Tips for Wiki (Flat-structured) Discussions

Tips for Wiki Discussions

Integrate Wiki/Web2.0's "Flat-Structured" discussion board as discussion is an emerging way to enhance learning because flat-structured discussions require students to organize discussion postings rather threaded discussion boards limit organization features. Frequently, students are panic, overwhelmed, scared, or even frustrated. If you feel this way, you are not alone. Many of us are very familiar with threaded discussions, regardless which systems we use. Why Wiki's flat-structured discussion boards make us uncomfortable? Why do we feel "where is everything?" "It is bazaar because I couldn't find postings even my own posting." This is because wiki discussion requires us with different mental model to participate discussions. Traditional threaded discussions are organized in hierarchical/tree/nested structures or directory structures while wiki discussion (Web 2.0) apply "flat structure" to with tag, tag groups/clouds to organize discussion contents. Here are questions that our students asked. I hope you find these tips are useful to support your manage your own learning space.

Here are strategies to help you to participate flat-structured discussions effectively. Be sure to read the information on this page to help you to organize our discussion postings.

How do you I start?

• Do the lesson readings, understand the discussion topics.
• View discussion topic "Word Clouds" to get an overall ideas what have been discussed under that topic. Always do so before your read and post/reply the postings. Each topic discussion postings are convert into word clouds. These word clouds would be updated twice a week.

• View Keyword Tags in the discussion question area to know what tags been used to get overall understanding in this topic discussion.
• After have good understanding on discussion topic. You can use other tools to get to know what students are talking about. Please see below for other organization tools.
• Read the discussion question, read all postings. If this is not your first time visit this discussion topic, you can locate your previous posting in this topic. Anything posting after your previous posting would be new messages for you to read. This is a good strategy since flat-structured postings generally don't have "read" and "unread" features.
• Locate the posting you intend to reply.

• "Reply' to the discussion questions. If you feel necessary, you can quote the question, use .
• Reply message window opened. Complete your posting.
• In the Subject field, use the keywords to replace the discussion topic.

• Revisit the original question, use "edit keyword tags" to add your new keywords to this discussion topic.
• Key thoughts: Learn to organize our postings. Our discussions are "self-organized" and "self-managed" discussions rather than organized by threaded discussion board.

Q: I feel so lost in flat-structured discussion because I feel the whole discussions are disorganized.

A: It is very common that we feel lost in flat-structured discussions. It is because we are not used to flat-structured interface. We are used to threaded discussion interface. Our intentions to use flat-structured are not to replay threaded discussions but to understand this new discussion interface since most web 2.0 discussion board are in flat-structured interface rather than threaded. Frequently, we just use web 2.0 discussion board because they are easy to use, free to use without thinking how it may affect our interactive discussions. This flat-structured discussions would give us better ideas how it works and how we may make it interactive and effective if we intend to integrate flat-structured discussion to your teaching. After this new discussion interface exercises, you may not still like flat-structured discussions. It is not the point we like certain tool or not, it is important have good understanding how new tools work. In other words, we do not need to like this new discussion interface but we need to know any new technologies strengths, weaknesses, effectiveness etc.

Q: Why do use wiki's flat-structured discussion board rather than Vista (CMS) threaded discussion board?

A: One of previous students indicated Wiki's flat-structured discussion boards allow students to define their own learning structures while in traditional threaded discussion board, the hierarchy or directory structures are defined by system, or programmer. Web 2.0 is emerging and researchers see it has potentials for deliver true learner-centered instructions (personal learning space/environment) versus Vista threaded discussions are framed by “threaded” and not reflect our own thinking style. In fact, many Web 2.0 technologies use flat-structure to display postings chronologically, such as blogs, Twitters, Delicious, Diigo, wiki editing history etc. With traditional threaded discussion, it is convenient because someone organize for us while flat-structures discussion requires us to "organize" the postings. If we apply our traditional mental models (not to organize postings) to participate flat-structured discussions, we will have difficulties to in reading and posting and feel extremely disorganized. Since we are required to organize our own flat-structured discussions to enhance our learning, wiki discussion become more personalized and more authentic learner-centered learning. With traditional threaded discussion, educators grant learner-centered instructions to support learning. With advanced Web 2.0's flat-structured, wiki discussions "empower" learners to become authentic learner-centered instructions. So learners can manage/customize their own personal learning environment (PLE) in NLE. PLE is not about isolated learning, learning alone, or less interaction. In fact, PLE afford learners maximize interaction between learners and the learning environments that include other learners, instructors, contents, interface etc.

