How to use Wiki

These instruction sheets are a guide to using Wikis

What you will require to be able to use Wiki

- Access to a computer and the Internet

What is Wiki?

A Wiki is a website that allows users/visitors to view, edit and remove content. A Wiki can be thought of as a combination of a Web site and a Word document. At its simplest, it can be read just like any other web site, with no access privileges necessary, but its real power lies in the fact that groups can collaboratively work on the content of the site using nothing but a standard web browser. Beyond this ease of editing, the second powerful element of a wiki is its ability to keep track of the history of a document as it is revised.

(The most “famous” Wiki at the moment is Wikipedia – “the free online encyclopedia that anyone can edit”. Visit www.wikipedia.com to see how it works. You can also visit voicethread4education.wikispaces.com to see an educational Wiki in use)

- Wikis are free, online writing spaces.

- When writers contribute to a public wiki, their work could potentially be read by millions of readers.

- Each new reader can suddenly become a writer.

- Wikis give focus to the last draft, yet wikis provide a history.

- Each time the text is changed, a new version is saved. Anyone can go back later and see previous versions.

- Permissions can be set to limit the readers and writers who participate.

- Wikis are at their best when a small number of people are working intensely on related material.

Which Wiki do I use?

You can choose Wiki from lot of different sources. You need to fi nd the one most appropriate to your needs. The following are some examples of popular Wikis:

Writeboard (http://writeboard.com)

Zoho WIKI (http://wiki.zoho.com)

Writing Wiki (www.writingwiki.org)

Wikipedia (www.wikipwdia.org)

Wiki for Teachers (http://teachingwiki.org) Criteria for evaluating which wiki to use:

- Ease of installation.

- User accounts (so your name is automatically attached to all changes you make).

- Page change subscription by email and RSS.

- Page history and stored revisions (not all wikis have this, but it can be an important feature).

- Document attachments.

- Page edit locking (you don't want two people editing a page at the same time, as one will lose their changes).

- Something you don't need, necessarily, is wiki software that looks great. Remember, this is about organizing your project, not making pages good enough to print.

How do I get started?

Log in and Edit a Wiki Page

(for demonstration purposes we will use http://wiki.zoho.com )

Create Your Account (Create a Zoho Account) Click Sign Up for Free

Follow the steps and fi ll in the form that appears. Please note:

- All fi elds are mandatory

- Don’t forget to read the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and mark the check box if you agree.

You are now ready to start using your Wiki. There is generally a “Help” section in each Wiki which will provide you with further information and guidance.