Wikis+in+English+--+To+Kill+a+Mockingbird

Presenter: Ken Witmer Time: 9:30 - 10:15 Room: 225 Contact: kenneth.witmer@dallastown.net

[|Wikis in English3.pdf]

__Description of Presentation__ In an attempt to add some academic rigor, technology, and fun to the teaching of the classic novel __To Kill a Mockingbird__, I brainstormed different ways I could utilize the wiki. What follows is the result.

As students read the novel, I wanted them to have more ownership of the actual reading, so I added a Reading Apprenticeship activity of Talking to the Text. Taking that assignment one step further, I asked the students to take a look at the questions, comments, ideas, and connections they had while reading and post those ideas on their individual pages that I had created for them on the wiki. To add another step to the process, the students also had to respond to other students' postings, creating an online discussion about the novel even before the classroom discussions were to begin. After a four-week period of postings and responses, I closed the wiki to evaluate the responses. What an amazing experience for me! The breadth and depth of the discussions were absolutely mind-boggling. The students who were vocal in class were equally vocal in their postings on the wiki, and the students who were rather reserved in class were engaged and verbal.

As we were discussing the novel, I also created some assignments concerning different aspects of the novel that were historically relevant, knowing that we would not have enough time in class to discuss these ideas and topics. The assignments were posted on the wiki, and the students had to utilize the internet in order to complete the assignment.

Looking back on the assignment and experience, the wiki space became an extension on my classroom. Students raised a few questions about the novel as they were reading, and my response was "Take it to the wiki." There, the students could analyze their ideas and many times reached the appropriate answer based on facts from the novel and insight from other students. In summary, this experience was very rewarding for me and proved to be rather valuable for the students.

Ken discovered that his students were posting on the wiki at late hours in the evening. His word were "there 67 posts between 11pm-11:30pm". He discovered they were talking about the novel outside of the classroom without his involvement. This engagement of his students has increased his own enthusiasm about the use of wikispaces. Ken saw the literature come alive in the classroom.
 * BLOGGER NOTES:**

Wiki is an extension of his classroom.

Front page of his wikispace has the disclaimer about proper use of the space.