Week 7, thing 17

Now when you hear the word "wiki" I'm sure all kinds of words and innuendos come to mind. I know during the last inservice where we were creating an intermediate unit website, all kinds of jokes were happening in the faculty lounge. However, I think they are great! I know that is a phrase that I'm using a lot in these blog posts but I do. I have a wiki already for my library:
http://pahslibrary09.wikispaces.com/
I use it for various purposes: library promotion is the first priority, library scheduling, a dock for information to teachers for research planning, writing tips, PSSA information, literacy strategies...all kinds of stuff there! However, I am lacking the use of the wiki that I want, which is a means of collaboration and shared resources. I am missing the crucial step and I have been trying to promote and share my wiki with teachers to use.

I liked the examples that were given in the Classroom Learning. I really liked the Library Success Wiki regarding the best practicies. This gave me a variety of links on topics that help the librarian stay in tuned with evolving technology.

I really liked all the wiki's and the fact that I could become a member of those wiki's ans share my resources with others. It is the old thought, I have an idea and you have an idea, and if were share those ideas we each have 2 ideas. I tried sharing that with my nay-sayers at my school and they still did not get that. But that is another post. : )

I attended NECC in Washington DC this summer. One thing that I really, really appreciated was the fact that most of the major sessions I attended had a wiki for that session. For example, I attended the "Library Smack-Down." It was nothing but ideas given by librarians for librarians to better use web 2.0 tools. I could have sat there all day with a pen and paper and even my word document up and typing away, but instead, every resource was documented through the wiki, which I was now a member. I can now go to that wiki and look up the resource and even post a question for the person who suggested it or to the group ingeneral. I can also post my resources with that community. Such a great idea!!!!! I would have lost the paper and I would have probably opened the word document and not know what I typed. But now I will see those resources and know the context it was given and the why. It gave me meaning to my learning at that time.