Wikis+in+PLCs

=**Using Wikis in Professional Learning Communities **=

Professional learning communities (PLC) is one of the more effective methods of determining student achievement within the classroom. To encourage educators to take ownership in determining if students are learning the curricular material, PLCs have several built-in features to assist with this. Educators will set their own goals, both long-term and short-term, to determine student learning. Also, a PLC is a cyclical system where educators are continually returning to their goals to determine if they have been achieved and/or need to be revised to achieve the determined level of student achievement.

Wikis lend themselves to this type of continuous discussion and sharing of data. They are an online, collaborative resource educators can create and edit as part of a team. All participants in the PLC share access equally to updating the information and from any location. PLCs participants can update any time and do not have to wait for the group to meet to add information. They edit information when it is convenient for them.


 * 1) Provide online, informative resources for instructors using PLCs in their staff development programs.
 * 2) Provide online, collaborative resources for educators to create their own means of sharing information.
 * 3) Provide educators resources on how to integrate wikis in their own classrooms.


rss url="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Allthingsplc" link="true" description="true" number="2" date="true" author="true" Current trends and information on Professional Learning Communities.

rss url="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/AscdInservice" link="true" description="true" number="2" date="true" author="true" ASCD Inservice provides discussion on best practices and policies for the success of all learners.

rss url="http://technogogy.slinkset.com/.atom" link="true" description="true" number="2" date="true" author="true" enclosure="true" Provides information on sound, pedagogical uses of Web 2.0 tools.

rss url="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/wikispaces" link="true" description="true" number="2" date="true" Current topics and tools to be used in developing and maintaining a Wikispace.


Classroom Wikis This is an educational wiki on how to integrate wikis into the classroom, along with examples of classroom wikis.

Wikispaces for Educators Educators are able to create a wiki on wikispaces for educators free. This is an online, collaborative tools which individuals can join and participant.

Wikis in Education Examples of how wikis are being used in education.

The Wiki Way Rachel Boyd's Professional Portfolio has detailed information on what is a wiki and how it could be integrated/facilitated into the classroom.


Global SchoolNet This resource provides educators how to incorporate collaborative learning into a global experience. Their mission is to help improve children's learning through content-driven collaboration.

Google Docs Help Step-by-step instructions for individuals needing additional guidance on how to create and use various Google Docs.

Google Sites Help For individuals who need assistance in setting up the various components to a Google Site and how they can improve the basic structure of the online, collaborative web site.

SEDL This is a non-profit organization focused on educational research and development. They have a section devoted to PLCs explaining what are PLCs and how to effectively integrate them into schools.

TeachersFirst This comprehensive site provides K-12 educators thousands of proven classroom resources collaborative tools. One can search by subject or grade to easily discover pertinent information on topics.

Wiki Walk-Through This tutorial provides simple, straight-forward information on what a wiki is and how it can be used.


Google Docs Online, collaborative tool for individuals to create, modify and publish various documents - word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and forms. Individuals have the opportunity to work with other invited participants to work on a document in real-time and/or at different times. Documents are stored online to provide a 24-7 access for all participants.

The following are a few of the available wikis educators could use to collaborate online to compile and share information for their professional learning communities. || Wetpaint ||
 * Google Sites
 * Wikispaces

|| Wix

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