Issues

When utilising Wikis as an educational tool there are challenges, which will need to be addressed. Vandalism is a risk to be taken into consideration and is defined as ‘editing a wiki in a way that is intentionally disruptive or destructive’ (DET, online). This can be monitored through authentication and tracking settings, however, these modifications can change the way in which the tool is used and detract from its effectiveness. In order for students to truly benefit from the collaborative activities possible with Wikis, teachers need to give up some control of the content, allowing student autonomy (Lamb, 2004). Furthermore, student privacy is of utmost importance when considering publishing student work. Parental permission should be obtained and students full names should not be published (Wikibooks, online).