Wiki in Course Development

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Wiki in Course Development

Sanjaya Mishra

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Sharing of Experience• The objective of this session is to share my

experience and propose a course development and delivery model based on Wiki

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Assumptions and Thinking about Distance Education

• Teach large number of students, and therefore, it is cost-effective

• Distance learning is primarily asynchronous• Learners are adult and have self directed learning

abilities• Interaction, between student and teacher and

student and student, is poor and therefore, quality is questionable

• Largely follows parasitic model of course development and delivery

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Course Development Models• Course Team models• Existing Material models

– Adaptation– Transformation– Wrap-around

• Fast Track models– Workshop– Seminar

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Course Team Model• Ensures quality of the materials developed in

terms of both Instructional features and content quality of the self-learning materials

• Time consuming, and costly• Revision and updating difficult• Practically, the Course Coordinator is

responsible• Violation of Copyrights, and restricted access• Only available in print, and interactivity is

optional

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New Technology, New Model• Networked digital technology can promote

openness and virtual collaboration• Revision and updating become easier• Quality is the responsibility of the teacher,

institute and the community• Open courseware leading to emphasis on

teaching and learning, interaction rather than print material production

• Digital materials can be re-used, re-mixed, adopted/adapted easily

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Wikis

• Meaning quick, quick is a Hawaiian word, coined by Ward Cunningham in 2005

• Popular example is Wikipedia• User can edit the pages• History of the page created can be checked

and reverted back• Courses are open to all• Provides a collaborative learning platform to

the learners

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Case Study 1

• Open Education, 2007• David Wiley taught a 3

credit course using Wiki• Used weekly reading

and blogging• Assignments and

grading• Over 50 learners took

this course

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Case Study 2

• SLM Develoipment , 2008

• Sanjaya Mishra trained 20 individuals to write self-learning materials

• Used weekly reading and GoogleGroup

• Wiki-based Tasks to develop SLM using wiki

• Learning contract, certification, online activities, visible outputs

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Case Study 3

• Bangladesh Open School, SLM Training

• F2F and Online training• Development of Units• Collaborative course

Development

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How to use Wiki for Course Development

• MediaWiki Server can be configured to have two iteration of the same course content

• One for the Course Team, and the other for learners' access

• Course Team member work to prepare the materials that may require content expertise, media expertise (graphics, audio, video, animation), interaction expertise, and instructional design expertise

• Quality benchmarks can be developed to see that the material has reached certain level of maturity, and can be transported to the open access platform for the learners' use

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Advantages

• Updating and revision of courses become easy• Learner participation in course, and their

engagement will improve• Some of the user generated content may be

useful in revision• Courses will become live and dynamic rather

than static and outdated• Quality of the course would improve as it will

adhere to copyright regulations (as it will be open)

• Open content licensing policy can be adopted• Courses can be developed fast using OER

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Advantages

• Print copies can be developed automatically using PediaPress PDF server

• Print-on-demand facility can be used• Less paper use, and digital preservation of

content with each editing recored• Resources other than main text can also be

integrated including Slideshare, YouTube, MindMap, Google Calender, etc.

• Online quiz, and self-assessment activities can be in-built within the learning material

• Discussion Forum can be built around lessons

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Myths about Wikis

• Wikis are not reliable• Anyone can edit wiki pages• Using Wiki will make courses constructivist• Wiki Courses does not need management• Wikis promote plagiarism

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Wiki Initiatives at IGNOU

• IGNOU Open Course Guide• eGyanKosh Wiki• DEP-SSA Wiki

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Other Wiki Initiatives

• WikiEducator• WikiVersity• IIEP-OER Wiki