Use Of Wikis Research Articles

Exploring the link between basic ICT competence beliefs and technology use for student teachers and teachers: A use of bifactor exploratory structural equation models

Basic ICT competence beliefs consist of a range of competence dimensions, including communication and collaboration and safety and security. Yet, unclear is if (student) teachers need to overall feel competence in using technology, or is feeling competent in specific competence dimensions sufficient for the use of technology. This study addressed this research lack and examined (a) basic ICT competence beliefs and technology use in different stages of teacher education and (b) the association between basic ICT competence beliefs and various hardware and software used. Data included 338 teachers and 343 student teachers from Germany and were analyzed using bifactor exploratory structural equation models. These models allow us to simultaneously account for general basic ICT competence beliefs (G-Factor) and specific basic ICT competence beliefs (S-Factors). The study found that teachers, on average, reported higher basic ICT competence beliefs than student teachers. For both student teachers and teachers, the use of wikis and forum was linked to higher general ICT competence beliefs. The use of LMS was linked to basic ICT competence beliefs in safety and security and problem solving. The study also identified unique links in both groups, such as wiki and weblog use being linked to higher general ICT competence beliefs for teachers. In various teacher education phases, we can emphasize the need to promote basic ICT competence beliefs to empower teachers in the digital transformation. By interpreting these results, however, it should be noted that our analysis only focused on utilizing particular hardware and software; replications of findings are also needed.

Bridging the intention-behaviour gap: Empirical evidence from the study of wiki use behaviour

Among other technologies, wikis, as a Web 2.0 technology, have been found to support online collaborative behaviour of students in group work. Despite the intention-behaviour relationship expected in many relevant theories, studies have found that the relationship between students’ intention to use wikis and their behaviour in using wikis was not strong. This discrepancy between expectation and actuality is referred to as the intention-behaviour gap. Researchers have explored mediators that can bridge the intention-behaviour gap. Given the study of behaviour across various disciplines, the variables that can bridge the intention-behaviour gap may be situational in nature. The present study therefore explored the effect of two mediators in a hypothesised model of the behaviour in using a wiki for students’ group assignments. In a longitudinal study with a sample of university students in Hong Kong, factor-based partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to examine the measurement and structural models. The results indicate that goal commitment and wiki-based communication, while substantially increasing the combined explanatory power of the variance in wiki use behaviour, significantly mediated the path from intention to behaviour. Both practical and research implications have been provided in this paper. Implications for practice or policy: Teachers should increase their influence by providing students with more guidance on how to work with the wiki. Teachers should motivate students to have deeper online discussion by incorporating wiki-based communication as an assessment item. To remove the barriers to early implementation of a wiki system, teachers should remind students of the importance of group dynamic strategies and their role in supporting collective scaffolding for peers.

Exploring the effect of wiki-based writing instruction on writing skills and writing self-efficacy of Chinese English-as-a-foreign language learners.

As a popular Web 2.0 technology, wikis have gained momentum in educational contexts. To give further empirical support to the use of wikis in foreign language education, this research probed the usefulness of a wiki-based writing instruction on the writing skill and self-efficacy of Chinese English-as-a-foreign language (EFL) learners. For this purpose, 53 EFL students in a foreign language school in China were selected as the participants. The two classes were assigned to an experimental group (N = 25) and a control group (N = 28). Over a period of 3 months, the experimental group was instructed based on wiki-based writing instruction while the control group was taught traditionally. The data were collected by administering IELTS writing tasks and a writing self-efficacy scale employed for pre- and post-tests. The results of data analysis indicated that both classes substantially enhanced their writing skill and writing self-efficacy. Nevertheless, the experimental group performed better than the control group in terms of both dependent variables, leading the researchers to conclude that the wiki-based writing instruction was significantly effective in boosting writing skill and self-efficacy of Chinese EFL learners. These outcomes can offer some worthwhile implications for EFL instructors.

