Wiki...wiki...wiki

Don'tcha just love to say it...Wiki...wiki...wiki...

(Yeah...I'm strange...I know.)

So here we are...this week, discussing wikis. I've checked out several of the suggested wikis and am happy to see something other than Wikipedia. According to the PMLC site "The word 'Wiki' comes from the Hawaiian phrase "wiki wiki", which is commonly used to indicate something fast." http://plcmccore.blogspot.com/2006/04/wiki-wiki-wiki.html

I'd wondered...it sorta sounded like a Hawaiian word. Answers.com also had this definition: The word is sometimes interpreted as the backronym for what I know is, which describes the knowledge contribution, storage, and the exchange function. http://www.answers.com/wiki&r=67

I'd bet that Wikipedia is the most popular of the wikis. I think it's a good place to start but would certainly not consider it a primary source...the possibilities of mistakes is way too high. Anyone can add-- or delete-- material. When you post to a wiki you loose all control over the posted document.

I do like the idea of using a wiki in the library. It's a natural for book reviews, new material updates, even surveys and user comments and suggestions.

Classes could also make productive use of wikis. How about using it for a course website...particularly if it is NOT a distance learning course? Students could ask questions as they think about them or even schedule study dates.

I like the idea of wikis...it is a grand way for people who are excited about a topic to get together and share what they know.