Q: How should I make flat-structured discussion boards effective, not intimidated or overwhelmed? What do you mean by "personalizing," "managing" our own learning environment?

A: Manage flat-structured discussion contents to suite for your own learning structures and mental model. Here are a list of thing that you should do to turn flat-structured discussion into PLE.

• Tag:
  • Tag a new thread if you are the moderator because tags are searchable. The more tags we apply, the more meaningful our discussions are.
  • If you reply a message, use "Subject" field to enter your posting tags (key words). Erase the existing discussion topic in the subject field.
  • ANA/OR: Add your tags to the original posting's (the first posting in the topic) Keyword Tags area.

• Keyword tags:
  • On bottom of each thread, there is "Related Content."

• It would allow you to view all tags. By viewing all tags, it gives us an overview of current discussion content. If we read every single posting, frequently, we will be lost very quickly. They are clickable which allow you to view related messages.
• Watch Thread: On each discussion topic, click "Watch Thread" which allows to watch the discussion activity. More information.

• Share This: On top of each discussion, you can click "Share This"

• to select "Google Reader" to keep you updated on the discussion activity without visiting the actual discussion. This would make your iGoogle and Google Reader more powerful to your PLE. Or you can select other Web 2.0 tools to link our discussions to your preferred tools.

• iGoogle: Add Wetpaint Droplet/Gadget to your iGoogle so you can monitor our discussions without visiting the discussion pages.
  • Three useful Droplets are: Site at a Glance; Wiretap; Site Satellite.
• RSS: Subscribe RSS for discussion page so you know what's new and what activities occurred rather than hunt for new postings.
• Use "Do you find this valuable? Yes No" feature to help yourself and others to identify good information.
• Use "Notification" feature to inform you there is/are new message(s) posted. The notification is sent to your account e-mail.

Q: This page has many good tips. How can I manage the information shared on this page?

A: Use RSS feature to monitor this page rather than requiring us to remember to view this page regularly. Subscribe RSS for this page. Add to your Google Reader. Click this icon

Q: I would like to learn more how wiki (or Wetpaint Wiki) support learning. Any good resource to suggest.

A: Wikis in Education: http://wikisineducation.wetpaint.com/

Q: Should I apply other Web 2.0 tools to manage my own learning space?

A: Yes, this is an excellent thought. It is highly encouraged to integrate multiple Web 2.0 tools to create your own learning environment. For example, you can use Diigo's annotation notes on Wetpaint wiki pages. If you see something on wiki page, you would like to make notes for your own references. Log on your Diigo account and post a note to the page or specific spot of wiki page. Every time you visit that wiki page, you will see your own notes. You can make the notes public, share with the group you belong to, or keep it as private. Keep logging in your Diigo account so you can put notes on most web pages. Be creative! There are many ways you can customized and manage your own learning space.

Q: Why did I have hard time to adept Wiki flat-structured discussions?

A: This is because wiki discussions (Web 2.0) apply “flat-structure” to store messages/postings and require users to organize while Vista discussions are organized by threads and not allow users to organize them. We are custom to “think” linearly and in hierarchical form, such as directory, sub-directory. With Wiki discussions (Web 2.0) postings/messages are in one level (flag structure) which requires further organizations (like tagging); otherwise, it is chaotic to view messages. In other words, it requires very different mental models for cognitive learning.

Q: Is this reason why it is hard to understand younger generations’ learning style?

A: Probably yes but we don’t have research to support this yet. Younger generations seem to be good at multi-tasking and not think linearly. It could be reasons why they are so good at Web 2.0 technology, podcast, wiki, blog, YouTube. They don’t use directory to organize their information. They use tags.

Q: Wiki and Wiki flat-structured discussions seem to require me to engage in deeper and more self-reflection. Correct? Why?