Using Wikis as a Teaching Tool for Novice Teachers – Pedagogical Implications

The present study reports on research conducted on novice teachers’ use of wikis with their high school students. These teachers had been previously exposed to wikis as a collaborative learning tool during their teaching preparation programme. The aim was to explore whether their experience with wiki usage helped them in their teaching. Participants included fifteen novice teachers in their first year of teaching foreign languages in Albania, who held their teaching partly online during the school year 2020-2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collected through in-depth interviews include their own reflections. These reflections indicate that the use of a wiki at the university level helped them feel at ease in using wikis in their online teaching. The study proved the use of wikis to be a feasible means of online collaboration, which facilitated constructing new knowledge for their students. As a result, wikis provide a collaborative medium of technology integration into their teaching.

When the Writing Classroom Is a Lab for Democracy

When the Writing Classroom Is a Lab for Democracy

A review of research on the use of social media in language teaching and learning

The various possibilities that social media offers to language learners and teachers have long been recognized by researchers within the field of language instruction, and many studies have been carried out in an attempt to address and unpack its potential contributions. This paper aims to review such research on the use of mainstream social media in language teaching and learning published in Computer Assisted Language Learning, a top tier (i.e., Q1) journal indexed in major citation index systems (e.g., Arts & Humanities Citation Index, the Social Sciences Citation Index and Scopus), between the years 2016-2020 inclusive. For the purposes of the study, a total of 23 articles that meet the selection criteria is reviewed and presented in five sections. The first section deals with the majority of the articles, which are found to be on the use of social networking in language teaching and learning. In the following sections, studies on the use of videoconferencing, wikis, blogging and forums are discussed. Collectively, the studies reviewed in this paper outline a critical role for the use of social media in language instruction and the study aims to provide valuable insights for researchers, teachers and learners.

Implementation of digital media in higher education. An experience from the classroom

ABSTRACT
 The digital development of this century is transforming our society and, in parallel, the knowledge society. These new transmission platforms represent a different way of understanding the process of transmitting and receiving knowledge. The Wiki space is increasingly established in virtual higher education classrooms. The objective of this work was to implement the use of the Wiki space in the conventional teaching methodology of university studies and assess the degree of satisfaction of the student and its adequacy in the teaching process. A survey of 22 items was carried out to assess the opinion of 174 students regarding the use and capabilities of the Wiki tool. Our results show that 98.2% rated the use of Wiki space positively. 83.3% of the students were able to promote self-learning, and 73.0% considered this a helpful resource to promote the teaching-learning process. 65.2% considered that the use of ICTs in higher education should be increased. In conclusion, the use of Wiki in the higher education teaching classroom has gained significant acceptance by students who consider it an innovative experience that favors learning and the critical search for information, increasing the motivation for the subject.
 
 ABSTRACT
 The digital development of this century is transforming our society and, in parallel, the knowledge society. These new transmission platforms represent a different way of understanding the process of transmitting and receiving knowledge. The Wiki space is increasingly established in virtual higher education classrooms. The objective of this work was to implement the use of the Wiki space in the conventional teaching methodology of university studies and assess the degree of satisfaction of the student and its adequacy in the teaching process. A survey of 22 items was carried out to assess the opinion of 174 students regarding the use and capabilities of the Wiki tool. Our results show that 98.2% rated the use of Wiki space positively. 83.3% of the students were able to promote self-learning, and 73.0% considered this a helpful resource to promote the teaching-learning process. 65.2% considered that the use of ICTs in higher education should be increased. In conclusion, the use of Wiki in the higher education teaching classroom has gained significant acceptance by students who consider it an innovative experience that favors learning and the critical search for information, increasing the motivation for the subject.

