Thing #15 - Wikis and how libraries are using them

Looking through the links that are provided on Wikis points out seemingly numberless ways to use this technology in a high school library. Avoiding vandals and spam or editing wars seem to be the most pressing problems in setting up a wiki where absolutely anyone can add or edit information. Naturally, my first inclination is to try it with Pirates Read! to see if they will discuss the book we are reading this month on a wiki (since obviously using a blog isn't working very well). It may promote the interest that edublogs is lacking for us. I also would like to start a book review wiki for the faculty to give them a chance to recommend books to everyone. I know there are readers on the faculty who would like to share information on good books that they have found, and I think they would enjoy reading what others like. Some of the assignments that teachers are researching in the library would lend themselves to a wiki where only class members are allowed to participate. Finally, developing a pathfinder wiki with teachers should make information more readily to the entire class as well as allow them to share research findings and sites with each other. I was impressed with Donna's wiki and I think it has great possibilities for all the schools in MISD.