A: Yes, you are absolutely right. In fact, you make an excellent observations. Wiki and wiki discussions do not just require us to share and post your messages like Vista threaded discussions. It requires us to organize our own postings and others'. This process requires us to make reflections on our understanding on the contents, particularly internalizing our learning process. That is truly where our learning occurs.

An Inspiring Conversation with an ETC Student

Recently, one of previous students carried on a very interesting online conversation with me. It was very inspiring to me. I feel I was inspired by this student and her reflections on our recent Web 2.0 activities. With her permissions, I would like to share some of our conversations and reflections with you. Here are the summaries of the conversations.

Q: Chih! Last week I was frustrated by all Web 2.0 tools/accounts that you want us to create and participate in;however, this week I felt, I get the ideas of using these tools. I noticed that these tools help me "to reflect deeper and critically." Is that what you want us to do go through?

A: "To reflect deeper and critically!" That is an excellent statement from your observations. Yes, I think you see the true value of applying these technologies to support our own learning while collaborating with others.

Q: I feel I need to "connect" the tools we use in our class because they seem to have similar values. But I am not sure how to do it. Do you have any examples to share?

A: Excellent thought! Web 2.0 is about "getting connected," "managing your own learning," "creating/sharing your own contents" etc. You can visit my personal blog to see how I connect and manage different Web 2.0 tools to support my own professional and social communities.

http://chihhsiungtu.blogspot.com/

Q: In our lesson discussions, you talked about Personal Learning Environment (PLE). Do you mean in order to learn effectively we should manage/customize our own learning environment? I tried to use tag, RSS to manage our wiki discussions. In the beginning, it was so hard. But it works much better than Vista threaded discussions because I can prioritize the postings to read, to reply, and to reflect. With Vista threaded discussion format, I have to read the entire thread by following the sequence to understand the thread. With wiki discussions, I use tags to organize the postings and to understand the discussions. I still read all postings but I feel I understand the discussion better because I follow my own way to learn. Do you think I am on the right track?

A: Yes. I like the language you used, manage our learning. With your permission, I would like to quote what you said here and share with the researchers in Web 2.0 learning environment field. Your experiences and observations are outstanding. You have true understanding about integrating Web 2.0 tools. Traditional learning environments, Such as Vista or Blackboard, provide one stop shopping so it is fairly easy to navigate after you are familiar with structures. However, the structures are determined by a programmer and/or a teacher, so we have to follow their structures (their mental models) to guide our learning. It may not be the best way to learn. With Web 2.0, learners must determine and organize their own learning structures (mental models). While organizing and managing our learning space, we have to reflect on our own previous and current knowledge. In other words, we engage in deeper thinking. We enhance the process of what Vygotsky called "internationalization." This is where learning occurs.

We are used to follow others' mental models to learn. For example, we log on to a course on Vista and follow the structures, sometimes even step-by-step instructions to learn. Every course is structured differently because they are designed by different instructors or designers so we have to shift our mental models to fit in each course. Sometimes it fits and sometimes it doesn't fit. With Web 2.0 tools, we must customize, organize, and manage these tools to become our own learning space. With so much information on the internet, we could shut off and say I don't any more information. Perhaps, we could say and act: let me manage them rather than ignore them. So we network and get support from our circle, community, and friends. Learning should not occur in an isolated environment. Sometimes we want to be alone to think independently; sometime we want to interact with others to generate deeper thinking and active interactions.

Q: Personally, I feel I learn better if I know my instructor better. In other classes, we do self introduction. That is good but I feel with the Facebook profile, I know you better and I think I have a better idea of what you want us to learn and what you are looking for in assignments. Am I correct?

A: You really inspire me to integrate Facebook and/or other tools into learning. I think you are absolutely right that knowing instructors would enhance learning. This can be applied as well to knowing classmates. Learning doesn't occur in a vacuum. It is a social ritual. If we separate social from cognition, learning may not be meaningful at all.

Q: I really like this conversation. It makes me feel much better. Can I contact you whenever I have questions?

A: You always can contact me for any further assistance. Do you know you can find me on Facebook? I've been communicating with our classmates either in real-time or semi-real time on Facebook. If I can respond to you immediately, you know I will get back to you as soon as possible.