Others have described and reviewed wikis, so I am posting the exercise I'm working on with an explanation of its pedagogical value for my course.

This is a wiki on wikispaces that I am putting together for a course that will be taught in person (web enhanced). The idea is that students can create links to specific words in the passage I've posted to practice "close reading," which means analyzing the meaning of particular words and phrases by defining them and exploring their use in other contexts. I plan to create an assignment where students will create links that include interpretive explanations. Hopefully, they will build on one another's ideas. And, ultimately, they will comment on the value of different links and interpretations.

I am hoping that doing this assignment on line will help them to learn the process and then do the same sort of collaborative close reading in the classroom. Cose reading is a concept that is difficult to teach in the classroom; when it is modeled, some students get it and some don't. I am excited about this use of the Wiki technology because it is not just another delivery method for static material. It actually should help students to perform a type of analysis that might be new to them.

This is designed specifically for a literature course, but may be useful for other disciplines too.

Here is a link to the site. It doesn't yet include directions on how to post links or an explanation of the assignment, just a passage and some sample links. It is hosted on Wikispaces.

Passage from The Bluest Eye.

 Create your own educational wiki!HelpPublic, not yet premium Privacy Policy RSS