How to Get Information in Online Environments? A Comparison of the Use of Net Generation Tools

It is anticipated that there will be differences in the use of the Internet and mobile technologies in accessing information amongst the new generations (digital natives) depending on the development level of the country they live in. Globalization further reinforces these differences. In this study, these differences are investigated for three countries having different levels of development: the United Kingdom, Malta, and Turkey. A total of 443 participants are chosen from university universities studying in different departments in 2017-2018 spring term. Variance analysis (ANOVA) has been used in identifying the differences between the study groups’ access to information of the three countries. Findings show differences between the three countries in the use of social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. In addition, there are differences in the use of mobile technology devices Notebook, Tablet and Smartphones in accessing information. Finally, differences were identified in the use of information sources in accessing information. These differences are in the use of search engines, wiki, social networks, blogs, and digital libraries. No differences were found in terms of digital newspapers. The findings are discussed comparatively with reference to the scholarly work done in the field and recommendations are given.

The Case for Wikis in Foreign Language Teaching

Web 2.0 has immensely impacted language learning since the mid 2000s (Reinhardt, 2019). The term was coined by Tim O’Reilly in 2004 to suggest the evolution of the web to interactivity, collaboration and openness (Boulos and Wheelert, 2007). “Web 1.0 was commerce. Web 2.0 is people” (Singel, 2005), who are now active participants, instead of passive recipients of education.
 Social media are the Web 2.0 applications that gained greatest popularity among foreign language students and professionals. Among them, wikis, blogs and social media are most influential for language teaching, and attracted considerable academic research (Reinhardt, 2019).
 In this research paper, the focus is on wikis, as accessible and simplified means for collaboration (Reinhardt, 2019). For example, by using this collaborative technology, foreign language students are allowed to write a text together, define terms and concepts, brainstorm, revise the work of others, critically reflect, and many more (Kessler, 2009; Ducate, Anderson and Moreno, 2011). From learners’ perspective, wikis are enjoyable, engaging, motivating and rewarding (Lund, 2008; Aydin and Yildiz, 2014; Wang, 2014). Yet, some scholars have raised issues about information accuracy (Ducate, Anderson and Moreno, 2001), participation resistance (Lund, 2008) and unequal contribution (Arnold, Ducate and Kost, 2009), which might make the use of wikis by educators problematic

The twin purposes of Guided Inquiry: Guiding student inquiry and evidencebased practice

Guided Inquiry is a means by which student enquiry can be facilitated in schools, while simultaneously being the vehicle for evidence-based practice. This paper illustrates this twin purpose in two contexts: An overview discussion of the 2008 NSW Association of Independent Schools’ Project, led by Dr. Todd, and a 2010 Guided Inquiry at Loreto Kirribilli. Both projects are discussed as student practice and as a means of gathering data about student learning using the School Library Impact Measure (SLIM) Toolkit, while highlighting the use of wiki as an organising tool. Lastly, the paper affirms the impact that Guided Inquiry has had on some Sydney schools.

The Effect of Using Wikis on the Students’ Reading Comprehension in Learning English

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the use of wikis on the ability to understand semantic meaning of English. At the beginning of the study, a reading comprehension proficiency test was administered for two groups of students in order to determine the level of reading comprehension skills. Then the pre-test were given to the students of both control and experimental groups. After the pre-test, students in both groups for 6 weeks and every week for two hours were trained for learning English reading comprehension proficiency skills. The difference is that students in the control group were trained in traditional way and the students in experimental group were trained by using wikis. At the end of four weeks, the post test was administered for students in both groups. Four standard tools were used for data collection in this study. At first reading comprehension proficiency test was given to two groups in order to determine the level of reading comprehension skills. The second tool was a test that was used as pre-test, post-test and delayed post-test. The third instrument was reading comprehension texts that were selected from different sites of Wiki (e.g., Wikipedia, Wiki Facebook, wiki, wiki Dick, Wiki News) in both form of offline and online will be available to students. The fourth instrument was Systematic Functional Grammar (SFG) scale for difficulty level of texts (Shokrpour, 2004). The descriptive statistics indicators such as frequency, mean and standard deviation of scores and in the inferential part in order to examining the hypothesis, one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used. The results showed that the use of wikis increase the ability to understand the semantic meaning of words

