exploring the use of wikis for the improvement

7/28/2019 Exploring the Use of Wikis for the Improvement

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What is writing for?

How to write in easy way?


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Wikipedia


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EXPLORINGTHE USEOF WIKISFORTHE

IMPROVEMENTOF ENGLISH WRITING SKILLS:

RESEARCH, REFLECTIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Jiyon Lee

and

Curtis J. Bonk


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WHATISA WIKI?

The simplest online database that could possiblywork

(wiki wiki means rapidly in the Hawaiian language).

Wiki is a piece of server software that allows users tofreely create and edit web page content using anyweb browser.

Open editing encourages democratic use of the Weband promotes content composition by non technicalusers.


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HOWANDWHYITWORKS

Operates on an open society basis, where peopletrust each other!

Written by 1000s ofvolunteers in all languages

Run by a non profit organisation Wikipedia Foundation Wikipedia recieved $2-3m in 2007 all donations (mostly from

the USA)

Cost to run Wikipedia - $25-30,000per month in bandwidth

See Margaret Fultons entryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Fulton
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Fultonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Fulton


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FREE?

Free access (if you have the internet)

Free speech (although it is vigilantly checked)

Freedom to:

copy modify

redistribute commercially or non commercially


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CONCEPTOFWIKI

Rick, Guzdial, Carroll, Holloway-Attaway, andWalker (2002) introduced the wiki as a web-siteenabling all participants to revise and add to thecontent on wiki pages using an ordinary Web

browser.

Educators such as Lin, Li, Hu, Chen, and Liu (2007)explain that students through the wiki are able to

post information that they want to share and easily

interact with each other (p. 343).


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THECHARACTERISTICSOFTHEWIKI

(1) writing

(2) reading

(3) editing (or updating).


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Kelly (2005) describes the key features of the wikirelated to ease of use as follows: (1) creating andupdating, (2) linking to other resources andavoiding broken links, and (3) updating by people

other than the original author


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STRENGTHS

Sharing one good quality document Maintaining newer knowledge and information

Allowing collaborative writing without an on-sitemeeting

Allowing participants to observe peersdevelopment

Approaching working areas quickly and easily

Following up on the contents students built

Recovering former and deleted versions Recording documents information according to flow

of time

Noticing the revision of the document by email


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WEAKNESSES

Weak in visual editing

Difficult to embody some special texts that havecomplicated formats

Difficulty lending 100% confidence regarding thecontent students have written


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WRITINGIN ENGLISHASAFOREIGN

LANGUAGE


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ENGLISHWRITINGINCLUDESAFEWKEYCHARACTERISTICS.

First, the activity of English composition is aprocess of finding out meaning starting fromindividual interests and experiences.

Second, students perform various activities duringthe composition. This process is dynamic andreiterative.

Third, the process of writing focuses oncommunicating and collaborating among peers and

the teacher. Fourth, it is important for students toview peers development and feedback on the

same document during the process.


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RESEARCHEROFWRITINGPROCESS

the process of English writing, Zamel (1982), andHorowitz (1986)

With a process focus in place Carson and Nelson(1994) and Shim (2006)

apply computer technology for EnglishwritingBaker and Kinzer (1998)

Neuwirth, Kaufer, Chandhok, and Morris (1990)designed a computer system for collaborativewriting and annotation


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PREVIOUSCASESRELATEDTOTHEUSEOFTHE

WIKI

In this section, the researcher investigate:

advantages and disadvantages of wikis in theclassroom(Pedro et al., 2006),

effective use of wikis in the classroom. (Augar et al., 2004; Lin et al, 2007)

implications of distant use of wikis in theclassroom(Pfeil et al., 2006; Langie et al., 2006).

cooperative possibilities (Notari, 2006) of wikis inthe classroom.


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we can conclude that wikis are a sound tool tosupport the collaborative activity of compositionamong learners who have different culturalbackgrounds. As such, wikis require thoughtful

reflection by educators before incorporating them inthe classroom as a writing, idea generation, orteamwork tool.


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USINGTHEWIKIINIMPROVING ENGLISHWRITING

ABILITIES\

Strategies Literature basis Functions

Providing continuous

feedback by teachers

Augar et al. (2004)

Lamb (2004)Eberbach et al. (2006)Langie et al. (2006)Dalton (1989)


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Encouraging the

creation ofideas/Finding properwriting topics

Encouraging creativecomposition

Building an atmosphere

that encouragescomments and editing

Notari (2006)

Lamb (2004)

Carson &Nelson (1994)horowitz (1986)Notari (2006)Pfeil (2006)

Auger (2006)Dalton (1989)

Pedro (2006)Lin (2006)


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Monitoring studentsactivities

Learning wikitechnology at the startof the use of a wikiactivity

Pfeil (2006)Langie (2006

Notari (2006)Auger (2006)

History

Markup language

(input tables, images,etc)


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SUMMARY

Much previous research describes the wiki as a toolto support writhing instruction and collaborativeactivities among users far beyond the geographicaland cultural limitations of the past. In this paper, we

considered English writing for middle and highschool students who have different kinds of culturalbackgrounds as a proper arena in which to applywikis. And through the literature review, a set of

factors were outlined to smoothly implementEnglish writing instruction among internationallearners through wikis.


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SUGGESTION

First, the teacher as a content expert shouldcontinuously provide his students with feedback aboutthe content and the expressive ways that the studentscan write through wikis. Second, students should beencouraged to post their opinions and ideas without

hesitation and fear of negative feedback. Third, studentsshould be encouraged to write a creative compositionin presenting their thoughts and ideas without limitation.Fourth, teachers and students need to create anatmosphere in which students do not feel afraid to edit,comment, and change others documents. Fifth, the

teacher as a facilitator should monitor and encouragethe activities of their students while they write acomposition on the wiki. Sixth, before using wikis in aclass or project, students need to have sufficient time toget to know the pertinent wiki tools.

exploring the use of wikis for the improvement

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