Using Crowdsourced Wikis to Teach an Online Undergraduate Course

A number of barriers exist that make using wikis in online teaching more challenging. Monitoring and correcting student actions is more difficult online than in a face-to-face classroom. Most students hesitate to edit and change other student writing and so incentives need to be used to get students to edit each other's work. Students should receive an orientation where they learn the purpose and benefits of wikis and receive instruction on how to use wikis. This study examined student use of wikis in an online assignment. As a course evaluation, students were asked to respond to five questions about their experience in using a wiki in the assignment. Conclusions were drawn about the practicality of using wikis in teaching online. Students affirmed that collaboration leads to learning and knowledge acquisition. By engaging in collaboration, learners observe and improve upon weaknesses or gaps in learning. Students learn from each other by examining and improving the work of others. Students also recognized that using wikis to develop documents is a valuable skill to take into the workplace. The study confirms much of the research on the topic of using wikis as a learning strategy. Also, the study shows that process is as important to learning as is outcome. The benefits of using wikis for learning are equally important as the final product produced.