The Wiki-Way of Learning: Creating and managing collaborative learning scenarios using participative Web pages

In order to create knowledge (Scardamalia & Bereiter, 2002/2003) and to make collaboration effective (Dillenbourg, 2001) in achieving the targeted curriculum outcomes, teachers have to structure the curriculum by setting up specific phases, roles and collaborative activities (Weinberger et al., 2002). Learning outcome is related to the emergence of elaborated explanations, the negotiation of meanings, the quality of argumentation structures and the mutual regulation of cognitive processes (Dillenbourg & Hong, 2008). The use of technology can help organize and reinforce communication processes among learners and visualize collaborative learning artifacts. Wikis as participative Web 2.0 technology embody specific properties which enable teachers to better scaffold learning activities and the learners to present, compare and comment on the created learning artifacts among themselves.
The seminar will focus on two scaffolding models for knowledge building (Lakkala & Hakkarainen, 2008; Notari, 2006) and on the properties of Wikis as flexible tools for collaboratively creating, linking, revising and regrouping hypertext content. Examples of tested learning scenarios using the mentioned scaffolding methods are presented and student's behaviour regarding the use of the Wiki is discussed. A follow up hands on workshop is planned where participants get a chance to experience the setting up of a learning scenario into a ‘Wiki enhanced' learning unit.