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 * So What is a Wiki Anyway?**

A Wiki allows participants to collaborate with each other in writing, adding, editing, and changing an online document that is built into a Web page. They really do embody the idea of web 2.0 in that they allow a web space to constantly evolve into an informative and ever-changing educational resource, with contributions from others working together. Wikis are well suited for projects in which collaborative teams write, revise, update, and contribute on a regular basis. 

One of the most exciting opportunities for professional development is to allow all members of a community (like our class) to participate in the creation of a goal, plan, or direction. Wikis present the ideal manner in which to accomplish this and, at the same time, learn about the potential for using this tool in the classroom.

Wikis can be pretty amazing and versatile. They offer the truest form of collaboration that our students need to acquire 21st century learning and living skills. Wikis are well suited for projects in which collaborative teams write, revise, update, and contribute on a regular basis. Wikis keep track of changes and teachers can monitor progress to see if someone is taking over or if someone isn’t doing his/her fair share of the work.

Teachers can use Wikis for students to collaborate on a document by writing, editing, and revising content. While Wikis can be valuable resources, teachers must be aware that modified content may not always be accurate. Students must learn to evaluate the accuracy of Wiki content.

Sometimes they are used for free expression, such as a youth group online graffiti space. College and university courses seem to be using wikis far more than the K-12 community right now. In K-12 education, wikis are being used by educators to conduct or follow-up after professional development workshops or as a communication tool with parents. The greatest potential, however, lies in student participation in the ongoing creation and evolution of the wiki. 
 * What is the difference between a wiki and a blog? **

A blog, or web log, shares writing and multimedia content in the form of "posts" and "comments". While commenting, and even posting, are open to the members of the blog or the general public, no one is able to change a comment or post made by another. The usual format is post-comment-comment-comment, and so on. For this reason, blogs are often the vehicle of choice to express individual opinions. A wiki has a far more open structure and allows others to change what one person has written. This openness may trump individual opinion with group consensus. 