1	Wikis and Blogs: Promoting Interactivity and Collaboration Focus on Teaching and Technology Conference UM-St. Louis November 2, 2006
2	Pre-History Developing a “blended” class In-class, online Day and Evening Live Classroom Concern: student engagement Focus: “group activities” Optional assignment: Winter Semester 2006
3	Group Activities Six collaborative assignments over the course of the semester Collaborative components Group discussion board, file exchange, and real-time chat Group Blog (used by some groups instead of discussion board) Group wiki: vehicle for presenting individual work and group synthesis
4	Examples Sociology 1010-Introduction to Sociology Group 2 SS 2006 Sociology 2180-Alcohol, Drugs, and Society Group 2 SS 2006 Group Assignments: MyGateway Current work: MyGateway
5	Getting Serious Group Activities Required: Summer 2006 (smaller classes) Survey of students: online demographics perceptions of the usability of wiki-based assignments perceptions of the utility of wiki-based assignments 86 students completed the survey 2 classes: online and face-to-face 6-8 students per group
6	Student Online Access and Activity
7	Computers
8	Off-Campus Access
9	Time Online
10	Wiki Usability
11	Wiki Usability (distribution)
12	Wiki Utility: Learning
13	Wiki Utility: Learning (distribution)
14	Wiki Utility: Communication
15	Wiki Utility: Communication (distribution)
16	Wiki Utility: Enrollment and Retention
17	Wiki Utility: Retention (distribution)
18	Selected Comments: Benefits “The wikis are an excellent tool. Interactive, easy to use, and the final product is better than a group paper would be with graphics and internal links. Plus, busy group members can input on their own time, rather than trying to find a time and a place to meet.” “More than anything, the wiki's and discussion boards made me feel like it was possible to have a thriving community of connected students that persisted outside of the class. It helped me to identify students like me more easily, by way of the quality of their interactions facilitated by the tools provided.” “I would have liked to see a stronger set of tools for the wiki, perhaps even on a platform with some degree of permanence so that all that work wasn't lost to me upon completion of the course. I do see some downsides to this, but that portion of the course was very addictive for me.”
19	Selected Comments: Problems “At times the wiki was a bit confusing. Maybe make sure every student is understanding how to use wiki before assigning things to do.” “I like the idea of the Wiki and group projects, I feel that many of the students in my group either didn't understand how to use them or simply didn't care. In the future I think that participation in the Group Activities needs to be spelled out more clearly from the start.” “It was frustrating trying to work as a group when only three people would do their part, and often wait to the last minute, so there could be little discussion among the group.”
20	Where to Go From Here Fall 2006: group wiki projects required in three blended classes Sociology 1010-Introduction to Sociology: 140 students Sociology/CCJ 2180-Alcohol, Drugs, and Society: 110 students Sociology 3280-Society and Technology: 20 students We’ll see!
21	Contact Robert Keel rok@umsl.edu 314-516-6052 http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr