Wikis: Working their way into the Web

COLLABORATIVE, ONLINE WIKI ARTICLES provide salvation at last to individuals eager to publish their thoughts on the web but unable to purchase or learn a complicated web page-building program. The advent of Wiki servers and language has made universal web editing possible: anyone in the world can edit a Wiki article, take it for a test drive, then publish it to the web using only a web browser.

What is Wiki?

As Wiki creator Ward Cuningham puts it, Wiki is “The simplest online database that could possibly work.” Wiki is software that allows anyone to edit or create a web page with a browser; the web pages created with Wiki software are also referred to as Wikis. Generally, Wikis provide a means for open, worldwide collaboration on all kinds of topics. While open editing may sound chaotic, most users observe Wiki etiquette, and damage control measures exist to combat the actions of those that abuse the open editing capabiliy of a Wiki web page. New Wiki users are encouraged to practice writing Wiki pages in a "sandbox", which has a function analogous to the "preview" function in many other software programs; the user can see what their work might look like without having to save changes to an original document (Cunningham, 2004).

Wiki History

It is the year 1995. Ward Cunningham has developed an idea and posted it to the Portland Pattern Repository (PPR). The PPR is an online publication that is comparable to Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park – one of the first online communities of shared ideas for software development. Cunningham had chosen the Hawaiian word “Wiki-Wiki”, which means “quick”, for his server software idea. Since then, the Wiki concept continues to evolve as different Wiki sublanguages with different capabilities are developed (Cunningham, 2004).

In the classroom

If this is the first time you’ve ever heard of the Wiki concept, you have probably already come to the conclusion that this could be a powerful teaching and learning tool. Classroom Wiki projects can be great successes or disappointing failures. If students lack motivation or do not embrace the concept of collaboration, the chances of success are limited. Check out this online blog for discussion of ideas of how to use Wiki in the classroom.

Wiki language

Here are a few basic text formatting rules:

\\ = Line break
-> = Indent paragraph (more dashes = longer indent)
* = Bullet; 2 bullets = second-level bullet; 3 bullets = third-level bullet, etc.
‘’= Italics
‘’’ = Bold
‘’’’ = Bold italics
%red% = Red text
AnyWordsRunTogether = Creates a Wiki word (hyperlink to another Wiki page)

The formatting rules may vary by Wiki software version; there are commands for nearly every formatting style seen on an ordinary HTML page, such as inserting an image or using a special character. See "More Information" below for examples of Wiki web sites (Text Formatting Rules, 2004).

Formatting Etiquette

Because the Wiki concept is based largely on trust and common sense, one should observe rules of etiquette when contributing to or creating Wiki entries. Here are a few basics:

• Consider your readers: Avoid offensive or sloppy language
• Don’t delete contributions of others (without permission)
• One may remain anonymous if desired, but avoid plagiarism
• Keep Wiki words limited to 5 or less words

Wiki abuse can be dealt with through the “track changes” option, where a mistreated Wiki can be restored to its original condition if it is vandalized in any way. Wiki vandals often tire of destroying Wikis, and can sometimes become real contributors to Wikis (Schucker, 2004).

More Information

Examples of Wiki Sites:

• Wikipedia: A free, online, collaborative encyclopedia available in dozens of languages
• EdGames Wiki: A collaborative encyclopedia covering educational game articles created by SDSU students
• Portland Pattern Repository: The site where it all began, and where new ideas continue to develop

Barbara Delgadillo

Delgadillo, B. (2004). Wikis: Working their way into the Web. In  B. Hoffman (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Educational Technology. Retrieved