The Use of Social Media and Wikis in Teaching Writing Skills: A Review Article

<p class="0abstract"><strong>Abstract—</strong>The use of technology has reached its potential stage in teaching and learning. Particularly, ELT teachers and learners are mostly involved in utilizing social media platforms and Wikis in the process of teaching and learning in their classrooms. The current study aims to find out the impact of using social media and Wikis on the writing skills of learners in a number of studies covering the years 2010-2018. Thus, the Google Scholar database was used for finding out relevant literature within the purpose and limit of the current study using the search terms of ‘technology and learning’ in the search button. The methodology used for the present study is PRISMA diagram 2009, which is a systematic way of finding out relevant and available literature. In the final stage, 17 articles were selected for the analysis purposes, and the literature was then classified into different themes to find out the impacts. The results of all 17 articles show that using social media and Wikis played a significant role in improving the writing skills of learners. Thus, it is recommended for both teachers and learners to utilize different social media and Wiki platforms in the process of teaching and learning.</p>

Using Crowdsourced Wikis to Teach an Online Undergraduate Course

This study examined emergency service student use of wiki in an assignment to develop guidelines for preparing crisis communication plans in an online class. As a form of course evaluation, students were asked to respond to five questions about their experience in using wiki.Conclusions were drawn about the practicality of using wiki in teaching online. Students affirmed that collaboration leads to learning and knowledge acquisition. By engaging in collaboration, learners observe and improve upon weaknesses or gaps in learning. Students learn from each other by examining and improving the work of others. Students also viewed that using wikis to develop documents is a valuable skill to take into the workplace.A number of barriers exist that make using wiki in online teaching more challenging. It is more difficult to monitor and correct student actions online than in a face-to-face classroom. Most students hesitate to edit and change other student writing and so incentives need to be used to get students to edit each other’s work. Students should receive an orientation where they learn the purpose and benefits of wikis and receive instruction on how to use wikis. The study confirms much of the research on the topic of using wikis as a learning strategy. Also, the study shows that process is as important to learning as is outcome. Learning to use wiki is as important as producing a final document.

Wiki use for knowledge integration and learning: A three tier conceptualization

This study was conducted to explain the factors influencing wiki-mediated learning by integrating learner characteristics, environmental factors, and the knowledge-building function of teamwork on a wiki platform by using two theoretical tracks from the literature on wiki: adoption continuance and knowledge management in collaborative teams. An online survey (self-report study) was administered to undergraduate students in three sections of an introductory IT concepts class at a northeastern U.S. university. The results indicated that social presence is the most significant factor because it is not only related to both perceived usefulness and team cognitive elaboration but also directly related to perceived learning. Social presence is a construct from the Transactional distance theory and Computer-Mediated Communication that have been previously applied in both theoretical tracks as environmental factors for effective online learning. In theory, by adding relevant learner characteristics constructs, an environmental factor, and team knowledge management constructs in an integrated model of learning in the wiki for collaborative teamwork context, we bridge a major gap in wiki-related research for education. In practice, we conclude that learners in a wiki-based group project environment must perceive presence through social interaction with their teammates, classmates, teaching assistants, and instructors to improve the learning experience and outcome.

The use of a wiki to boost open and collaborative learning in a Spanish university

Spanish universities are attempting to offer a more flexible and higher- quality education that is adapted to new social demands. As a result, they are offering a series of technological resources in both university management, as well as, in teaching and research - developments which are encouraged by the educational convergence process, occurring within the European Higher Education Area. In this article, we analyze how a group of university teachers seeks to promote an experience of active collaboration and open education amongst their students through the creation of a Wikipedia site. The goal was to promote a different, more flexible teaching system, where both the teacher and the students break away from their classic roles. This experience was started in order to achieve the following results: 1) motivate learning, 2) encourage active-collaborative learning 3) create a dictionary of the terms related to political science that helps to explain key concepts to students and the public, and 3) improve the quality of education. Despite facing certain obstacles, the results were positive: the students became committed to this practice, learned to collaborate in groups, and solved problems by interacting with their classes; their interest in subjects was increased, and useful tools for other people were created. Moreover, the teachers introduced new pedagogical methods in their classes and made learning relate to their students in a different way. In short, the results show that the use of wiki is effective in improving university teaching.

