Assignment+Directions

Assignment directions:

A wiki is a web site in which users can participate by contributing information, graphics, links and other information that is relevant to the topic (in some cases, such as this class, contributors are limited to invited guests). The most recognizable wiki is, of course, Wikipedia, a collaborative online encyclopedia site.

For this class, students will work in small groups to research specific aspects of a current issue in education and build pages in the wiki site that will demonstrate what they've learned. This assignment will help you practice your library database search skills as well as APA style, all while thinking critically about a current educational issue.

By clicking the Edit button at the top right of the pages after you create an account and login to the site, participants can use a variety of tools to add text, graphics, audio, video, web links, and other material to make the site more dynamic.

A few "rules":
 * Be respectful of your fellow students. If someone has taken the time to upload information, please do not delete large pieces of their contribution. However, it is a GOOD IDEA to read over and edit contributions for errors.
 * When you upload graphics, you should indicate where you retrieved the files. A small statement at the bottom of the page or under the graphic giving credit is all that's necessary.
 * If you want to upload photos or other graphic elements, you can use the "file" or "widget" button to get content from other places (like YouTube).
 * Summaries of articles or other information should also be credited. You can easly enter a link to the website by clicking on the LINK button and typing in the correct URL.
 * Because a wiki is a collaborative "tool", you should stay in contact with your group members to develop your page(s) content. Check the wiki often over the course of the project to see what has been created.

EVERYONE will read the same "OVERVIEW" article to get some basic background on the issue. This article is located here: []


 * 1) Each learning team will choose a subtopic from the list of pages on this wiki to create their group wiki page. Each subtopic page has another article to read as more background for that particular sub-topic. Please have one learning team member edit the sub-topic page and put each students' name in the learning team at the top of the page once we choose them in class.
 * 2) Then **each group member** should locate a peer-reviewed article on the sub-topic, read it, and take notes on the content. Then, each learning team will compile the notes from the articles read and write/design a dynamic wiki page to inform and enlighten the rest of the class about what scholarly sources are saying about the topic.
 * 3) Feel free to include other multimedia and graphics in your wiki if you find useful content.
 * 4) Include the correctly formatted APA citations (both in-text and references). A __References sub-page should be created__ to list the APA citation for each source.
 * 5) Also on this references page, you will do some reflection on the research process used to find the articles you used for the assignment. This reflection should include a running list of keywords the team used in your database search, which terms ultimately resulted in your finding a useful article, and also the "subject headings" from the database record for the articles you used. Also, each learning team member should write about their process for finding the article and writing the APA citation. What did you do? What resources did you consult to be successful? How comfortable were you with the process? (Think of this part as a "think aloud"-- a way to articulate your thought process for attacking this assignment.)
 * 6) Then after each learning team has finalized their wiki sub-topic page, individually, comment to three other group's wiki pages using the __discussion tab__ embedded on the top of each page. Your response should generate conversation about the topic, not be a critique of their critique. Feel free to post links to other references, websites etc. that would enrich the discussion.

Grade: 20 points for wiki pages (5 pts. content, 5 pts. mechanics, 5 pts. APA citations, 5 pts. research process reflection) and 5 points for the online discussion (1 point per response for content, 2 pts. for mechanics)