group working on the social studies project doesn't like person x's contribution? Who makes the final decision?
As with most things, wikis require a balancing act. Fortunately, as a mom, wife, employee, chauffeur, caterer, and expert socker equipment locator, I'm a pro at finding balance!
1 comment:
Hi Jill!
All good points. However, it is possible to have some control over posting/editing. For example, you can make a wiki that is password protected to post/edit, but anyone can read. You could have each individual who posts/edits have their own login and password, so you can keep track of everyone's edits (That's one great aspect of wikis: the ability to see the history of changes, so you can revert to an old version if need be) or just one general login that you give all staff. It's flexible. But not all wikis have to be open for anyone in the world to edit.
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