Design Experiment 4: PBWorks

This week we were asked to explorer PBWorks. I beign explorering PBWorks. I  previously had created/contributed some wiki pages on wikipedia.org.  PBworks is real-time web-based creative collaborative editing software that enables businesses or schools to interact with their clients and students in a timely, and in a sharing environment. The video below is the overview of PBWorks for Education.

• what is a wiki and what are it’s affordances (i.e. what can users do in a wiki) or how does PBWorks compare to a wiki you’ve used before [this is the T in TPACK]

A wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any web pages on the web browser. Wikis allow content to be easily created and updated. They also allow previous versions of documents to be accessible. A wiki allows its users to exchange information. Affordances include editable where wiki content can be easily edited by multiple users. Editing allows users to add their perspectives and updated information to the pages. 
Previously I explored wikispace in another class. Here is a Venn Diagram below to illustrate similarities and differences between PbWorks and Wikispaces. 

Image courtesy of creately.com/

• what content (that is, learning objective or outcome) in your teaching area/subject could you “teach” with a wiki. Identify not only a learning objective/outcome, but also describe what students would do in the wiki (i.e. the instructional activity). [this is the C in TPACK]

As a Computer Teacher, I could have my students to create a wiki as an ongoing class assignment. I would introduce what wiki is to my students, and show them how to use it. I would use it in my computer science classes to have my students to collaborate with each other. I think wikis support best project-based assignments and collaborative approach which is widely used in Computer Science classes to give students hands-on experience in using the gained knowledge to solve problems. For example, I would have my students to use wiki to expand literacy in the computer science class, building collaborative glossary, group projects to share resources, track class notes, e-portfolios to reflect on their learning progress or build a wiki about the class to retain it as a reference for future students in my course. Possibilities are limitless with wikis. We can use wikis in classroom as an information sharing tools to exhibit what's exactly going on in the class. I would encourage my students to be producers, rather than just consumers. This helps my students to master the content. One specific example, I can use wikis in my video production class. Students can use wiki to write film/movie/book reviews in the class. Other students can also contribute. Students critically evaluate and discuss the directorial techniques of selected film directors within their socio-cultural contexts (learning outcome). Then, they create wiki pages about their findings.

• explain what learning theory or theories apply to the use of this technology (a wiki) to support the learning activity you’ve described [this is the P in TPACK]

I think it is an example of project-based learning to use wiki in film review project. Also, using wikis in the class facilitates cooperative and collaborative learning. Project-based learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge. Students gain knowledge and skill of how to critique a movie or book by working for an extended period of time, and they investigate and write their own review about the movie or book. They also collaborate with each other in the wiki platform. Again using wikis in the classroom enhance students motivation and improve collaboration and knowledge sharing among students.