User:Mileenac

Wikis in the teaching-learning process

The wiki is a Web 2.0 technology that allows the construction of repositories of knowledge based on a set of interlinked Web pages (FRANKLIN, HARMELEN, 2007, GROWECK, 2009, KEAR et al., 2010), and can be viewed, created, edited and modified by any user through a text editor (DE PEDRO et al., 2006; KEAR et al., 2010). This concept was created by Ward Cunningham in 1995 (ZEINSTEJER, 2008) and its philosophy is to maintain a completely open web space where any user can modify, structure and organize documents in different ways (KEAR et al., 2010).

In addition to the collaborative editing functionality on a single page, a wiki typically presents an area where participants can discuss their current content. This discussion space can also be used by participants to test their ideas (PIFFARÉ; STAARMAN, 2011). There is also the option to view wiki history, with the ability to retrieve content that has been previously or accidentally deleted by the participants (LAI; NG, 2011).

In the teaching-learning process, wikis allow the creation of a dynamic and collaborative learning environment through open discussion and exchange of ideas and opinions, in which students can take an active part in the creation of knowledge (MEYER, 2010; LAI, NG, 2011). The wikis provide new forms of learning in a democratic and student-centered logic (KEAR et al., 2010). In this way, it is considered as a useful tool in the EA process, promoting writing and collaborative learning, while at the same time enhancing the creativity of each user (CRESS; KIMMERLE, 2008).

When the teacher makes use of activities with wikis, he can promote a new way of teaching, being an alternative or complement to traditional learning methods and tools (LAI; NG, 2011). In this paper, we present the results of a study by Kier et al., Published in the Journal of Mathematics and Computer Science, 2010, LAI, NG, 2011) have studied the impact of the use of the tool in the EA process, and some of them contributed to the identification of a set of advantages and disadvantages.

Some of the advantages of using wikis in an EA context are: (i) to enable joint collaboration and to promote content sharing (GROSSECK, 2009; KEAR et al., 2010); (ii) control access to resources through user authentication (GROSSECK, 2009; KEAR et al., 2010); (PEDRO et al., 2006; CHU, 2008); (PEDRO et al., 2006), and (iv) allow access to the history of the contents (who put what and when) (DE PEDRO et al. al., 2006).

The disadvantages of using wikis referred by some authors are: (i) it is sometimes difficult to understand the content edited by other people (LAI; NG, 2011); (Kumar et al., 2006), and the use of the word-processing tools (Kumar et al. (iv) it is sometimes difficult to evaluate the quality of some content (GROSSECK, 2009), and (iv) it is sometimes difficult to evaluate the quality of some content (GROSSECK, 2009).

To overcome some of the limitations presented, it should be considered that the use of wikis in the EA process depends to a great extent on teachers and their knowledge about the use and organization of activities with the tool. It should be noted that the tool is usually more used by the students to visualize contents (COSTA; TEIXEIRA; ALVELOS, 2011), however, its greatest potential is in the editing component.

Wikis can be used by the actors in the EA process, namely students and teachers, in order to support certain pedagogical activities. Some authors have analyzed these activities, which are briefly described below.

• The bibliographic analysis can be used when you want to edit reflections summaries about the readings made (DUFFY; BRUNS, 2006);

• The evaluation can be done based on activities developed in the wikis (DUFFY; BRUNS, 2006; KANE; FICHMAN, 2009);

• Brainstorming can be applied to create projects in which students are invited to add articles or opinions (GOKCEARSLAN; OZCAN, 2011), thus allowing the creation of a linked network of resources about certain subjects (DUFFY; BRUNS, 2006 );

• The communication activity translates into the publication of resources that can be edited and commented directly in the document, being accessible to all (DUFFY; BRUNS, 2006);

• Portfolios can be created to build a repository of small projects