What is a Wiki? A wiki is defined on Wikipedia as a web application in which allows people to add, delete, or modify content in collaboration with others. Used as a collaborative educational tool, wiki differs from a blog or most other systems in that the content is created without any defined author. Wikis have little implicit structure, allowing structure to emerge according to the needs of the users.
Using a wiki as an educational tool is has its benefits by allowing people or groups to share ideas and important information at their convenience. This eliminates the process of meeting in person or emailing back and forth which saves everyone a lot of time and confusion.
With the use of wiki, each person, group member or colleague has access to one document allowing each person to make changes and input as needed. Once the document is finalized, it accessible to everyone, including those who contributed to the final product.
Unfortunately, most wikis have open access which can be bad. When allowing anyone to make edits to the document, this can include those people collaborating to your document with no knowledge of the subject. Keep this in mind when searching on wikis for important information. Only use those with credible authors, otherwise the subject matter is merely scattered opinions. This is probably the only downside to wikis.
Using a wiki as an educational tool is has its benefits by allowing people or groups to share ideas and important information at their convenience. This eliminates the process of meeting in person or emailing back and forth which saves everyone a lot of time and confusion.
With the use of wiki, each person, group member or colleague has access to one document allowing each person to make changes and input as needed. Once the document is finalized, it accessible to everyone, including those who contributed to the final product.
Unfortunately, most wikis have open access which can be bad. When allowing anyone to make edits to the document, this can include those people collaborating to your document with no knowledge of the subject. Keep this in mind when searching on wikis for important information. Only use those with credible authors, otherwise the subject matter is merely scattered opinions. This is probably the only downside to wikis.
Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.org/)