Wiki moderators’ contributions to enhance the pedagogical implementation of Wiki

Wiki has proved extensively that it is an innovative technology situated among other so-cial network applications, because it enables its users to develop web content collaboratively, thereby making it open to all online users. The pedagogical use of Wiki is still in early stages; for this reason a lot of academic research has highlighted the lack of investigation into the pe-dagogical use of Wiki as a tool for collaborative learning. This paper investigates Wiki by fo-cusing on its advantages and disadvantages for the learning process, while highlighting how Wiki moderators can contribute by embedding Wiki successfully into the learning process.

Wiki-based collaborative writing in EFL classrooms: Fluency and learners’ attitudes in focus

The purpose of this triangulated mixed-method study was twofold. Firstly, to examine whether the use of wikis as a collaborative tool affected EFL learners’ writing fluency. Secondly, to explore th...

Users' Intention to Share Knowledge Using Wiki in Virtual Learning Community

Many educational organizations are using Wikis to enhance virtual learning to encourage knowledge sharing inside between students and instructors. Wiki is an ideal tool for the online knowledge sharing at educational organizations which help to achieve more collaborative work environment between students and instructors. However, educational organizations sometimes fail of building successful virtual community and users abound Wikis for several reasons. This research explored the use of Wikis to share knowledge in virtual learning community. A proposed conceptual framework was developed examining the UTAUT model in new context by using it to test the behavior intention to share knowledge through the Wiki technology in virtual community. A survey to postgraduate students shows that social influence, performance, and effort expectancy have impact on students' attitude to share knowledge through Wikis.

Online Collaborative Writing Technique Using Wiki : How Effective is It to Enhance Learners’ Essay Writing?

This paper focuses on the use of Wiki in enhancing learners’ skills in writing argumentative essays. This paper describes the implementation of the online collaborative writing technique (OCWT) through Wiki activities and aims at analyzing the effectiveness of the OCWT to enhance the learners’ argumentative essay writing. This study applied a descriptive method, involving a group of 29 students from the English Education Study Program at Universitas Terbuka (UT), Indonesia. In order to find out the effect of teaching material model on improving students’ English writing skills, the researchers used two types of instruments, test, and non-test. The observation was also conducted to describe the process of implementing the OCWT. Based on the observation reports, the results of the statistical tests, and the analysis of the learners’ perceptions, the OCWT using Wiki integrated into Moodle has a significant influence in improving the learners’ argumentative essay writing skills, and as its implication, this approach is very appropriate to hone learners’ learning independence. Moreover, the results of the survey show that the learners were very enthusiastic in participating in OCWT.

New Teaching and Learning Methodologies in the Smart Higher Education Era, A Study Case, Wikipedia

Smart education systems and methodologies are based on the deep integration of information technologies in the educational process. Among all the tools belonging to the environment of teaching technologies, wikis have been reported as ideally suited for collaborative learning. Several Universities around the world are running Projects and events about the use of wikis in higher education. Therefore, in this paper the authors explore the use of wikis in the higher educational institutions, being focused on a special case: Wikipedia. Wikipedia presents special characteristics which make it perfect to not only reach the specific learning objectives of a certain particular subject, but also the transversal abilities so demanded today (such as teamwork or social responsibility). Finally, the authors analyze more deeply the experiences about the use of Wikipedia conducted in the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and the obtained results are presented.